Hi,I am Dr. Gopal Goel (Orthopaedic Surgeon). I will be looking into your question and guiding you through the process. Please write your question below.
Swelling On The Cheek Bone, Black Eye. Is It Safe To Take A Flight?
I was in a minor accident and received a black eye and some minor swelling around the cheek bone area 3 days ago. There is bruising obviously but the swelling has gone down quite a lot and no pain. I did not experience any dizziness , headaches, blurred vision or nausea when i had the accident or any time since. Can I fly?
Though black eye is commonly caused due to an injury to the face, sometimes, a black eye may indicate a more extensive injury, even a skull fracture.
The reason of concern in this situation is presence of air inside the cranium (skull) including the facial bones.
This entrapped air tends to expand on ascending to high altitude (such as during air travel) & cause severe pain.
In this regard, will be important to observe for 4-5 days & see if there is any aggravation of symptoms.
You have mentioned in your post that you didn't have any symptoms of dizziness , headaches, blurred vision or nausea...so it indicates a favourable prognosis & a flight may be taken.
But it is always better to consult the Doctor & get a proper physical examination done to prevent occurrence of any discomfort during flight.
Wishing a Good Health. Let me know if I need to clarify further.
Thanks & take care.
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Swelling On The Cheek Bone, Black Eye. Is It Safe To Take A Flight?
Hello dear, Though black eye is commonly caused due to an injury to the face, sometimes, a black eye may indicate a more extensive injury, even a skull fracture. The reason of concern in this situation is presence of air inside the cranium (skull) including the facial bones. This entrapped air tends to expand on ascending to high altitude (such as during air travel) & cause severe pain. In this regard, will be important to observe for 4-5 days & see if there is any aggravation of symptoms. You have mentioned in your post that you didn t have any symptoms of dizziness , headaches, blurred vision or nausea...so it indicates a favourable prognosis & a flight may be taken. But it is always better to consult the Doctor & get a proper physical examination done to prevent occurrence of any discomfort during flight. Wishing a Good Health. Let me know if I need to clarify further. Thanks & take care.