Take to the Skies Without Your Allergies

"A life filled with travels is a life lived well."

Travelling is an integral part of our lives and every person should experience packing his/her bag and fly off to somewhere distant even if it’s just one time. But not all people are capable of travelling to far distant places all because their allergies make it extremely difficult to get out of the house and onto a plane. Fortunately there are several ways for these people to keep their allergies in check long enough for them to get to their preferred destination.

So here are a few suggestions on how to keep those allergies from acting out while you’re on board a plane.

Be prepared

If you have severe allergies don’t be like those adventurous travellers and make a run for the airport and book a flight to anywhere without any plan. You need to prepare for your trip and you need to prepare well so that you won’t experience any hiccups, allergy-wise, once you get to Ibiza or any other paradise on Earth.

Before you buy a ticket to your destination know all you can learn about the place you’re going to. If the place you’re going to has lots of pollen you can always check online to see what time has the lowest level of pollen count. If the place you’re going to is a bit dusty check online to see which parts of that place has low levels of air pollution.

You can also check the local hotels and see if they feature amenities suitable for people with allergies. When you’re done checking these things out have yourself checked by your doctor to see if you’re fit to travel. Book a flight, weeks ahead to give you lots of prep time for your departure and inform the airline you’ve chosen about your condition so that they can prepare for you as well.

Now when you’re nearing your departure time make sure to purchase all the meds you need to keep your allergies in check while on board the plane. If you’re at risk of experiencing anaphylactic shock it’s best to bring along an epinephrine pen or EpiPen. If your allergies aren’t too severe then any over-the-counter antihistamines could do.

Fly in comfort

There was a time before that the air you breathe inside an airplane is 100% fresh air. That was when smoking was permitted inside airplanes but this system required more energy consumption to properly filter the air going around the cabin.

These days most airlines no longer permit smoking inside the cabin and they also decided to use 50% recycled air and 50% fresh air in order to conserve energy. So instead of breathing 100% fresh air you’re bound to inhale some of the CO2 that the other passengers are exhaling.

For some people this might be disconcerting and it is valid to be concerned considering that airborne diseases such as measles, diphtheria, SARS, Meningococcal disease and tuberculosis can easily float in the air and into your lungs. Although with today’s high tech security systems the chances of an infected passengers going through airport security is quite small.

Most people, especially those with severe allergies, should be more concerned with the allergens that they might encounter inside the cabin. Asthmatic people might find it difficult to sit through hours inside a cabin with recycled air since the floating allergens in the air could trigger an allergic attack. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this from happening and for those of you who could be asthmatic just try to bring a pair of face masks with you every time you board a plane. Face masks can filter the air that you breathe and prevent allergens from getting inside your lungs.

Pressure

Most passengers, not just those with severe allergies, also recognize this condition once the plane has taken off or is about to land. The change in altitude can cause a person’s ear to feel like it is blocked.

There are ways to counter this sensation one of which is to yawn every time you feel that your ear is blocked. Another way is to chew gum because the chewing motion can relieve some of the pressure in the ears. But for those with severe sinus allergies or sinus problems these remedies might not be enough. According to doctors, people who experience severe ear blockage during a flight can opt to use a sympathomimetic nasal spray before the plane takes off and before it lands.

Allergy to dust mites

Most airlines do clean their airplanes regularly but you can never be too sure that the seat you’re taking on your flight to Aruba is as clean as a whistle. Chances are the airline’s clean-up crew gave it a one swipe of the vacuum cleaner and there might still be some creepy crawlies too small for your eyes to see living inside your chair.

In order to be completely safe and allergy-free on your flight you can always use a travel sheet that can cover your whole body and shield it from the passenger chair that has been sat on by thousands of people. Sure some might look at you in an odd way but that’s way better than suffering from a horde of hives on your whole body. There are several ways to protect yourself from the harsh environment of a plane’s cabin. Just follow the suggestions above and you’re sure to arrive at your destination ready to soak in the sun and party like there’s no tomorrow.