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Current Pain and Headache Reports Jun 2018Headaches due to airplane travel are rare but documented in the literature. We aim to provide a review of diagnostic criteria and treatment for this condition. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Headaches due to airplane travel are rare but documented in the literature. We aim to provide a review of diagnostic criteria and treatment for this condition.
RECENT FINDINGS
Several cases of this syndrome have been reported since it was first described in 2004. Airplane headache is classified as unilateral, stabbing, orbito-frontal pain, lasting under 30 min, and occurs during ascent or descent of a plane. Patients with this condition can develop anxiety and fear of flying given the intensity and severity of the pain. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is unknown, but theories include suspected barotrauma given changes in barometric pressure during ascent and descent. There are no randomized controlled trials regarding treatment, but case reports suggest headache prevention with pre-treatment with naproxen, decongestants, and triptans prior to air travel. Some non-pharmacological therapies reported include Valsalva maneuvers, chewing, relaxation techniques, and pressure at the pain area. As more cases of headache attributed to airplane travel are reported, epidemiological data can be obtained to further understand the incidence and prevalence of this condition, which can lead to improved treatment options for patients.
Topics: Air Travel; Barotrauma; Headache; Humans
PubMed: 29904804
DOI: 10.1007/s11916-018-0701-9 -
MMW Fortschritte Der Medizin May 2017
Topics: Accidents; Barotrauma; Diving; Humans; Nitrogen; Oxygen
PubMed: 28509016
DOI: 10.1007/s15006-017-9650-1 -
MMW Fortschritte Der Medizin May 2017
Topics: Accidents; Barotrauma; Diving; Ear, Inner; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Paranasal Sinuses
PubMed: 28509017
DOI: 10.1007/s15006-017-9649-7 -
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance Aug 2019Establishing animal models of ear barotrauma (EB) to provide evaluation criteria for Eustachian tube dysfunction. Using expansive sponges, 70 rabbits' right pharyngeal...
Establishing animal models of ear barotrauma (EB) to provide evaluation criteria for Eustachian tube dysfunction. Using expansive sponges, 70 rabbits' right pharyngeal openings of the auditory tubes were blocked to cause dysfunction in the right Eustachian tubes. The right tympanic cavities of 65 rabbits were the Model Group (Subgroups 1-13) and these rabbits' left tympanic cavities were the Nonblockage Group. Hypobaric chamber tests (HCTs) at various vertical speeds (100 m · s, 75 m · s, 50 m · s, and 15 m · s) and altitudes (13,123 ft and 6562 ft) were conducted. The remaining five rabbits' right tympanic cavities were the Control Group and no HCTs were conducted. After HCTs, observations were made on rabbits' behavioral changes, oto-endoscope and tympanometry results, and pathological changes of the tympanic mucosae. 1) Rabbits in Subgroups 1-12 demonstrated EB, while Subgroup 13 and the Control Group did not. 2) Histopathology showed EB caused by rapid ascent/descent at 100 m · s was more severe than that of 75 m · s and 50 m · s ( < 0.01), and that there were no significant differences in EB caused by rapid ascent/descent at 75 m · s and 50 m · s ( > 0.05). There were no significant differences in pathological injuries at the altitudes of 6562 ft and 13,123 ft ( > 0.05). 3) Based on tympanic membrane structures, tympanometry, and histopathological results, rabbits' EB can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe. EB's dynamic models could be established through HCTs on rabbits with Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Topics: Acoustic Impedance Tests; Altitude; Animals; Barotrauma; Disease Models, Animal; Eustachian Tube; Humans; Male; Rabbits
PubMed: 31331419
DOI: 10.3357/AMHP.5167.2019 -
Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Mar 2024Decompression illness is a collective term for two maladies (decompression sickness [DCS] and arterial gas embolism [AGE]) that may arise during or after surfacing from...
Decompression illness is a collective term for two maladies (decompression sickness [DCS] and arterial gas embolism [AGE]) that may arise during or after surfacing from compressed gas diving. Bubbles are the presumed primary vector of injury in both disorders, but the respective sources of bubbles are distinct. In DCS bubbles form primarily from inert gas that becomes dissolved in tissues over the course of a compressed gas dive. During and after ascent ('decompression'), if the pressure of this dissolved gas exceeds ambient pressure small bubbles may form in the extravascular space or in tissue blood vessels, thereafter passing into the venous circulation. In AGE, if compressed gas is trapped in the lungs during ascent, pulmonary barotrauma may introduce bubbles directly into the pulmonary veins and thence to the systemic arterial circulation. In both settings, bubbles may provoke ischaemic, inflammatory, and mechanical injury to tissues and their associated microcirculation. While AGE typically presents with stroke-like manifestations referrable to cerebral involvement, DCS can affect many organs including the brain, spinal cord, inner ear, musculoskeletal tissue, cardiopulmonary system and skin, and potential symptoms are protean in both nature and severity. This comprehensive overview addresses the pathophysiology, manifestations, prevention and treatment of both disorders.
