Many have heard that a compression sleeve and the same tights are required for any flights, however, not many know why. Let us explain to you.
During takeoff and landing, the passengers of airliners experience great stress associated with a sharp drop in pressure. In addition, at an altitude of ten thousand kilometers, the air is much more rarefied than below, and the atmospheric pressure in the aircraft cabin is very low - only 600 mm Hg. Art. against the usual 760. Add to this the forced hypodynamia (inactivity) for several hours. All this leads to a violation of blood and lymph flow in the extremities. In medicine, there is even such a thing as long-distance travel syndrome, from which about 2,000 air passengers die each year in the UK alone. For its prevention during long - over 3 hours - flights, doctors recommend using compression hosiery. After breast surgery, it is necessary to wear not only special stockings / knee-highs, but also a sleeve during the flight.
Is it possible to use simple, tight knee-highs or a sweater with narrow sleeves instead? Theoretically, it is possible, only there will be no benefit from them. The fact is that compression sleeves and "traveler's knee-highs" provide the limbs not even, as usual, but physiologically distributed pressure, which smoothly decreases in the direction from the ankles to the knee. This is the only way to support the "pumping" function of the muscles, level the stagnation of fluids, prevent edema and thrombosis.
How to use compression hosiery? Put on your sleeve and knee-highs before leaving home and keep them on throughout the flight, even if there is a transfer. Walk in useful knitwear for another two to three hours after arriving at the site.
How else can you help your body during a flight?
Choose comfortable, loose clothing and comfortable low-heeled shoes for the flight.
Take off your shoes as soon as you take your seat in the salon.
Don't cross your legs.
Try to walk or do some arm and leg exercises every half hour. Rolling from heel to toe (at least 5 minutes), combing hair, squeezing and unclenching the palms are very useful.
Drink as much liquid as possible.
Avoid drinking alcohol the day before and during your trip.
Valea wishes you a pleasant flight!
You can purchase compression hosiery for travel and everyday life.
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The time of New Year's holidays is approaching. It's time to take care of your health and start the new 2017 with renewed vigor and good spirits. Where should you start? How long have you thought about your vision? How much does it prevent you from living a fulfilling life? How, where and when is it better to do laser vision correction? What restrictions must be observed after surgery? These questions are answered by ophthalmologist, surgeon Roman Mikhailovich Pankratov.
- Roman Mikhailovich, what time of the year is it best to carry out laser correction?
- I would like to make a reservation right away that there are two methods of laser vision correction - photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser keratomileusis (LASIK). The second operation has a number of advantages, since after it the rehabilitation period is much shorter, the likelihood of complications is less and the results are more stable. Therefore, in the overwhelming majority of cases, we carry out just this operation. There are situations when it is impossible to conduct LASIK and in this case we make PRK. These operations have different contraindications, different rehabilitation periods and, accordingly, different restrictions. But since we do LASIK in 99% of cases, this operation will be discussed today.
As for the choice of the time of year for the operation, it does not matter. Neither low or high temperature, nor sunlight, nor snow affect the result of the operation. After LASIK, the operation area heals within 4-5 hours. During this time, the eye usually hurts, watery, reacts to light. Therefore, we recommend spending these hours at home. Already in the evening you can go out into the street without fear that something will happen to the eye.
- What restrictions should be observed after laser correction?
- In fact, there are not so many restrictions. And we recommend that you follow them for only 2 weeks after the operation. The most important thing is not to rub your eyes with your hands and not squint too much, as this can displace the valve formed during the operation, which will lead to decreased vision, pain, and will require repeated surgical intervention. But our patients can easily cope with this. You should not be afraid that the valve will move during sleep or accidentally touching the eye. The valve can only be damaged by rubbing an eye or screwing up your eyes strongly.
We also recommend limiting visual stress. Limit, not exclude! After the operation, the very next day you can work at the computer, read books, watch TV, drive a car. However, the eyes will get tired and the image may blur. Therefore, you should give your eyes a rest. We also do not limit the time of working at the computer - everything is individual. Someone already the next day after the operation can easily spend 4-5 hours at the computer, while someone else's eyes begin to hurt after 10 minutes. The result of the operation does not depend on the visual stress after it!
As for physical activity, after the operation, you can do everything that you do in everyday life - carry bags, raise children. Only very large, extreme physical activity should be limited. And not because they can burst something in the eye. The thing is that when lifting heavy weights, you unwittingly "help" yourself by starting to strain the facial muscles of your face. Look at weightlifters in competition - when they lift the barbell, they begin to grin or puff out their cheeks and squint their eyes. And the latter just cannot be done after the operation.
The limitation of sports activities is also aimed at not damaging the operation area. Therefore, it is necessary to limit team (football, volleyball, basketball) and contact (wrestling, boxing) sports. Light physical activity in the gym, fitness, running, cycling is possible the very next day after the operation.
