AVOID SOME PLANE FLIGHTS  [ back to What's New ]
Oxygen deprivation, of sufficient proportion, is a cause of brain damage. Hyberbaric oxygen chambers, of the kind used to treat the "bends" in scuba divers, have been used with some success for victims of severe TBI in the acute phase at trauma centers. Our brains thrive with plentiful O2, and function poorly when supplies run low. All things being equal, if a person with TBI can avoid low O2 situations, he is better off. On 6/9/00 the Wall Street Journal ran an article quoting physicians who said stale (high CO2, low O2) air on planes is making more people sick, and the problem only grows worse because of long delays, planes stuck motionless on runways, and many airlines cutting back on the percentage of fresh air for passengers. WSJ quoted a United Airlines flight attendant who spoke of people "passing out" due to poor air quality on long flights to Europe. WSJ says a group of 26 Alaska Airlines flight attendants sued their employer in June 1998 for illnesses (including headache, blurry vision, confusion, impaired motor skills and nausea) which they attribute to stale air. Doctors advise people to fly less, if they can. If you must fly, they suggest avoiding alcohol, drinking lots of water. Some people wear surgical masks. A few even bring oxygen tanks or air purifiers on board! Anyone who must fly frequently is encouraged to let the airlines know you want better ventilation and more, not less, fresh air pumped into the plane.