Record the flight in stages
If you only remember that it started before the wheels touched down, write “during descent, time uncertain”. If the flight was bumpy, note that only if it helps place the event. The stage and what you felt are the details you want.
| Stage | What to capture |
|---|---|
| Before the flight | Recent cold or nasal symptoms, usual smell, any ear fullness before boarding |
| Takeoff and climb | Approximate onset if you noticed pain, pressure or hearing changes |
| Cruise | What stayed the same, eased or started while airborne |
| Descent and landing | Which sensation began first, side and location, and approximate time before or after landing |
| After landing | What remained and when it improved, if you remember |
Free templates for this guide
Open a worksheet to fill in and print, or download a blank copy. Keep completed records private and share them only with people you choose.
Keep facial pain and ear symptoms on separate lines
A fictional example might read: “My nose was partly blocked before boarding. During descent I felt sharp pressure above my right eyebrow, roughly 20 minutes before landing. My left ear felt full closer to touchdown. The eyebrow pain eased by the time I got home, while the ear still felt full.” This is more useful than “the pressure was bad on the plane” because it preserves two locations and two timelines.
If you have a second example, note whether it was the same side or stage. If a previous flight felt normal, keep that detail, too. It’s fine to say you’re unsure whether you were congested before a particular flight.
The printable flight observation card has separate columns for facial and ear symptoms. If the pain changed position, write where it began and where it was strongest. A rough duration such as “better by baggage claim” gives you a usable time reference.
Questions to ask before flying again
If severe pain occurred, symptoms persist after landing or the pattern repeats, seek medical advice. For a future trip, ask your clinician whether you need an assessment and what details they want to know about your symptoms or upcoming travel. If an airline needs medical information, check its process and the UK Civil Aviation Authority passenger guidance. For ear symptoms, the CDC Yellow Book discusses cabin pressure and travel-related barotrauma.
AirBloom is being built to keep dated symptoms and routine notes in one history. You could use it to find the before-flight check-in and add what happened after landing. The facial pressure note card gives you a shorter version to bring to an appointment.
Sources: CDC Yellow Book on air travel; UK Civil Aviation Authority passenger guidance
One sentence to put at the top of your notes
Try “the pain began during descent, was strongest above my right brow, and was still present for about an hour after landing”. Give ear or hearing symptoms their own sentence if they occurred. If you also experience facial pressure during ordinary weather changes, record that as a separate pattern. Weather and facial pressure guide
Sources & further reading
- Clinical overview of barosinusitis
- CDC Yellow Book on air travel
- UK Civil Aviation Authority passenger guidance
This guide provides general education, not individual medical advice. It has not been clinically reviewed. Talk to a qualified clinician about persistent, new or worsening symptoms. Follow your local emergency guidance for urgent concerns.
Spotted an error? Tell the editorial team.
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AirBloom is in development for iOS and Android, bringing symptom records and existing routines into one place. Join the early-access waitlist.