It’s more than just jetlag and popping ears. When your flight touches down in another city, state, or country, it may feel like the journey is just beginning, but for your body, the adventure started when you boarded your flight (unless flight cancellations threw a wrench in your travel plans). Though it’s an effective and fast means of getting from point A to point B, flying the friendly the skies puts your system into overdrive. From a change in altitude and pressure to an increased risk for certain ailments, there are a slew of fascinating (and a little wacky) things that happen to your body between takeoff and landing. Here, doctors reveal what happens when you’re miles high in the sky—plus solutions to ward off any unwanted side effects.
