Talk:Economy class syndrome
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So-called Economy class syndrome, meaning deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in airline passengers, is better called 'Travellers'DVT' because it occurs in all classes of air travel and is related to other forms of mechanised transport too.
I await increased awareness of a link between travellers DVT and exposure to infrasound/vibration generated by mechanised transport. Interested parties might like to investigate the work of Nuno Castelo Branco, Alves-Pereira et al in Portugal over the last 25 years or so which has established the reality of 'Vibroacoustic disease'. They might also like to consider the undeniable fact that trains, planes, motor cars etc generate infrasound at significant (circa 90 dB 'flat') levels. Infrasound is of course not perceived by those exposed to it. Calculation of resonant levels in passenger jet planes give figures of around 6 Hz. Resonance increases amplitudes by factors of 10 or more. Jet engines inter alia generate very high levels of infrasound; these particular vibrations are not decreased to any significant extent by existing sound proofing in jet planes. It is high time the human race woke up to its vulnerability to various anthropogenic radiations outside normal human perception, including infrasound.
David Collier dc888@tpg.com.au
- How do you propose this leads to coagulation? I think it is the cramped spaces and the lack of movement, paired with the dehydration, that gives travellers clots. This is the accepted view, and methinks these Portugese people have not quite made an impact. JFW | T@lk 19:20, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
- I must say that I agree with JFW. After "earning" 1M+ miles from different frequent flyer programs and travelling 160+ days a year with profile of having multiple landings a day (worst case) I feel that I can give a comment: Due overbooked flights, I had to take a economy class seat in smaller aircraft. I had two landings during the same day, each "leg" was 2.5+ h long, and my knees (I'm 6.3 feet/190cm tall) were pushed against a steel wire of the "magazine pocket". Two days later I had bruised knee caps, seven days later I had the pulmonal embolism. So at least in my case this was VERY much connected to bad conditions. This was something I would not wish to happen even to my worst enemies... hopefully I do not have any. Take care, jpt@bw (April 3rd 2006)
[edit] Some sources for a later date
- Global hazards of travel
- PMID 16933962 (looking at the actual risks)
