Medical conditions
Dangers of nosebleeds when flying …..
An Air Transat flight from Toronto to the Dominican Republic faced a unique situation when the pilot experienced an “uncontrollable nosebleed” three hours into the flight.
An off-duty captain, who happened to be on board for vacation with his family, stepped in to take control of the Airbus A330. The airline assured that its pilots are well-trained to handle such situations independently.
The plane landed safely, and all 299 passengers were unharmed. The incident highlights the expertise of the airline’s pilots and the fortunate presence of a qualified backup on the flight.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported the incident, emphasizing the smooth continuation of the journey without further issues.
What causes nosebleeds?
Nosebleeds, also known as epistaxis, can occur for various reasons. Some common causes include:
- Dry Air: Dry or low-humidity environments can dry out the nasal membranes, leading to irritation and potential bleeding.
- Nasal Trauma: Injury or trauma to the nose, such as a blow to the face, can cause blood vessels in the nose to rupture and result in a nosebleed.
- Nasal Irritation: Exposure to irritants like smoke, chemicals, or strong odors can irritate the nasal passages and trigger nosebleeds.
- Nasal Infections: Infections, particularly those affecting the nasal lining, can contribute to nosebleeds.
- Nasal Allergies: Allergic reactions, especially those causing persistent nasal congestion and itching, may lead to nosebleeds.
- Nasal Decongestant Spray Overuse: Frequent or prolonged use of nasal decongestant sprays can cause the nasal tissues to become dry and more prone to bleeding.
- Underlying Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as blood clotting disorders, liver disease, or conditions affecting blood vessels, can make individuals more susceptible to nosebleeds.
- Medications: Some medications, like blood thinners, may increase the risk of bleeding, including nosebleeds.
- Hormonal Changes: Hormonal fluctuations, such as those occurring during pregnancy or menopause, can contribute to nasal dryness and increased susceptibility to nosebleeds.
- Foreign Bodies: Inserting objects into the nose can cause trauma and lead to nosebleeds.
In most cases, nosebleeds are not severe and can be managed at home by tilting the head forward, pinching the nostrils together, and applying cold compresses. However, persistent or recurrent nosebleeds may warrant medical attention, especially if they are associated with an underlying health condition.
Can I get Travel Insurance with Angina?
Angina Travel Insurance.
From an insurance point of view, Angina is classified as a medical condition or a pre-existing condition, and most travel insurance companies are happy to cover people who are or have been affected by it, although the policy might be slightly more expensive than otherwise would be the case.
What is Angina?
Most people who have a history of angina probably understand the condition better than many, but it is well worth checking out the current medical guidelines and advice.
The NHS website classifies angina as a ‘chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. It is not usually life-threatening but is a warning sign that you could be a risk of a heart attack or stroke’, and goes on to give practical advice about treatment and how to live with the condition.
The American Heart Association give a detailed breakdown of the two different types of Angina, stable and unstable Angina, as well as valuable information as to the major risk factors that make people susceptible to the condition
Applying for travel insurance
It is a standard port of any application for travel insurance that people will be asked about their medical history, specifically any pre-existing condition.
Concerning angina, anyone applying needs to give a complete medical background of their experience with this condition, whether they are currently suffering from it or not.
The questions asked by the insurance company are likely to be quite specific, but if there’s anything that is not covered, the onus is on the applicant to make a full declaration of everything that might be considered information that the insurance company is entitled to know to make a full risk assessment.
In insurance terms, this is known as utmost good faith and places the responsibility for providing information firmly on the applicant. It is also in the applicant’s best interest for the insurance company to know everything to make a valid judgment about what cover to provide and at what cost.
Application process
Giving medical information to a third party can be quite a daunting process, and for this reason, many people prefer not to use cost comparison sites, as it means their health information will be widely circulated to companies they are never going to use, although strict privacy policies should be in place.
Insurance companies tend to ask questions as part of an online application but often provide an alternative where the person can phone an agent and talk to them instead, which many people prefer.
What questions are asked?
Travel insurance companies will ask different questions, particularly will want to know some details about your past medical history with specific regard to angina and heart problems. This process is known as medical screening
The sort of questions they will ask our likely to include :
- Have you ever had any surgery regarding heart problems, such as a heart bypass or a stent fitted :
- Have you ever smoked, if so when and how many a day, if not when did you stop?
- Do you live with someone or a family who smoke
- Have you ever had a heart attack
- Do you have or have you ever had high blood pressure, are you on or have you ever been on medication for it
- Are you waiting to see a consultant or doctor regarding problems relating to your heart?
- Have you ever had chest pains that have resulted in a visit to a doctor or hospital?
The travel insurance company may also ask questions commonly referred to as lifestyle questions, but which have an impact on someone’s health and stress levels such as their weight, diet, type of employment etc.
If the insurance company is happy with the information given they will normally go ahead and provide travel insurance as requested, but most likely with the conditional that the beckons GP or primary physician agrees in writing that it is safe for them to travel
It makes sense for the applicant to get this approval anyway, so this should not necessarily be a problem.
Most insurance companies provide some type of travel advice for people who have pre-existing medical conditions such as angina.
This advice normally includes things such as
- Taking additional medication
- Keeping lists of medication in online language and language used in the country where visiting
- Avoiding extremes of temperature both hot and cold
- Having a plan for dealing with any emergency
A more detailed guide to helpful tips is given on this travel insurance site site by a qualified medical doctor.