Does flying affect your lungs?

Low air pressure during air travel also decreases the amount of oxygen in the air. This effect is modest and generally not noticeable for healthy travelers. For patients with significant lung disease, a small decrease in available oxygen can cause significant symptoms, especially with exercise.



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If you have a lung condition, your oxygen levels may already be low, or your lungs may not be able to work properly to keep the amount of oxygen in your blood at a safe level. Lower levels of oxygen in your blood may make you feel unwell or could even be harmful to you during or after your flight.

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Air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means your body takes in less oxygen. Airlines “pressurize” the air in the cabin, but not to sea-level pressures, so there's still less oxygen getting to your body when you fly, which can make you feel drained or even short of breath.

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The effects of flying on the human body vary from mild skin dryness to more severe problems like deafness. Flying increases the risk of catching a cold, dehydration, aging faster, reduced alertness, increased risk of diseases like cancer, fuzzy thinking, and many others.

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Choose a seat in the middle of the plane. As the air circulates across the rows and not up and down the plane, some experts believe the worst air is in the front or the back of the plane. Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids (water or fruit juice) and avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which will dehydrate you.

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The air on a plane contains less oxygen than the air we normally breathe in. This leads to lower levels of oxygen in the blood. If you do not have a lung condition, the drop in oxygen is not enough that you would feel the difference.

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Severe episodes (massive embolism) present with collapse, severe breathlessness, and central chest pain. Symptoms of VTE commonly develop during or immediately after a flight, often while still in the airport.

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According to a review in 2022, combining data from 18 studies, the longer you travel, the greater the risk of blood clots. The authors calculated there was a 26% higher risk for every two hours of air travel, starting after four hours.

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Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder, but not temporary enough for many travelers. If you're flying from San Francisco to Rome for a 10-day trip, for example, it may take six to nine days to fully recover. That's because it can take up to a day for each time zone crossed for your body to adjust to the local time.

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You may feel more breathless, your chest may feel tight. The longer your flight lasts, the more likely you are to experience symptoms. With the right medical advice and precautions, very few people experience problems when they fly.

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suggest that flying may cause a small pneumothorax to develop, which is then aggravated by further air pressure changes, most commonly the return flight. Thus, they recommend that patients are assessed for pneumothorax before making the return flight, although realistically this may not always be possible.

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Pleurisy is an inflammation of the thin layers of tissue that cover the lungs and ribcage. It causes severe chest pain and difficulty breathing. Flying commercially while suffering from pleurisy is strongly discouraged. Pulmonary embolism and respiratory distress are the two most feared complications.

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The main risk of flying commercially while suffering from a chest infection is acute respiratory distress. The oxygen level and atmospheric pressure are respectively lower and higher than we are used to in a pressurized cabin. Passengers with a chest infection are especially vulnerable to these changes.

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For best protection, you are encouraged to use supplemental oxygen above 10,000 feet MSL. At night, because vision is particularly sensitive to diminished oxygen, a prudent rule is to use supplemental oxygen when flying above 6,000 feet MSL. So, when you fly at high altitudes, supplemental oxygen is the only solution.

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Flying produces an inconceivable amount of C02 emissions and air pollution. For those that don't know, CO2 (carbon dioxide) is one of the key greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming – flying produces a whole lot of it.

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If your blood pressure is higher than 120 over 80, seek medical advice before you travel.

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Air travel increases the risk of developing blood clots in the veins of the legs, which can then enter the bloodstream and block an artery in the lungs, a condition called pulmonary embolism. In some cases, the opening can allow the blood clot to enter the arteries of the brain, causing a stroke.

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Takeoff and landing are widely considered the most dangerous parts of a flight.

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The main aspect of in-flight health that most of us will encounter is tiredness and changes to circadian rhythms. Flying often involves getting up at unsociable hours, inadequate sleep and messing up the body clock — all of which leave us more susceptible to being hit nastily by any bugs that may be floating about.

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Remember that anything over 6 hours flying time is considered long haul, but flights of longer than 10 hours are not uncommon either. One important thing to remember is to keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

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Talk to your doctor about wearing compression stockings or taking medicine before departure if you have additional risk factors for blood clots. Taking aspirin to prevent blood clots when traveling is not recommended. If you take aspirin for other reasons, check with your doctor.

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