In addition to the obvious connection with air travel, they are generally associated with landing, tend to be very painful and throbbing, are usually unilateral, and often resolve after approximately 30 to 60 minutes.
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The headache causes a stabbing or jabbing pain that starts suddenly usually on one side of the head. It mainly affects the area of the forehead above the eye. Within minutes of the plane touching the ground, the headache usually goes away.
Interestingly, large systemic studies point to a surprisingly low association between AHs and other diagnoses, such as migraine headaches, tension headaches, and chronic sinus allergies. There is also no documented association between AHs and any adverse health risks. Some patients are especially prone to AH.
Some people find flying triggers their migraine. This may be due to a number of factors, including the cabin pressure, dehydration and even stress. Changes in barometric pressure can trigger migraine, meanwhile, aeroplane cabins have very low humidity which can dehydrate you.
Some studies suggest that the cabin pressure changes in the airplane, which are more pronounced during takeoff and landing, affects the head and sinuses in a way that triggers a headache.
Air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means your body takes in less oxygen. Airlines “pressurize” the air in the cabin, but not to sea-level pressures, so there's still less oxygen getting to your body when you fly, which can make you feel drained or even short of breath.
It is not recommended to fly with acute intracranial hypertension because the conditions in the plane can worsen your condition and cause excruciating pain. If you have chronic or benign intracranial hypertension, you might be able to fly if your condition is under control.
Thunderclap headaches are severe headaches coming on full force in less than a minute, lasting at least 5 minutes, and often appearing without any trigger. The pain may be felt anywhere in the head and may in some cases extend down the back of the neck.
The increasing pressure leads to sinus pain that can usually be felt around the nose, cheekbones, eyes, and forehead. Bending over may make it worse. When flying, the body has to react to changes in cabin pressure during the flight.