painful pressure today

[Tram]

Yeh, he did it for like 29 bucks.

 

[cforst513]

oh well in that case, nevermind!!! rock on!!!

 

[CaravanMan]

I'm sorry to say that I'm glad you guys have problems with this too! I had a couple instances last Summer that were miserable. Once I was descending from 7,000 to about 1,300 (field elev) in the Caravan. I had been feeling fine the whole trip and days before; no hint of anything. I was fine during the entire descent until right over the approach lights and it hit instantly. Just like you all had been describing: a severly sharp pain in, and above the left eye. It felt like an ice pick was shoved in my eye. My poor wife was with me and she got really scared because here we are landing and I'm over in my seat freakin' out! I could barely see to land the plane. Landing and the turnoff I barely remember, but those memories are with me forever. I went to the Doc and got some antibiotics and some prescription nose spray...she said if you use the over-the-counter sprays too often it can really screw you up. I wish I remembered what she gave me...I used to see it on TV all the time. Oh yeah, I tried the valsalva, but it didn't do Jack Shyte for me.

It is comforting to see that there are others who've had the same problems and are flying in the flight levels. Although I don't have the problem anymore, well, once in a long while, I was worried about the future when I'll be back in the flight levels too.

I'm thinking of keeping my cordless drill in the plane in case it happens again...I can't help but think that drilling a hole in my eyebrow would actually feel LESS painful than the sinus prob!

 

[Singlecoil]

I had that happen in the single-pilot Cessna 402 days. I had a head cold and probably shouldn't have been flying, but we didn't have any other pilots at the time. I had to stop the descent and start a gentle climb to stop the pain. After a few minutes there was a very loud and sickening sound as the mucous migrated to a happier place and I was able to descend. I think I even mentioned something to the pax and they just shrugged.

The good news is, when you start flying pressurized airplanes, there will be two things working in your favor. Your company will probably have a decent complement of reserves, and the cabin usually only descends at about 300 fpm, which prevents most of these issues.

 

[FN FAL]

Oh not much, just emergency authority to deviate from clearance (stop descent & climb), have atc get traffic out of the way.

I would just work out the situation with the controller...wouldn't declaring an emergency with something related to pilot physical problems be an invitation to have your medical pulled until further evaluation?

 

[UGAflyer]

I had pain in my jaw. The left side of my bottom teeth went numb. Mine was when i climbed though. I could feel it coming on as I climbed through 5000' or so and if I leveled out at 7 or 8k it was aweful. The first time it happened was in a King Air when the door seal had a problem and as we leveled around 250 the cabin alt. shot up to 11 or 12000. It was the most pain I have been in in recent memory. I thought it was a cavity or something but it was a sinus problem. There is a sinus that runs right along the jaw and apparently mine became blocked and as I increased alt. the pain got worse. It went away as I descended. I took some decongestents and nasal sprays and I haven't had it happen since...knock on wood. I hope it never happens again.

 

[CaravanMan]

Yeah, I've had my top left teeth go numb too...that's weird!