| IVL Products Health Watch - Sitting Tight Bad Advice For Air Travelers |
| The Official IVL Products Health Blog |
Dear Reader,
Our mothers meant well when they told us to sit tight. They
really did. Unfortunately the suggestion to "sit tight" is
not good advice if your vacation plans include long flights
or extended car trips. Sitting motionless for long periods
of time may put some travelers at risk for deep vein
thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in a vein deep within a
muscle, usually in the calf or thigh. DVT can be serious,
even life threatening, because sometimes the clots that form
in the deep veins break off, travel through the bloodstream,
and obstruct a vessel in the lungs, restricting blood flow.
This condition is called pulmonary embolism and it can be
fatal.
DVT has been dubbed "the economy class syndrome" because it
has been associated with the cramped legroom in economy
class airline seating. The longer the flight, the greater
the risk.
Only 40 to 50 percent of people with DVT have obvious signs
and symptoms of DVT, and the condition often goes
unrecognized. When they do occur, signs and symptoms vary
depending on the severity of the condition. DVT may cause
pain and swelling in one or both legs, or less commonly, in
an arm. There may also be tenderness in the affected area,
and an increase in skin temperature (compared to the
unaffected limb).
An increasing number of airline travelers have become aware
of their risk for developing blood clots in their legs.
Airline magazines and newspaper articles encourage leg and
foot exercises during flight as well as walking around. Many
airlines also offer "in-flight yoga" videos.
Bear in mind that the threat of developing a blood clot is
not limited to air travel. Sitting for hours in a car, at a
computer or in front of a television can also be harmful.
Doctors recommend avoiding socks with very tight elastic
bands at the top during air travel. They urge travelers who
aren't able to walk around frequently to exercise their legs
by curling or pressing the toes down. This causes the
muscles to contract and squeeze on the leg vein, helping to
pump the blood along.
If your travel plans include a long flight, you might
consider the following tips:
* Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing.
* Do not place carry on luggage where it may limit leg
movement.
* Walk about the cabin at regular intervals.
* Drink plenty of fluids: Dehydration causes blood
vessels to narrow and thicken
which increases the risk of DVT. Reducing
alcohol and coffee consumption is
also recommended as they can lead to
dehydration.
* Avoid crossing your legs.
* If you are at high risk for DVT, wear compression
stockings, which can be
purchased in most drug stores. These
stockings put pressure on leg muscles
and help return blood flow from the legs to
the heart.
Don't take a 10-hour car trip without stopping every couple
of hours. Get out and walk a bit. Even if you are the
driver, you still need to take walking breaks. Pushing on
the gas pedal isn't enough movement for your legs. .
Although anyone can be affected by DVT, there are some
groups who are at higher risk. They include.
* The elderly
* Diabetics
* People with blood disorders
* Women who take oral contraceptives (birth control
pills) or other medications
that contain the hormone estrogen
* People with a history of thrombosis
* People who have just undergone major surgeries or
have just suffered a bone
fracture.
So if your travel plans include long flights or many hours
in a car, keep moving! Keeping the blood circulating and
muscles active can prevent your dream vacation from becoming
a nightmare.
Yours in good health,
Sheila McCormick
Editor, IVL Health Watch
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Visit our Health Forum and ask a question of one of the
country's leading experts in nutritional medicine. |
| Dr. Mikles is a Board Certified Internist,
and is the Medical Director of Choices Integrative
Healthcare Clinic in Sedona, Arizona. For more than 30
years, Dr. Mikles has been engaged in the study and practice
of the therapeutic effects of diet and nutrition, making him
one of the country's leading experts. |
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