Many of us take a flight on the regular - whether for a work trip or leisure. But it is one place you do not want to be faced with an emergency, especially mid-air. To help avert certain emergency situations in the middle of an air journey, actor Madhuri Dixit Nene and Dr Shriram Nene, a cardiothoracic surgeon, took to the latter's YouTube channel to share their experiences of in-flight emergencies while also listing some essential things that can come in handy. Take a look. 5 tips that will help you travel on a plane *Hydrate - Use nose drops or rewetting eye solutions, and drink lots of water. "The humidity and air pressure are less at 68,000 feet. As a result, you can get dry eyes, dry nose etc.," said Dr Shriram, as Madhuri added, "I always carry that. My nose becomes so dry that it starts burning after a while." According to Dr Shriram, staying hydrated always helps. "Also, using nasal sprays, rewetting drops for your eyes, particularly if it is a long flight, would help you from experiencing redness, irritation etc," he continued. Dr Sheetal Radia, ENT and Head Neck Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road told indianexpress.com that dry, inflamed nasal passages are commonly seen in some people who fly frequently. "When your nasal passage dries out, the mucous membrane becomes irritated and fails to protect you from infections while flying. This also puts one at a higher risk of cold and flu. Hence, using a saline spray for the nose can be a good idea," shared Dr Radia. Dr Radia also suggested the use of a sleep mask to prevent dryness and keep the eyes moist on long-duration flights. *Wear loose-fitting clothes - Since everything seems to swell when you are sitting at one place at a higher altitude, said Dr Shriram. "Lower air pressure and humidity inflight also promotes dehydration, which causes your body to retain water and swell," shared Dr Dhanesh Kamerkar, head of dept of vascular and endovascular surgery, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune. *Have something to chew - If you are travelling with children, make sure you give them something to chew while landing and taking off. If it is an infant, then a bottle of feed. "Chew gums or even lollipops work," said Madhuri. *Don't fly without a medical clearance - Those with any underlying medical problems must always get clearance prior to flying. Always take your medicines with you on the plane. Dr Shriram also spoke about incidences of deep vein thrombosis or blood clots on flights. "There was this one study that showed that 10 per cent of people on flights greater than four hours have clot formation. Most of the time they are not harmful. If you are at high-risk, you need to speak to a doctor before you go," he said. However, Dr Kamerkar added that those who do not suffer from co-morbidities like obesity, and diabetes need not worry. "Smokers , however, are also prone to blood clots during long flights," he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr Shriram Nene (@drneneofficial) According to Healthline.com, wearing compression socks, taking medications, moving around for sometime are preventive tips. Agreed Dr Kamerkar and mentioned that it is important to stretch regularly along with staying hydrated. *Don't wear tight jewellery - If you are wearing jewellery, remove and put it in your purse. "In the air, fingers tend to swell up," said Dr Shriram adding that tight shoes should also be avoided. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
