It’s a simple and basic truth: man wasn’t built to fly, but we have been obsessed with the idea for as long as we’ve stared into the sky. The first recorded attempt at flying goes back long before the Wright brothers and the Kitty Hawk voyage; that distinction goes to Abbas Ibn Firnas of Malaga, Spain, in 875. It ended badly, but he flew for about 10 seconds with wooden wings!
Today, flight is a normal part of our travel plans, and millions of people use planes to go anywhere in the world. But air travel can pose risks to your body, and to lower your chances of experiencing these problems, we need to understand what happens to your body when you fly, what situations can arise, and how to prevent them.
Dr. Jeffrey James Fisher and his dedicated team at Mansfield Urgent Care & Family Medicine are here to help the residents of Mansfield, Texas, prepare for air travel.
First, let’s examine one aspect of the changes you experience in the air: barometric pressure. This term indicates the changes in air pressure, the weight of that pressure pressing down on the planet’s surface, and its direct effects on weather. Higher pressures lead to calmer air, while lower pressures cause bad weather, such as storms.
However, even on the ground, our bodies respond to barometric pressure, and you may not even be aware of how it’s happening. Air pressure changes in the weather can impact how air moves in your body, leading to issues such as headaches, migraine attacks, fatigue, joint pain, and sinus pressure. How you experience it depends on health and age factors.
Now, imagine being suspended miles above the earth in an environment your body wasn’t built for. Outside the cabin, air pressure alone would be dangerous, but inside you’re still subject to constantly fluctuating levels of pressure, temperature, oxygen, and humidity. And that’s before accounting for everything else working against you.
Together, these conditions can lead to:
In flight, you’re at high altitudes, meaning the recycled air you're breathing is partly coming from outside and is very dry. Add to that low humidity, and you have a recipe for dehydration.
Rather than any one thing that happens during a flight, more often than not, you’re going to stress about a collection of little things: getting the luggage on, the long waits in line, the tiny accommodations, and uncomfortable seats. It simply complicates all the other issues your body is going through, thanks to the high elevation.
Traveling puts you in close proximity to a lot of strangers, and not everyone is careful about their health. Shared air, surfaces, and tight spaces mean that if someone nearby is carrying a virus, bacteria, or fungal infection, you can pick it up before you’ve even landed.
You’re getting less oxygen in your body when you’re flying. When combined with possible dehydration and sitting for a long flight, the result is often fatigue.
Changes in the barometric pressure can also cause expansion of the gases in your body, particularly in your digestive tract. This could lead to bloating in your stomach and intestines.
This is another air pressure problem where the ears are attempting to readjust in this high elevation, and the changes are causing middle ear and eustachian tube issues in your auditory organs. If you find your ears popping frequently during a flight, this is why.
There are several ways to lower your chances of dealing with these complications and enjoy your flight, such as:
Flying is more common than ever, but to avoid the issues that come with it, follow these tips.
For any questions about what you should do for your health before getting on your next flight, make an appointment with Dr. Fisher and Mansfield Urgent Care & Family Medicine.