Once again I want to draw your attention to the fact that it is enough to observe the restrictions within two weeks. In two weeks you can do absolutely everything! And yet - within two weeks after the operation, we prescribe drops to be instilled. But this can be done at home, and at work, and at the dacha, and on a trip.
- Can I fly by plane after surgery?
- Yes, you can fly by plane the very next day after the operation. Changes in atmospheric pressure will not affect the result in any way. However, after the operation, the eye becomes more susceptible to various kinds of infection, so we prescribe antibacterial drops for one week for prophylactic purposes. During this period, a change in the climatic zone, acclimatization, frequent presence in the zone of drafts or air conditioners, water procedures can lead to eye inflammation. Therefore, if you are planning to travel to warmer regions, then we advise you to do this 1 week after laser correction. It is also important that you should not dive with your eyes open for 2 weeks after the operation. Swimming in the sea or outdoor pool is possible, diving with a mask or sealed goggles too. Therefore, with proper planning and observing the restrictions, you can see all the colors of both the south and our beautiful winter without glasses and contact lenses.
Roman Mikhailovich was trained to work on excimer lasers at the Scientific and Pedagogical Center "Eye Microsurgery" (Moscow) under the strict guidance of professionals. He has been working at the Ophthalmological Laser Clinic since 2008, and the number of laser vision correction operations performed since then has exceeded 7000. You can trust the experience of a professional in his field, read the real patient reviews on the website.
Each type of surgery, regardless of whether the problem is minor or the person has undergone a major course of treatment, has a certain time to recover. This period is usually determined by the success of the treatment. One of the most important and common advice after illness is to avoid air travel. Remember that your health is most important, even if you have found incomparably profitable last minute deals to Egypt. The duration of recovery is often influenced by the type of surgery. It can range from 24 hours to 3 months.
It must be borne in mind that the air becomes more and more rarefied at high altitudes. However, most aircraft contain oxygen gasifiers with oxygen equivalent to that at 1500-2000 meters altitude. This is less than about 3.5% of the normal oxygen saturation of the air. As a result, people with respiratory problems are likely to suffer at great heights. This happens most often when people have been under anesthesia for more than 30 minutes. More than others, people who have undergone heart surgery, lungs are at risk, since their respiratory system is weak.
Another problem of long flights is the development of venous thrombosis of the lower extremities. This is mainly due to the immobility of the passenger throughout the journey. There is no normal blood circulation, blood collects from below and begins to stagnate. This leads to the formation of inflamed lumps in the legs, passing into the rest of the body. They can even get inside the lungs and obstruct a person's breathing. Pulmonary embolism is a complication when an artery is blocked by a lump. Such problems can be fatal for patients.
Each airline has its own set of rules for boarding people who have undergone surgery. Some of these safety rules include the following points:
Can the patient withstand the reduced air pressure in the cabin
Is the patient able to survive an emergency landing
Can the patient tolerate an extended flight
Whether the patient's illness will adversely affect the comfort and safety of other passengers and aircraft personnel
Does the patient have health insurance
Thus, your physical condition determines the period during which flights are undesirable. For example, if you have undergone a minor surgery with a minimal opening, you can make a flight in the coming days. In the case of simple operations in the abdominal cavity, the patient is allowed to fly for 4-5 days. People who have undergone invasive abdominal or chest surgery should wait at least 4-6 weeks before taking hot deals to Turkey and getting on a plane. However, some airlines may allow travel for up to 10 days if a flight is unavoidable. In case of eye surgeries, you can fly within 7 days, depending on the complexity of the surgery.
Remember - only your doctor can determine if you are healthy enough for the flight. Never neglect the instructions and medicines prescribed by your doctor. It is also advisable to inform the airline about your illness so that the plane is equipped with the required medicines and equipment.
So, you should avoid flying after the surgery as much as possible, otherwise complications arising along the way may ruin your long-awaited rest.
The pressure in the cabin can affect the well-being of the passenger due to the development of hypobaric hypoxia (insufficient blood oxygen saturation) with existing respiratory diseases and heart failure. In addition, pressure changes lead to the expansion of gases in various body cavities, which also causes some discomfort.
Commercial airlines are laid at an altitude of 7010-12498 m above sea level, and the pressure in the cabin is set at an altitude of 1524-2438 m, otherwise only a few big guys would have survived such a flight. Sharp climbs, even to this height, can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and a feeling of fatigue, even in healthy passengers. The fact is that at an altitude of 2438 m, the partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood drops from 95 to 60 mm Hg. Art. At the same time, in a healthy passenger, the saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen decreases by only 3-4%, however, passengers with the listed pathologies develop more pronounced hypoxia.
