Last week, I discussed a few of the top health issues when traveling by air: dehydration, water issues, deep vein thrombosis, dressing to take into account health and safety, and health issues with seat pockets, airline pillows and blankets.
This week, I’m going to discuss food while flying, “airline carrier colds,” ear pain, and the infamous “aircraft infection zone.”
Before discussing these important issues it’s important to discuss packing for your health when flying for business or leisure.
Don’t pack your medications in your checked-in luggage!
While it’s true that most checked-in bags arrive at your final destination on time and intact, enough bags are significantly delayed, or never make it to their destination at all. You need to be prepared to not let your vacation or business trip get ruined or scrubbed altogether, if your bag doesn’t make it on time, or at all.
While it’s possible to purchase some medications across the globe, it may be extremely difficult and time consuming to obtain prescription medications while traveling. If you want to avoid such problems, including obtaining over-the-counter medications while traveling, where obtaining a prescription from a local doctor, following an examination, will likely be essential, and where language and other factors may cause problems, the best thing to do is ensure your prescription and other medications are packed in your carry-on luggage.
Extra Tip: I strongly suggest that when you travel, you pack your valuables, breakables, electronics, a complete change of clothes, toilet articles, anything you positively must have while traveling, in addition to your prescription and over-the-counter medicines, in your carry-on luggage.
Eat smart when flying. Salty snacks like peanuts and pretzels can push you on the way to being bloated. Stay away from salty food offerings of the airlines, and if you’re bringing your own food for the flight, I suggest you do the same. Salty foods may be delicious, but a combination of airplane dehydration and being bloated is not a great thing for anyone.
If your ears hurt when you fly, it’s normally caused because the pressure in the middle ear is lower than the pressure outside the body. This happens typically when planes descend to land. You can try taking a decongestant medicine before you get on the plane to hopefully allow the pressure in your ears to automatically equalize, though it’s never worked for me. Swallowing often or chewing gum works for many. Babies can suck on bottles or pacifiers.
I use the “Valsalva Maneuver” which I learned when I took my diver’s certification course. You pinch your nose while keeping your mouth closed, and try to breathe out through the nose. This pressurizes your eustachian tubes equalizing the pressure. It’s fast, easy, and works.
To help you avoid “airline carrier colds” you should stay hydrated. I sip water throughout my flights to accomplish this, and I avoid drinking liquids which tend to dehydrate.
I’ve already mentioned in the previous article that I use a sanitizing wipe to thoroughly clean my tray table before using it.
Your hands are the most consistent point of first contact with cold, flu and other germs, so keeping your hands clean is a primary defense against “airline carrier colds” or getting the flu while you fly.
Physicians and scientists have stated that viruses which can cause colds and flu can survive for hours on objects such as armrests, remote control handsets, tray tables and other similar surfaces.
Washing your hands with hot water and soap is a formidable defense against the transfer of harmful germs from your hands to other parts of your body, such as your face, and mouth. If possible, wash your hands prior any in-flight meals, and after your flight too. When flying use an alcohol-based product made specifically for washing hands, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even after washing your hands in the lavatory.
In addition, the Mayo Clinic recommends everyone gets a seasonal flu vaccine every year, and the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine when available.
The airplane lavatory is known by many as the “aircraft infection zone.” The small closet size of the airplane restroom is just one reason for concern when you use it. Without room to maneuver, if someone has been sick there, they could have touched any surface of the lavatory.
Even if totally sanitized prior to your flight, after 20 or more visits, even on a short flight, who knows what’s lurking in the lavatory.
When the airplane lavatory is flushed, the sudden high pressure blast can easily send some small droplets of water flying in the area of toilet, possibly spreading around minute amounts of fecal bacteria in the extremely cramped space.
So what can be done? I have three recommendations:
1. Use a sanitary paper ring over the seat or toilet paper if none is available.
2. When flushing, put the seat cover down prior to flushing to minimize the escape of fecal bacteria.
3. After washing your hands with airplane’s water, use a hand sanitizer.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be on assignment, but my column will return in November. In the meantime, please read the timely and informative columns and articles from my colleagues here at Consumer Traveler.
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
