This is a question for my bf...he has to fly across the country with me soon, and I am a bit worried as he gets really painful headaches when the plane descends...he says they feel like a hot knife between his eyes and that there is a lot of pressure about to be released. Does anyone have any suggestion as to how to treat this or prevent it? I hate to see him in pain like that. Thanks!

This is a question for my bf...he has to fly across the country with me soon, and I am a bit worried as he gets really painful headaches when the plane descends...he says they feel like a hot knife between his eyes and that there is a lot of pressure about to be released. Does anyone have any suggestion as to how to treat this or prevent it? I hate to see him in pain like that. Thanks!

When I fly, I used to have the most awful pain/pressure against my ears on ascent and descent of the plane. Felt like a knife too. I used to actually cry from the pain sometimes. I consulted with my doctor and he told me to take TavistD (decongestant) before the flight. If it's a long flight, you may need to take some prior to the descent too. I do. Works like a charm! I used to dread the pain, but not anymore. If your bf's problem is similar to mine, then a good decongestant should do the trick. Tell him to ask his doctor first, of course. Especially if he has high bp, decongestants elevate the bp. Good luck!

Couple of tricks:

Chew a wad of bubble gum before decent.

A wad of cotten in ears prior to decent. This usually works like a charm.

Combination of the 1st two! :D

Couple of tricks:

Chew a wad of bubble gum before decent.

A wad of cotten in ears prior to decent. This usually works like a charm.

Combination of the 1st two! :D

I tried the gum chewing and yawning, but that didn't work for me. I think my problem was due to a defect in my ear canal, where it would collapse in changes in altitude.
So, the decongestant opened them up, and that worked great.
Thanks.