Where is airplane headache?

An airplane headache (AH) is a headache that develops while the plane is taking off or landing. The pain is usually felt at the front of the head and around the eye sockets. While the international headache society has recognized airplane headaches, not much is known about them and their triggers.



An airplane headache (AH) is a specific type of pain primarily felt in the fronto-orbital region, which is the area around the forehead and eyes. It is usually a sharp, stabbing, or jabbing sensation that occurs almost exclusively on one side of the head (unilateral). Most sufferers experience the onset during the landing phase—though it can occur during takeoff—as the cabin pressure rapidly changes. The pain is intense but typically short-lived, usually lasting about 20 to 30 minutes before subsiding. It is thought to be caused by barotrauma to the sinuses, where the pressure difference between the sinuses and the cabin leads to the sudden stretching of nerve endings. If the pain persists longer than an hour or occurs during the middle of the cruise phase without pressure changes, it may be a different type of headache altogether, such as a migraine triggered by dehydration or altitude changes.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The frequencies of AH-attacks are relatively high; 42 flight passengers experience AH in every flight travels and 39 flight passengers experience AH in more than 50% of the flight travels [4–6, 12, 19, 21, 27, 39, 40].

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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.

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Headaches can impair a pilot's abilities, and in rare occurrences, headaches have been cited as factors in aviation accidents. Pilots who experience some types of headaches often are denied medical certification.

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The air pressure on board is therefore almost 19% lower. Accordingly, the cerebral oedema will expand, not in the same proportion, since the human body is itself a kind of pressure suit, but a few millimetres is enough to increase the pressure in the brain to the extent that it becomes life-threatening.

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If you don't shower and bacteria and fungi do catch a ride back to your hotel with you, Tetro says you may end up depositing germs that aren't your own into your new space—particularly your bed.

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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. Another possible explanation for AHs is a fear of flying, which can cause stress and anxiety and subsequently trigger a headache.

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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.

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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.

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