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ISS medical treatment
SPACE
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ISS medical treatment
How is illness prevented and treated when you’re out in space?
The human body is adapted to account for the effects of gravity. Muscles and bones respond to impact and resistance, and the circulatory system compensates so bodily fluids don’t accumulate in the legs and feet. When gravity is removed, the changes to the body are dramatic.
To compensate for the lack of gravity on the International Space Station (ISS), the crew members have access to an array of specially designed exercise equipment. Treadmills, cycling machines and resistance equipment enable them to limit muscle atrophy. This prevents long-term problems associated with muscle wasting in low gravity and allows the fitness of the crew to be monitored.
The lack of gravity also affects the circulatory system. Fluid redistributes to the upper body, causing the tissues in the head and face to swell. This leads to symptoms similar to the common cold and can place pressure on the optic nerve, distorting vision. Abnormal heart rhythms have been reported on several occasions, so the ISS is equipped with a defibrillator.
In microgravity, microbes float about in the air, making infection a real danger. Recent studies also suggest that bacteria adapt to space in ways that aren’t familiar on Earth, posing an extra threat. On top of that, the immune system itself finds it more difficult to function. In order to protect the crew, the air is filtered and monitored for contamination.
Unfortunately, space crews do get ill, and 75 per cent of astronauts require medication while in space; the ISS carries medication for a range of illnesses. If the medical problem cannot be treated on board, the station is close enough that crew members can be returned to Earth for more specialist treatment.
Keeping healthy on the ISS
A tour of the main facilities on the station that keep astronauts fighting fit
Blood/saliva testing
Saliva testing kits and an on-board blood-testing machine help the crew spot any infections early.
Radiation detector
A neutron particle detector allows crew members to monitor neutron radiation levels.
Resistive exercise device
Exercise equipment allows the crew to build up their muscle strength.
Treadmill
The Treadmill with Vibration Isolation Stablilisation (TVIS) had special tech to reduce vibrations that could disrupt nearby scientific experiments. It has recently been replaced with a new model.
Astronaut Sunita Williams works out on the TVIS treadmill on board the ISS
Veloergometer
Another machine designed for exercise, this provides both aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning.
Air sampler
Microbes float in the air in zero gravity, so an air sampler is used to keep a close eye on contamination.
Defibrillator
The space station is equipped with emergency medical equipment to restart the heart in the event of a cardiac arrest.
Common ISS injuries
1Space adaptation syndrome (SAS)
Like motion sickness, it is a reaction of the vestibular balance system to the disorientation of microgravity.
2Nervous system and sensory organs
Body fluids gather in the head during weightlessness, increasing the pressure on the back of the eyeballs and pushing on the optic nerve. This can result in distortion of vision. Fluid accumulation also leads to nasal congestion, altering smell and taste.
3Digestive system Loss of appetite is common and astronauts often complain that food tastes unusual. This is thought to be the result of nasal congestion, much like getting a cold.
4Skin In microgravity the skin undergoes a process similar to ageing, becoming thinner and more fragile. Draughts from the ventilation systems can also dry out the skin, making it more liable to cuts and irritation.
5General trauma Living on a space station poses many hazards, including chemical and electrical burns, exposure to toxic substances and physical trauma. During the Space Shuttle Program (1981-98), 141 injuries were reported.