So, in 18% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during such flights, there is a moderate respiratory distress syndrome. These passengers may require supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, not all airlines provide it. On all Russian airlines, it is forbidden to carry oxygen even to doctors accompanying critically ill patients. On foreign airlines, since 2005, passengers, according to doctor's prescriptions, can independently transport oxygen concentrate cylinders.
According to the Boyle-Mariotte law, gas trapped in closed cavities will expand as it rises to altitude. That is why, by the way, the bottles with shampoos and creams taken on the road are leaking. In healthy passengers, all this physics translates into only minor abdominal pain and congestion in the ears. But a person with a runny nose is already at risk of developing otitis media. With colds, the Eustachian tube connecting the pharynx with the inner ear and equalizing the pressure in it when rising to a height is inflamed, its lumen is narrowed, or even "glued". With a sharp change in external atmospheric pressure, it is enough for a healthy person to make a yawning, chewing or sucking movement (this is why caramels are sometimes distributed on airplanes), and the lumen of the Eustachian tube opens into the pharynx, which quickly eliminates the congestion in the ear. In the case of a cold, this does not always help, and then you can resort to the Valsalva technique: exhaling with a closed mouth and a pinched nose. For the same reasons, a cold after a flight can be aggravated by sinusitis. Therefore, passengers with a runny nose are advised to use vasoconstrictor drops (for example, based on oxymetazoline) before takeoff and landing. Infants can be given a bottle or a nipple to stimulate swallowing and help equalize pressure in the ears and sinuses.
Bloating and abdominal pain can also occur due to the same mechanisms. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink a lot of carbonated drinks before the flight.
During some surgical and diagnostic procedures, air is injected into the body cavity (operations on the abdomen, chest, and some eye operations). If you plan to fly a few days after such an operation, be sure to consult with a specialist.
Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis, which can develop in a passenger sitting for many hours, is a really serious danger to life. The contraction of the leg muscles ensures a normal venous outflow from the legs. Prolonged immobility leads to stagnation of blood in the veins and can lead to thrombosis. Blood clots that form in the veins are in most cases small and do not pose a problem. Larger blood clots can lead to swelling and soreness in the lower leg area. If a piece of a blood clot breaks off and is carried into the lungs by the blood stream (this is called an embolism), shortness of breath, chest pain and in severe cases can even be fatal. Pulmonary embolism does not appear immediately, but several hours or days after the flight.
Studies show that eight-hour or longer flights increase the risk of thromboembolism by about 4 times. In general, the risk increases even with 4-hour flights.
The risk of thromboembolism is increased if the following factors are present:
Repeated flight within the last 2 weeks
Thrombosis in the past
Thromboembolism in the next of kin
Use of estrogen-containing contraceptives
Pregnancy
Recent trauma or surgery (especially surgery to the abdomen, pelvic region, or lower limbs)
The presence of malignant tumors
Congenital pathology of the blood coagulation system
Drink abundantly
Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks (coffee, coca-cola, etc.)
Change position in the chair, or even better, regularly get up and walk around the cabin
Exercise to make the calf muscles contract
Cosmic radiation
At high altitudes, the level of space radiation increases, so in 1991 the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) began to consider space radiation as a factor of occupational risk for crew members. With an annual total exposure of more than 20 mSv, the risk of developing breast or skin cancer may increase. As for passengers, even those who often fly, so far no significant effect of space radiation on their health has been found.
Desynchronosis
In English, the term jet lag is very popular, which is translated into Russian as "desynchronosis" known only to specialists. We are talking about confused daily biorhythms with a sharp change in time zones. Many of us know that long flights can cause weakness, drowsiness or insomnia, constipation, and decrease performance and well-being. To fit into the new time zone, on average, a healthy person needs a day for every hour of difference when flying to the west and a day and a half when flying to the east.
To alleviate the effects of desynchronosis, follow these guidelines:
Before traveling east, try to go to bed an hour earlier than usual within 3 days of your flight. On the contrary, before flying to the west, go to bed an hour late in advance.
Do not drink caffeinated beverages during the flight
Try to fall asleep for at least 4 hours at the new place at the new night time - this will speed up the readjustment of the biological clock.
Melatonin-based drugs remain the gold standard in the treatment of desynchronosis. Melatonin is a pineal gland hormone that regulates circadian rhythms depending on the length of daylight hours. It is recommended to use melatonin preparations when crossing 5 or more time zones, while taking it 2-3 days before the flight. If you have epilepsy or are taking warfarin, do not use melatonin without talking to your doctor. New, more effective drugs have also appeared that have not yet been registered in the Russian Federation, such as agomelatine (an agonist of melanin and serotonin 5-HT receptors) and ramelteon (an agonist of melatonin receptors).
If you are in a new location for less than 3 days, you do not need to try to adjust to the local time.
