UPFRONT/GO
Ease Your Pains on a Plane
How to deal with common ailments while traveling
EVEN IF YOU shell out for extra legroom on a flight, you’ll still be spending hours in fairly cramped conditions, taking in arid air in a pressurized metal tube. That can be especially unpleasant for those with health issues. Some steps to help minimize the pain:
MIGRAINES
Rachael Kermis, M.D., system medical director of Ochsner 65 Plus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
→ Fill a water bottle before boarding.
→ Eat before your trip, and limit high salt and high glycemic index processed foods.
→ Use a neck pillow to limit neck strain.
→ Wear earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
ARTHRITIS
Abayomi Ogunwale, M.D., geriatric medicine physician with UTHealth Houston
→ Do some light exercising before traveling.
→ Drink a glass of water per hour.
→ Skip salty airplane snacks and sugary drinks.
→ Wear compression socks, and support your pain trouble spots with cushions or travel pillows.
ALLERGIES AND SINUS ISSUES
Tania Elliott, M.D., spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
→ Take a decongestant 30 minutes before takeoff or use nasal spray 15 minutes before.
→ Drink water and keep nasal membranes moist by using a saline nasal spray once an hour.
→ Suck on hard candy to relieve ear pressure.
→ Wear a mask. Dry air and frequent temperature changes can aggravate sensitive airways.
RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME
Safia Khan, M.D., sleep specialist at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas
→ Take your meds at takeoff, as if it’s your bedtime.
→ Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol.
→ Ease off on caffeine.
→ Get up and move around as much as possible.
→ Keep your mind occupied with crosswords or other puzzles. —Selene Yeager