Airline Travel with Hernia’s – Precautions/Danger Level?

[Watchnwaitin]

I’ve seen info on how its not recommended to fly, especially long trips, when you have an ingural hernia or other hernia’s. Reason stated was that the hernia can become stragulated because of the air pressure.

Are there precautions that should be taken when flying with a hernia, like wearing a truss for example and how dangerous is it really when flying with a hernia as people seem to be doing so to get treated for them, some with quite long flights like to South Korea, Europe, and around the USA and Canada.

[roger555]

I just looked it up. The problem is there is less oxygen abive 8,000 feet. That is why oxygen masks drop if the cabin bevomes depressurized. I don’ t see how a depressurized cabin can cause hernia strangulation.

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The higher we go, the less oxygen there is available to breathe. This happens because air density decreases with altitude.

Thus, air molecules spread out more, decreasing their density and – with that – there is less oxygen available for each breath of air. All this makes it increasingly harder to breathe for us. At 18,000 feet, the amount of oxygen halves compared to what we normally have at sea level. As a matter of fact, going much higher than 8,000 feet without the help of modern technology can cause altitude sickness, also known as hypoxia. Hypoxia can lead to dizziness, headache, difficulty thinking, unconsciousness and eventually death.

Thankfully, modern jet airliners are engineering miracles. Apart from getting us across the world safely in a matter of hours, they also act as a flying pressure chamber, controlling the air entering and exiting the pressurized cabin. The aircraft’s cabin pressurization system helps create – alongside other technologies such as the air management systems – the necessary pressure that you and I would need to breathe comfortably during a flight that typically takes place at a cruising altitude of around 36,000 feet.

[Alan]

I did 14 hours to\from Korea with two direct hernias, only issue was swollen ankles. Being constipated probably puts more pressure on the hernias, I don’t think the pressure variance is great enough when they pressurise the cabin. I guess if it was large you could manipulate it back into your abdomen while reclined to reduce chances of strangulation?

[sensei_305]

Wow, thats right Alan. I did 5 hours from Seattle back to Miami Post surgery.

[Watchnwaitin]

Good to know, I guess its a very small risk and more likely with large hernias probably. Mine is small and when I was looking for a doctor one of the receptionists asked me if I could push it in and I was perplexed as it barely protudes out so I don’t think pushing anything in is even possible.

I am waiting for now as there’s not much pain and would like to be able to travel but was worried when I saw info saying not recommended to fly with a hernia on more than a short couple of hours trip.

[Wim]

What I read somewhere, flying is not much risk. The risk is when you get your luggage from the belt afterwards.

[Author]

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