TRAVEL BUGS

Could you be catching more than a flight?

Travel bugs

International travel can pose various risks to health, depending on the person travelling and where they are travelling to.
Aircraft are enclosed spaces full of people with different health conditions – not everyone is going to be 100% healthy on your flight!
Changes in altitude, humidity, microbes, and temperature can also result in ill-health.

Common health issues people may experience on flights, especially long haul journeys:

Catching the flu or other virus

Headaches

Swollen legs, thrombosis and blood clots

Dehydration

Irregular blood pressure

Nausea

Ear pain

Did you know?

You can avoid airborne contaminations by washing your hands frequently.
When sneezing or coughing, cover your nose and mouth.

Taking 75mgs of aspirin the day before travelling thins the blood supporting good circulation and reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Please always consult with your doctor before taking any medications.

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

It is the medical term for clots that form in the deep veins of the legs or pelvis.

These blood clots can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs and cause a potentially deadly condition known as a pulmonary embolism.

The risk of developing deep vein thrombosis rises after long periods of inactivity, such as sitting in a car or airplane, especially in people with a history of cardiovascular disease. Taking aspirin the day before flying could help with blood circulation (always check with your doctor).

Tips to stay healthy while flying:

Here are our top tips for staying healthy and happy on your next trip:

Avoid swollen legs by wearing comfy clothes and using compression or flight socks. Get up and walk regularly whenever possible, or do some circular movements with your feet.
Avoid salt intake for water retention and limit alcoholic beverages.
Drink lots of water. The longer the flight, the more important it is to stay hydrated.
Wash your hands frequently and carry a hand sanitiser with you.
Bring your own snacks. Make sure to contact your airline before the flight if you have any food allergies or dietary requirements.

3 reasons why you should limit alcohol intake inflight:

1. Dehydration. Flying can cause dehydration. Drinking alcohol can make this worse.

2. Air pressure on planes is relatively low leading to less oxygen reaching your brain. This is why one glass inflight feels much stronger than one glass on the ground.

3. Alcohol can impair your ability to get deep restorative sleep, leaving you groggy, tired and unfocused.

Why do my ears hurt inflight?

Normally the air pressure inside the inner ear and the air pressure outside are more or less the same.

A rapid change in altitude (similar to take-off or landing) can cause the ear to pop or ache because the pressures don’t have time to equalize.

You can avoid it by:

swallowing,
chewing a gum or
sucking on a hard candy

You can also try:

yawning, or
closing your mouth and swallowing several times until the pressure equalises.