Feature by Dave Harcombe in Silver Travel Advisor
Flying to different countries may be a fast, even glamorous way to travel, but it can also be distressing… and even fatal for your health with dry eyes, wind and constipation among the least worrying of a myriad of symptoms.
Airplanes are pressurised to a level which is equivalent to being 7000 feet up a mountain so that brings all the problems associated with reduced cabin air pressure.
Breathlessness, cramp, dehydration, swollen feet, dry skin and headache are just a few of the ailments that might arise in these circumstances.
Popping ears
Most of us have experienced “popping” in our ears when flying. This is due to gas expanding and escaping through the eustachian tube in the middle ear.
When an aircraft descends, the opposite happens – the air in the ear contracts and can produce pain in the middle ear.
One solution may be to invest in some `Earplanes’, a new device that promises to relieve ear discomfort, clogging, and popping during flights.
They cost around £4.99 and protect the ears from rapid cabin pressure changes. You simply insert them into your ear before take off and remove them when the plane lands.
Alternatively, try yawning, swallowing, drinking fluids, or sucking a sweet to relieve the discomfort.
Letting a young child cry on descent is probably the best thing to do, even if it drives other passengers to distraction!
And decongestants are an essential for travellers who suffer from sinus problems. Carry them in your hand luggage and take them both the day before and during the flight.
Bloating
At a cruising height of 37,000 feet, gas in the body expands in volume by around 30%.
Not only does this lead to a tighter waistband, but the increased gas can be unpleasant for passengers… as well as for those around them.
Worse still, those suffering from a fracture can find the air trapped between the skin and the plaster cast. In a worst case scenario, this could lead to gangrene. Likewise, care is needed for colostomy patients, who are advised to carry extra bags in case of leakage.
Top tips for avoiding messy, gaseous insides are to avoid fizzy drinks and any gas- producing foods, such as turnips, cabbage, beans and curries. Chewing gum is something else to avoid.
Top tips are to wear loose, comfortable clothing, eat and drink in moderation, and take a drop of peppermint oil mixed with a teaspoon of honey, dissolved in hot water taken, before you fly.
Breathing difficulties
Another, potential health problem comes from breathing in reduced levels of oxygen.
A plane contains only about 15% of oxygen compared to 21% in the air breathed in a normal environment. As a result, passengers with respiratory problems may experience breathing difficulties and should discuss the situation with their G.P. before travelling.
Asthmatic patients need to carry inhalers in their hand luggage and have them accessible at all times.
As inhalers occasionally don’t work correctly it is always wise to carry a couple of spare ones.
Chronic asthmatics can purchase nebulisers that work off a batter or the mains and they shoud be carried onto the plane as hand luggage.
Dryness
Pressurisation of the cabin air also leads to moisture removal and a low humidity level (around 20% in most cabins).
A comfortable humidity is around 60%. Any increase in humidity during the flight is mainly from fellow passengers!
Such dry cabin air has an accelerated drying effect on contact lens.
Eye specialists now recommend the removal of contact lens if the flight is over four hours.
As well as dry eyes, a dry mouth, throat, nose and skin can occur quickly. Headaches are common amongst high flyers and so is constipation.
Apply moisturisers and lip balm at least once during the flight. Try an essential oil spritzer spray to cool and refresh the skin or put a few drops of lavender oil into a spray bottle with mineral water.
Avoid coffee , tea and alcohol as all three contain diuretics, which dehydrate the body even more. Instead, drink plenty of water and fruit juices.
Cramp and swelling
Long haul flights are notorious for causing cramp. All that upright sitting results in swollen feet and ankles and non-fitting shoes at the end of the flight.
To prevent this effect, take frequent walks during the flight – hourly if possible. If you are able to reserve seats try to get an aisle seat or one near the emergency exits so that you can stretch your legs out.
Five drops of lavender oil on a damp cloth makes an ideal compress to massage swollen feet and ankles.Gently massage in an upward direction to the bottom of each calf for a few minutes.A geranium oil compress is also useful if you are prone to cramp.
There is mounting evidence that flying contributes to an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) in the legs.
It may be useful to take a low dose ASPIRIN 75MG as a cheap and effective preventative, but check with your G. P. first.
Travel sickness
Comfortable and at ease in clothes that are right for the journey. Photo: Silver Travel Advisor.
Approximately one third of the population will suffer from travel sickness at some time or other.
Surprisingly, flying only affects approximately two percent of passengers – presumably because the aircraft fly above the main turbulence.
The best way to deal with travel sickness is to take preventative action. Pharmacists offer a multitude of remedies. Chewing raw ginger can help, too, or put three drops of ginger oil onto a handkerchief and inhale.
Distracting a person’s attention will often prevent travel sickness, or get them to focus on a distant point.Watching the in-flight movie may provide all the distraction that is needed.
Other measures include sitting over the wing, the most stable part of the plane, and trying to get plenty of fresh air through the air vent above your seat.
Diabetic advice
Diabetic control may become a problem during a long haul flight, especially if the passenger is also travel sick.
Insulin should be kept in the hand luggage, preferably in two separate places, just in case some is lost.
Jet lag may affect the control of both diabetics and epileptics, leading to dose adjustment. Again consult your G.P. before flying.
Jet lag
Jet lag can be a real handicap. Measures to combat it include (if travelling east), staying indoors out of natural daylight on the morning of your proposed arrival and rest until the afternoon to help to advance the body clock.
If travelling west, follow the same wake, eat and sleep timetables as the locals and your body clock will adjust accordingly.
A long soak in a bath containing oil of grapefruit and lavender, deeply inhaling the aroma, does help the body adjust to the difference in time zones.
In spite of everything…
Flying is a very safe mode of travel. Millions of people fly each year and long haul is on the increase. Adopting some or all of the measures outlined should help make you flight more enjoyable.
For impartial travel reviews and information visit:
Watch out, you’re on candid camera
- British Airways Cabin Crews Testing iPads to Replace Paper (socialtimes.com)
