Having worked in the Airline Industry, here are a few words to those who are planning a trip for the holidays that will require an extended airline flight. First of all, Have A Nice Flight!
Now, if you're going to be in the air for many hours, you might want to consider taking one small precaution, other than Dramamine, that could help prevent considerable pain, and might even save your life.
There is a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot that can form in the legs or pelvis when a person is confined to a constricted space for a long period. Besides being painful, it could be dangerous or fatal if pieces of the clot dislodge and travel to the lungs where they can trigger a pulmonary embolism.
Airline passengers who are sitting for hours during a long flight are particularly susceptible to developing DVT. Some estimates have speculated as many as 100,000 airline passengers may die from complications associated with DVT every year.
One important thing to keep in mind is that it can strike healthy people who have no previous cardiovascular problems. In fact, people who exercise regularly are at somewhat greater risk of DVT complications because they tend to have low resting pulse, which may help prompt DVT during long periods of inactivity.
Others who may be at greater risk of DVT include:
If you experienced DVT in the past, or have a family history of DVT .
Have experienced trauma to the legs.
Had recent surgery on the legs, feet, or in the abdominal or pelvic areas.
Have diabetes, heart, liver disease, or certain cancers, like colon, ovarian, stomach, liver, pancreatic, or lymphatic
Are Obese
Are over the age of 40.
The Journal of Clinical Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis detailed a study conducted by a team of Italian researchers who examined the occurrence of DVT and the far less threatening, but painful superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) on a long-haul air flight.
This trial also examined the effects of Pycnogenol on about half of the nearly 200 subjects, which is a natural anti-inflammatory extracted from French maritime pine bark.
All of the subjects in the Italian study were monitored for DVT and SVT before and after their flights, which averaged a little more than eight hours. Those in the treatment group received 200 mg of Pycnogenol two to three hours before their flight, another 200 mg six hours later, and 100 mg the following day.
Researchers noted some slight vein inflammation (phlebitis), but no DVT or SVT among subjects who received Pycnogenol. In the placebo group, one subject experienced DVT, while SVT was reported in four subjects. There were no adverse side effects reported.
These results similar to a trial that appeared last year in the journal Angiology. In that study, a product which contained Pycnogenol and a soy enzyme called nattokinase was tested on about 200 subjects during long-haul flights. The legs of everyone were measured before and after the flights, and ultrasound was used to detect blood clotting.
Results showed that none of the subjects in the group had evidence of blood clots, none experienced any leg swelling, and 15 percent actually showed a decrease in swelling. But in the control group, 5 subjects developed DVT, 2 had superficial thrombosis, and leg swelling increased in 12 percent of the group.
Other than pycnogenol, one doctor recommends 1 tablespoon of cod-liver oil daily, along with 400 IU of vitamin E to help prevent blood clots, including those that might be triggered by DVT.
It's also important to avoid dehydration. Alcohol and coffee are diuretics and tend to dehydrate the body, so don’t drink too much before the flight, and remember to hydrate. And if you do have a greater risk of forming clots, consider wearing a pair of compression stockings.
After a long flight, DVT warning signs to be watchful for include: muscle pain, swelling or tenderness in the legs, and discoloration in a painful area. Sometimes these symptoms don't occur until many hours after you've arrived at your destination.
Airline flights that last only a couple of hours should not present a problem for most people. But if you're planning a particularly long flight, a few simple precautions can help prevent a hospital stay and even death. Double check with your doctor also.
Now, if you're going to be in the air for many hours, you might want to consider taking one small precaution, other than Dramamine, that could help prevent considerable pain, and might even save your life.
There is a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot that can form in the legs or pelvis when a person is confined to a constricted space for a long period. Besides being painful, it could be dangerous or fatal if pieces of the clot dislodge and travel to the lungs where they can trigger a pulmonary embolism.
Airline passengers who are sitting for hours during a long flight are particularly susceptible to developing DVT. Some estimates have speculated as many as 100,000 airline passengers may die from complications associated with DVT every year.
One important thing to keep in mind is that it can strike healthy people who have no previous cardiovascular problems. In fact, people who exercise regularly are at somewhat greater risk of DVT complications because they tend to have low resting pulse, which may help prompt DVT during long periods of inactivity.
Others who may be at greater risk of DVT include:
If you experienced DVT in the past, or have a family history of DVT .
Have experienced trauma to the legs.
Had recent surgery on the legs, feet, or in the abdominal or pelvic areas.
Have diabetes, heart, liver disease, or certain cancers, like colon, ovarian, stomach, liver, pancreatic, or lymphatic
Are Obese
Are over the age of 40.
The Journal of Clinical Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis detailed a study conducted by a team of Italian researchers who examined the occurrence of DVT and the far less threatening, but painful superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) on a long-haul air flight.
This trial also examined the effects of Pycnogenol on about half of the nearly 200 subjects, which is a natural anti-inflammatory extracted from French maritime pine bark.
All of the subjects in the Italian study were monitored for DVT and SVT before and after their flights, which averaged a little more than eight hours. Those in the treatment group received 200 mg of Pycnogenol two to three hours before their flight, another 200 mg six hours later, and 100 mg the following day.
Researchers noted some slight vein inflammation (phlebitis), but no DVT or SVT among subjects who received Pycnogenol. In the placebo group, one subject experienced DVT, while SVT was reported in four subjects. There were no adverse side effects reported.
These results similar to a trial that appeared last year in the journal Angiology. In that study, a product which contained Pycnogenol and a soy enzyme called nattokinase was tested on about 200 subjects during long-haul flights. The legs of everyone were measured before and after the flights, and ultrasound was used to detect blood clotting.
Results showed that none of the subjects in the group had evidence of blood clots, none experienced any leg swelling, and 15 percent actually showed a decrease in swelling. But in the control group, 5 subjects developed DVT, 2 had superficial thrombosis, and leg swelling increased in 12 percent of the group.
Other than pycnogenol, one doctor recommends 1 tablespoon of cod-liver oil daily, along with 400 IU of vitamin E to help prevent blood clots, including those that might be triggered by DVT.
It's also important to avoid dehydration. Alcohol and coffee are diuretics and tend to dehydrate the body, so don’t drink too much before the flight, and remember to hydrate. And if you do have a greater risk of forming clots, consider wearing a pair of compression stockings.
After a long flight, DVT warning signs to be watchful for include: muscle pain, swelling or tenderness in the legs, and discoloration in a painful area. Sometimes these symptoms don't occur until many hours after you've arrived at your destination.
Airline flights that last only a couple of hours should not present a problem for most people. But if you're planning a particularly long flight, a few simple precautions can help prevent a hospital stay and even death. Double check with your doctor also.
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