Flight-associated inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia: A case report

Abstract

Injury caused by strong pressure changes is generally referred to as barotrauma. It can affect several areas of the body, including ear, face, lungs, and teeth, where it is usually known as barodontalgia. It is sustained from the failure to equalize the pressure of an air-containing cavity to that of the surrounding environment.Although it is most often found in scuba divers, it can occur in air travel, and it has been reported also as a consequence of an air bag rupture and the high pressured air inhaled by the car driver during the accident. The first description of pressure-related disease was written by Paul Bert in 1878, when he noted symptoms of caisson disease in bridgeworkers, who, after finishing their shifts and coming back to the surface, presented dizzy spells, difficulties in breathing, and pain at abdomen and joints. This article represents the report of a case of inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia that appeared to be due to barotraumas.