by We all know that flying can be unpleasant. Changes in air pressure, dry air on board, cramped seats and bad food can make you tired, stiff and bloated. But what about the hidden risks, especially for those who fly a lot?
Airplanes can often suffer hearing loss due to constant changes in pressure. Exposure to radiation can increase the risk of cancer. Then there is the possibility of vein damage caused by blood clots – even the potentially fatal deep vein thrombosis.
As travelers become more aware of frequent flyer issues, clinics offer regular checks on passengers to determine if their health is suffering and recommend safer ways to fly. As a business journalist who has traveled several million miles in the air over four decades, I decided to give them a try.
The tests
My first stop was a hearing test with Dr. Rony Ganguly, the director and audiologist at Pindrop Hearing. He explained that changes in air pressure during flights can cause eardrum pain and perforation, vertigo and hearing loss. Then his colleague Shivanie Sachdev looked in each ear and performed a series of hearing tests.
Then, it was time for a “venous MOT” with Professor Mark Whiteley, consultant venous surgeon at The Whiteley Clinic. Sitting still in a confined space for long periods of time makes air travelers more prone to blood clots, which can damage veins – and even be fatal, if the clot reaches the lungs. His assistant did a duplex ultrasound (to measure blood flow) on the veins in my legs.
My third appointment was with Professor Ramia Mokbel, the consultant dermatologist at HCA Healthcare UK. I had no idea that even though airplane windows block UVB rays, UVA rays can get through and increase the risk of melanoma. She did “mole mapping” – examining new moles or changes in existing moles that could indicate skin cancer.
This is not a test for the easily embarrassed. It involves standing almost naked and taking lots of photos of yourself and your moles, which are then displayed on a big screen for human and AI analysis.
The results
Dr. Ganguly told me that my ears were physically fine – or that “my tympanic membranes and ear canals are intact and in good health,” as he put it. The “pure tone audiogram” test revealed “normal hearing on the right and mild to moderate noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss on the left.” He suggested I see an ENT consultant to identify “why your ears are different.” Good advice.
It’s a decent start. What about my feet? Professor Whiteley examined my ultrasound and told me “your deep veins are clear – the valves are working well and there is no scar tissue that indicates previous problems.” This is important because deep veins are “the ones inside the muscle that take 90 percent of the blood back to the heart.”
In the smaller veins leading to the deep veins, “the first few valves are beginning to fail, causing minor reflux (blood falling back down the vein by gravity rather than being pumped up the veins towards the heart). That sounds bad, I say. “This is not significant at the moment.” Phew.
Meanwhile, there is “minor scarring on the inner surface of the small saphenous vein on both sides. This suggests that you have previously had superficial venous thrombosis – ‘clots’ or ‘thrombi’ in these veins. Your body’s thrombolytic system removed these but the inflammation left scar tissue.” Could these have been caused by flight? “It’s usually associated with varicose veins, but it can be caused by flying.”
To recommend? No need to worry or get surgery but I should call him back if “severe aching or tired legs, swollen tender veins, swollen ankles, red/brown stains on ankles.” Noted, Prof. Also, he advises me to exercise as much as possible. “Veins love exercise.”
In the future when I fly, it’s best to “keep moving as much as you can and keep hydrated. Choosing an aisle seat if you are traveling at the back of the bus makes it easier to stretch. And on flights longer than two hours, wear properly fitted graduated compression socks below the knee (grade 1 or grade 2). He measures me and gives me a pair. Not very available but must needs.
My final appointment is with Professor Ramia Mokbel. Her mole mapping showed “a suspicious mole on the back and possible basal cell carcinoma developing on the torso.” She tells me that she will use new artificial intelligence programs “to decide if we need to surgically excise them and send them to the lab for a histological biopsy.” She doesn’t seem concerned but tells me I should do a mole mapping once a year. “Skin cancer is one of the easiest to spot and treat early,” she says.
My tests day is over and I feel a bit stupid that I have traveled so many miles for so many years without using compression socks. But I’m also relieved to now have a pair approved by Professor Whiteley, who tells me that many over-the-counter socks don’t compress the legs enough to be useful.
My father, Anthony, died of skin cancer last year, so I’m glad Professor Mokbel hasn’t gotten too worried, but I’ll take her advice on annual mole mapping. As for my ears, my slight hearing loss seems to be related to leaning forward a bit rather than flying.
I’ll be back on the air this week – Los Angeles, then back to London and on to Cannes – and I’ll continue to go on holiday with my family. But I will be drinking more water (and less wine) – and, of course, wearing the socks.
