Did you hear about the Side Effects of a Roller-Coaster Ride?
WebMD Health News
Reviewed By Laura J. Martin, MD
People often complain of dizziness and upset stomach right after a roller coaster ride, but new evidence suggests that the high speeds and sudden turns of the ride are responsible for ear damage. Doctors from Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital pointed out the case of a 24-year-old man who suffered ear barotrauma after riding a roller coaster that can reach the stunning maximum speed of 120 miles per hour in four seconds.
Ear barotrauma occurs when there is a quick change in air pressure that affects the eardrum and pressure in the middle ear. This commonly happens when during scuba diving, air travel, or being near explosives. In that particular case, the patient’s head was turned during the ride. Thirty-six hours after the ride, the man reported feelings of pain and fullness in the right ear. A physical examination showed injury in his right ear, a swollen ear canal and an inflamed eardrum. The eardrum was not punctured though.
The patient’s left ear was fine, indicating that his right ear endured the entire impact of the roller-coaster motion while his head was turned. Researcher Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, MD, chair of the department of otolaryngology at Henry Ford Hospital, and colleagues estimated that the patient’s right ear was exposed to about 0.6 pounds per square inch when the roller coaster accelerated. The patient did not receive treatment and his symptoms cleared up a couple of days days.
“As rollercoasters continue to push the envelope of speed, otolaryngologists need to be aware of this new cause of barotrauma to the ear,” Yaremchuk says in a news release. “Based on our research, we recommend that passengers remain facing forward for the duration of the ride to not let the full impact of acceleration hit the ear.”
Other kind of roller-coaster injuries have been reported in medical literature in the past, including bruising and spine injuries, including vertebral
disk herniation or tear of the tissue surrounding the spine. These injuries are caused by the force of roller-coaster acceleration. Ear injuries are not common in amusement park rides. Needless to say, not all roller-coaster riders suffer from ear trauma. Yaremchuk admits that particular case was rare and many things had to coincide for this to happen. “This was an unusual situation, where the rider turned his head at just the right time to experience the full force of acceleration against his eardrum,” says Yaremchuk in the news release. “It would be highly unlikely to do this multiple times in a row, but roller coaster riders should be aware of what they can do to prevent barotrauma from occurring.”
source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=115923