Topics: Humans; Decompression Sickness; Diving; Barotrauma; Embolism, Air; Decompression
PubMed: 38537300
DOI: 10.28920/dhm54.1.suppl.1-53 -
B-ENT 2016The organs of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) contain air- or gas-filled cavities, which make them sensitive to pressure changes. There is a specific pathophysiology... (Review)
Review
The organs of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) contain air- or gas-filled cavities, which make them sensitive to pressure changes. There is a specific pathophysiology involved when these structures are exposed to non-acoustic press ure changes, which are usually not traumatic in normals. The concepts of pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of these traumas in an emergency setting are reviewed.
Topics: Barotrauma; Blast Injuries; Emergencies; Humans; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
PubMed: 29461744
DOI: No ID Found -
Behavioural Brain Research Mar 2018Between April 2007 and December 2015, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) screened one million combat veterans for traumatic brain injury (TBI), among 2.6 million... (Review)
Review
Between April 2007 and December 2015, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) screened one million combat veterans for traumatic brain injury (TBI), among 2.6 million deployed during operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). Since 2007, among those reporting, screened and referred for definitive evaluation, approximately 8.4% of these Veterans received a diagnosis of TBI, the majority characterized as mTBI/Concussion (mTBI) and, in great proportion, related to blast exposures. Mild Traumatic brain injury called "a signature injury" is also known as 'the invisible injury' of these conflicts. Identifying and assessing neuropathological, cellular and resulting cognitive, emotional, behavioral and neurological consequences of mTBI comprise vast clinical and research challenges. We provide a brief overview of current history, injury mechanisms related to blast exposure, coordinated research support, and the need to understand specific cellular and neurological changes occurring with blast injury, particularly mTBI.
Topics: Animals; Blast Injuries; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; Humans; War-Related Injuries
PubMed: 27555540
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.036 -
BioMed Research International 2016The indications for rigid bronchoscopy for interventional pulmonology have increased and include stent placements and transbronchial cryobiopsy procedures. The shared... (Review)
Review
The indications for rigid bronchoscopy for interventional pulmonology have increased and include stent placements and transbronchial cryobiopsy procedures. The shared airway between anesthesiologist and pulmonologist and the open airway system, requiring specific ventilation techniques such as jet ventilation, need a good understanding of the procedure to reduce potentially harmful complications. Appropriate adjustment of the ventilator settings including pause pressure and peak inspiratory pressure reduces the risk of barotrauma. High frequency jet ventilation allows adequate oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal even in cases of tracheal stenosis up to frequencies of around 150 min; however, in an in vivo animal model, high frequency jet ventilation along with normal frequency jet ventilation (superimposed high frequency jet ventilation) has been shown to improve oxygenation by increasing lung volume and carbon dioxide removal by increasing tidal volume across a large spectrum of frequencies without increasing barotrauma. General anesthesia with a continuous, intravenous, short-acting agent is safe and effective during rigid bronchoscopy procedures.
Topics: Adult; Anesthesia, General; Barotrauma; Bronchoscopy; Carbon Dioxide; High-Frequency Jet Ventilation; Humans; Lung; Lung Volume Measurements
PubMed: 27847813
DOI: 10.1155/2016/4234861 -
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance Feb 2019Barodontalgia, barometric pressure-induced dental pain, may jeopardize diving/flight safety. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the rate of...
Barodontalgia, barometric pressure-induced dental pain, may jeopardize diving/flight safety. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the rate of barodontalgia among military and civilian divers and aircrews based on previous reports. We analyzed the data of 4894 aircrew/divers reported in the literature. Barodontalgia rates (flight vs. diving, military vs. civilian, pressurized vs. non-pressurized aircrafts) were analyzed. The Chi-squared test was used to compare between groups. Of the 4894 individuals, 402 (8.2%) suffered from barodontalgia. Divers (9.8%) were more vulnerable than aircrews (5.8%). Barodontalgia experience rate was 5.4% and 6.5% in military and civilian aircrews, respectively, and 7.3% and 12.8% in military and civilian scuba divers, respectively. Barodontalgia was more common among aircrews of pressurized than non-pressurized aircrafts (7.3% vs. 3.2%, respectively). The greater amplitude of barometric pressure changes explains the higher rate of barodontalgia in divers than aircrew. The higher rate during pressurized flights is possibly because intracabin pressure in the pressurized cabin is still routinely higher than in nonpressurized aircrafts. Improved oral care and mandatory annual dental checkups may be the reason for the significantly lower rate of barodontalgia experienced among military aircrews and divers compared to their civilian counterparts. These results emphasize the essential role of atmospheric pressure change in the generation of pain during flight or diving and the importance of proper dental care.
Topics: Aerospace Medicine; Atmospheric Pressure; Barotrauma; Diving; Humans; Military Personnel; Pilots; Toothache
PubMed: 30670123
DOI: 10.3357/AMHP.5183.2019 -
Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Jun 2020
Topics: Barotrauma; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Decompression Sickness; Diving; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 32557408
DOI: 10.28920/dhm50.2.90-91