A Pain in Third Class
有一種叫“經(jīng)濟(jì)艙綜合征”的病,估計(jì)很多人第一次聽說。如果人在狹窄的空間長(zhǎng)時(shí)間坐著不動(dòng),比如乘坐飛機(jī)時(shí),腿一直彎曲著,結(jié)果會(huì)使腿部后側(cè)靜脈的血流速度降低,并在小腿深靜脈中形成血凝,如血凝塊脫落,順著血流到達(dá)肺部,并在肺部形成栓塞即肺栓塞,可能會(huì)引起猝死,這就是“經(jīng)濟(jì)艙綜合征”:一種久坐不動(dòng)能致人命的病。據(jù)世界衛(wèi)生組織估計(jì),長(zhǎng)途飛行旅客中此危險(xiǎn)發(fā)生的幾率為1/6000,這就意味著1個(gè)運(yùn)載300名乘客的航班,每長(zhǎng)途飛行20次就會(huì)有1位乘客發(fā)生“經(jīng)濟(jì)艙綜合征”。實(shí)際上,專家認(rèn)為,只要保持一個(gè)坐勢(shì),腿一直彎曲著,不活動(dòng)超過4個(gè)小時(shí),那么,發(fā)生深靜脈血栓栓塞即“經(jīng)濟(jì)艙綜合征”的危險(xiǎn)將會(huì)明顯增加。而現(xiàn)在,坐車的人,長(zhǎng)時(shí)間坐著工作的人,在電腦前一坐就是半天的人,比乘坐飛機(jī)的人要多得多,“經(jīng)濟(jì)艙綜合征”將會(huì)威脅著更多久坐的人。
It seems the more (1)cramped(狹窄的,擁擠的) your airplane seat is, the longer the flight always takes. Some folks handle this situation by just sitting tight(繃緊的) for the entire duration(持續(xù),期間),dreaming of the hour when the plane finally lands and they get to stretch.
That may be adding danger to discomfort, studies have found. The discomfort part you already know about. The danger is that when your body is left in a cramped position for too long, blood clots(血塊) can form in your feet and legs. That’s dangerous, because a blood clot that (2)dislodges(移動(dòng),逐出) will travel in the blood stream. And that’s nothing to play around with. If it reaches your lungs, it could even kill you!
Now, of course not every hurting leg is indication of a blood clot. For the most part it’s just cramped(抽筋的) muscle. But research conducted at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu showed that a surprising one out of four patients in a study group being treated for blood clots in the lower legs had been on airplanes within the past month. And a (3)whopping(巨大的) eighty-two percent still had symptoms(癥候,癥狀) two weeks after their flight!
The problem is that sitting for four hours or more reduces blood (4)circulation(循環(huán)) in the legs, especially if you are cramped up. So, to keep the old juices flowing, and to help lower the chance of blood clots forming during a long flight, get up and walk in the aisle(通道,走廊)a little bit.
注釋:
(1)cramped['kr?mpt]
a.
1.難認(rèn)的;難懂的
2.患抽筋的
3.狹窄的
Our accommodation is rather cramped. 我們住的地方很擠。
(2)dislodge[dis'l?d?]
vt.
1.用力(或設(shè)法)移動(dòng);逐出[(+from)]
The doctor dislodged the fish bone from her throat.
醫(yī)生取出哽在她喉中的魚骨頭。
vi.
1.離開住處
(3)whopping['hwɑp??]
a.
1.巨大的;異常的
ad.
1.非常
(4)circulation[,s?:kju'lei??n]
n.
1.循環(huán),環(huán)流;運(yùn)行[U][S1]
We observed the circulation of blood in frogs.
我們觀察了青蛙的血液循環(huán)。
2.(貨幣、消息等的)流通,傳播[U]
Many forged notes are in circulation.
許多假鈔在流通。
3.(報(bào)刊等的)發(fā)行量,銷售量[S]
This paper has a circulation of more than a million.
這一報(bào)紙的發(fā)行量達(dá)一百多萬(wàn)份。
4.通貨,貨幣[U]