Special groups of passengers
Each airline may have different requirements, and the captain has the right to refuse a flight to any passenger, even if he has a ticket. An indicative list of contraindications for the flight is as follows:
Newborns less than 7 days old
Pregnancy over 36 weeks
Ischemic heart disease with pain attacks at rest
All serious and / or acute infectious diseases
Decompression sickness
Increased intracranial pressure caused by hemorrhage, injury, or infection
Myocardial infarction or stroke 7-10 days before the flight
Recent surgery on the abdominal or chest cavity, on the skull, on the eyes - i.e. all operations that involve the introduction of air into a closed body cavity
Severe respiratory illness, dyspnea at rest, pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity above the lung)
Sickle cell anemia
Exacerbation of mental illness
Passengers with such problems can only fly on a commercial plane when accompanied by medical personnel.
As for first aid on board, I note that in accordance with British, Canadian and American law, doctors from among the passengers are not obliged to rescue passengers if they develop any life-threatening condition. In Australia, many countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, on the other hand, a doctor on board is obliged to provide medical assistance. In any case, on international flights, a medical professional cannot be held liable for medical care provided on board within the limits of his knowledge and experience, even if it was provided incorrectly.
On board any airliner there is always a first aid kit, completed according to the standard of the country to which the aircraft belongs. All crew members must be proficient in first aid for acute abdominal pain, acute mental agitation, anaphylactic reaction, chest pain (suspected myocardial infarction), asthma attack, cardiac arrest, hypoglycemia, convulsive seizure, loss of consciousness. The quality of first aid training varies from country to country. Unfortunately, I have to admit that it leaves much to be desired in Russia.
24.06.2018 , 13:22 28928
People with cancer receive special treatment. Sometimes for consultations, treatment, surgery, you have to travel thousands of kilometers. Exhausting long-term and daily trips are very hard to bear. Air travel could have gone no easier, but at least much faster. The question is: can a cancer patient fly by plane?
Air transportation for cancer patients is possible, but the attending physician must issue a flight permit. Depending on the disease, the flight has its own characteristics that must be taken into account.
Features of transportation of cancer patients by plane
Reduced pressure on board the aircraftAircraft fly at an altitude of 7-12 thousand meters above sea level, the pressure at this distance from the ground is below normal. Naturally, it is raised in the aircraft cabin, but it still remains lowered. As a result, even healthy people feel a lack of oxygen. This can be manifested by dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and feeling fatigued. This risk should be especially taken into account by passengers with cancer of the larynx, lung or bronchial tubes, who, even on the ground, have a constant lack of oxygen. Therefore, the flight with these oncological diseases must be coordinated with the attending physician, and, if possible, take an oxygen cartridge with you into the aircraft cabin.
Air expansion
When the pressure drops, air, like any gas, expands. Therefore, during takeoff, as the pressure decreases, the air in the paranasal cavity and the middle ear area expands. With ear, nose and throat ailments, it causes discomfort and pain in the ears. And with diseases such as cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, as well as ear cancer, it is felt especially acutely. This fact should also be taken into account when transporting passengers who have undergone surgery or diagnostic procedures in the abdomen and chest area using air.
Forced immobility
During the flight, a person is forced to remain in a sitting position for a long time, which leads to leg swelling, vasoconstriction, slowing blood circulation, edema and the formation of blood clots. The presence of malignant tumors can aggravate the situation even after arrival. Therefore, if a trip is necessary, you should adhere to the following recommendations: put on compression stockings, in flight, if possible, perform simple exercises to contract the muscles of the lower leg, rub your legs, periodically raise them. You can also take a blood thinner (with permission from your doctor).
The need for escort and air ambulance
Some people with cancer are advised to fly commercial aircraft accompanied by medical personnel, and use special equipment (such as resuscitation equipment and oxygen cylinders) and accommodate the patient (for example, lying down). In this case, it is necessary to resolve these issues in advance with the airline and the aviation security service.
Another option, for patients in critical condition, is the use of an air ambulance. Specialized medical aircraft are equipped with high-tech equipment, including artificial respiration apparatus, heart monitors and defibrillators, vacuum mattresses, syringe and infusion pumps, which makes it possible to provide urgent medical assistance in the event of a patient's condition worsening during the flight.
Other possible problems
When traveling, passengers with cancer should consider other factors, such as weather conditions. In a thunderstorm, squally wind, heavy snowfall. Sometimes even healthy people waiting for many hours at the airport can tire and worsen their health, what can we say about people weakened by cancer. Therefore, do everything to.
It is also possible that the airport cannot receive the plane due to unsuitable weather conditions. In this case, he is sent to an alternate airfield, sometimes even several hundred kilometers away. In this case, the travel time to the hospital may increase.
Considering all the above factors, the flight of passengers with cancer is possible. Prior agreement with the doctor and the application of precautions will facilitate the flight and minimize the risks.
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