Scoliosis, hay fever, pneumonia and emphysema

[puppytoy]

Hello! I really need someones advice...
I have already signed the contract with an airline and currently studying to become a stewardess, but since they hired me only few days before the studies started I haven't had time to pass all my medical tests... And since the studies are very intense I will only be able to go see the aviation doctor in a week.

So... Ive already gotten the illness, operation and fracture history from my doctor, where in the conclusion instead of writing "Partially healthy" as did the other doctors for my collegues she wrote "Scoliosis and hay fever". So this is where I start to worry - I don't suffer any back pain only my back is not perfectly straight, but really - who's is these days? Here somewhere I read something about the minimal degress of scoliosis? Mine has never been measured... And as for hay fever - if I take my daily pill during spring I have no negative effects at all...

Thats one question - is hay fever or scoliosis any problem?

Since I know that lung roentgen and nasal cavity roentgen will be required I already went to a professional and got those done (which turned out to be a waste because they didn't give me the lung X-ray itself, only the conclusion..) but now when I look at them I see that for my nasal cavity it is written that it is pneumatised, and about my chest x-ray the conclusion says "Chest organs are in age normal rate. Lung Emphysematosis."

My first thought was - well, they had to write that because to reduce the price of X-ray my doctor wrote that I need those done because I am currently suffering from bronchial asthma (which was lies, I had that when I was younger) and allergic rhinitis (which was also lies, I haven't even had any cold this winter), but if it is true - can I still get accepted as a CC?

Please, help me with your expirience or with what you know from your collegues and their health... or the if you know if these conclusions are a no-no in the aviation field?


Thank you!

P.S. after the empysema fright I haven't even smoked yet.

[Rory Dixon]

Quite a couple of questions you have. Lets start with scoliosis and hay fever.
Scoliosis will not prevent you from flying, if the degree is limited. You do not need to be perfetcly straight, nevertheless, a severly scoliotic spine will pose problems.
Hay fever again depends on the severity. If it is just hay fever, no asthmatic component, it should not prevent you from flying. Nevertheless, not all pills are acceptable, as quite some of them can (and will) cause drowsiness. But your AME should be able to advise you.
A pneumatised nasal cavity (or better the adjacent sinuses) is just a normal finding.
The biggest problem could be the 'emphysema'. The most common cause for a chest-X-ray diagnosis of emphysema, especially when done by non radiologists, is wrong interpretation of inadequate film exposure. There are only fairly rare cases of focal emphysemas, which can adequately be diagnosed by conventional chest X-ray. In most cases, this diagnosis should only be made from an adequately performed high-resolution CT-scan (in conjunction with functional tests). In addition, you are young and this diagnosis in your age group would call for some other, severe underlying lung disease, which you have not mentioned. So I would go back to the physician and ask her/him to review the images with the information of your professional plans in mind.
The childhood diagnosis of asthma you have to clarify, as this will be reviewed with scrutiny. Allerginc rhinitis is just another word for hay fever.
Good luck

[gingernut]

It sounds like your medical problems are being over medicalised.

If you really have got emphysema, then I'll buy everyone on here a drink.


Happy Cabin Crewing:)

[PilotUnknown]

I have scoliosis and had surgery about 7 years ago. I now have a fused spine, and 3 rods. I had no problem passing my class 2 medical, and at the time I was told there should be no reason i'd fail a class 1, at least not be cause of my scoliosis.