Why Does Airplane Food Taste So Bad?

Image by Wikipedia People universally complain about how bad airplane food is... However, the reason may surprise you in that it's not the airline's fault, but your body's. Based on research performed in 2010 at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany where they have a replica airplane cabin and can simulate different altitudes, cabin pressure, cabin external wall temperature, relative humidity, noise level, vibration, light, air circulation, etc... food scientists discovered that…

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Devices to Help with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction During Airflight and SCUBA

EarPlanes Ear Plugs It is not uncommon that patients who suffer from eustachian tube dysfunction resulting in symptoms of clogged ears and inability to pop them easily participate in activities that WILL worsen their ear problems. Such common activities include SCUBA diving and airplane flying. Of course, treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction is best, but may take several weeks, and that airplane flight or SCUBA diving trip is happening in a few days before resolution is expected. …

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Mal de Debarquement Syndrome - Rare Cause of Dizziness

The BBC recently printed a story describing a rare condition called mal de debarquement which causes  dizziness , typically after a boat cruise, though can occur with airplane flights and even a long drive in a car with switchbacks (going up/down a mountain). Two signs that a patient has mal de debarquement are if they feel a rocking sensation for weeks or months starting AFTER a cruise and two, if they're much better when in motion like vigorous exercise, but feel much worse when sta…

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daVinci Surgical Robot Makes Paper Airplane... Yawn!

A blog reader of mine informed me about this YouTube video of a surgeon, Dr. James Porter, making a paper airplane using a daVinci surgical robot . For those unawares, the daVinci robot is used to assist the surgeon in "difficult-to-reach" procedures. It is used in the fields of urology, ENT, gynecology, and general surgery. There is much debate whether the daVinci robot really is worth it. This paper airplane video is a perfect example of why it is NOT worth the $1.3 mil…

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Barometric Sinus Headache

MSNBC published a story on April 26, 2012 regarding headaches that come and go with pressure changes such as when flying in an airplane. The neurological researchers call it "airplane headache" and the story makes it sound like a newly discovered headache, but in actuality, it is something that has been known for a very long time. Human sinus cavities are air-filled cavities. When outside pressure changes relative to the air pressure within the sinus cavity, air pressure litera…

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Man Chokes to Death During Air Flight... Preventable?

Image courtesy of digitalart /  FreeDigitalPhotos.net News media reported on Sept 5, 2011 about Robert Rippingale who choked to death during a flight from Singapore to New Zealand. He was with his girlfriend who noted he was shaking and turning blue after eating an in-flight meal. A doctor and two nurses attempted to save him though unsuccessfully. The article reports that CPR was performed to try and save the man, but the obvious question is whether a Heimlich maneuver was done. Obvious…

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