Flying with Cold ?

Understanding Cold and Barotrauma Risks for Pilots

When a cold virus enters the body, it multiplies and releases new viruses. This process often leads to symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and lethargy. These may seem minor, but they can be irritating, distracting, and significantly impair a pilot’s focus and decision-making ability.

The tissues lining the nasal passages tend to swell, causing blocked ears and difficulty in equalizing pressure. The inability to equalize pressure in the middle ear can result in pain and, in severe cases, tissue damage.

This pressure-related tissue damage is known as Barotrauma. It can lead to complications such as eardrum rupture, which may affect both short- and long-term fitness to fly. The risk simply isn’t worth taking.

As a reminder, audiometry testing is a mandatory requirement for the issue and renewal of a DGCA Class I Medical for holders of a Commercial Pilot Licence in India.

• There is No cure  (yet) for Common Cold , Body’s immune system must be allowed to fight the infection
• Body requires adequate rest for immune system to work at its peak.
• Antibiotics do not cure Cold , viruses are immune to Antibiotics,  but they do provide  symptomatic relief. 

information Source : Dr Dougal watson’s Aviation medicine website Photo courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.