Flying can induce a number of headaches, from lost luggage to forgotten passports. To make it worse, many people find that they are prone to headaches as soon as their plane gets in the air. The factors that cause these headaches vary and can't be attributed to one cause. If you suffer from in-flight headaches, see your doctor for possible cures or advice on preventative measures.
Significance
According to a study published in the medical journal Cephalalgia, over 100 million people each year are affected by headaches while flying. The study, conducted by Dr. Israel Potasman and his colleagues, focused on 906 men and women. Nearly 20 percent of participants experience headaches every time they fly. Two-thirds of the participants who experience headaches while flying were women. Many participants' headaches increased while the plane was ascending or descending, leading scientists to believe that barometric pressure could be responsible.
Types
Some nervous flyers can attribute their aerial headaches to tension, or stress headaches. According to "Headache -- The Dana Guide," published on The DANA Foundation's website, tension headaches are a feeling of constant pressure in the head. They can be caused by worry, fatigue or poor posture, which may be experienced by people who are anxious about flying.
Sinus headaches are caused by congested sinuses, and can worsen at higher altitudes. Pressure on the sinuses also increases as a plane lands. The DANS Foundation suggests using nasal decongestants before a flight to avoid headaches during landing.
Migraines tend to be concentrated on one side of the head, and the pain can be moderate to severe. Migraine sufferers often have chronic headaches. According to the NYU Pain Management Center, migraines can be triggered by stimuli such as barometric pressure changes, as experienced during flight.
Theories/Speculation
A 2007 study published by the American Chemical Society (ACS) suggests that flight headaches are a result of body oils reacting to the ozone in a plane's cabin. Ozone levels in the cabin produce more chemical byproducts, specifically nonanal and decanal, which contribute to headache formation. These byproducts are created because of interactions with human skin, hair and clothing. High levels of ozone are more common in narrow-body planes than in wide-body.
Considerations
It's not just passengers who suffer from headaches while flying. What if you're the pilot? Some pilots who suffer from debilitating migraines are denied medical certification. According to the Flight Safety Foundation's (FSF) article, "Migraines, Other Severe Headaches Hinder Pilot Performance," headaches have even been cited as the reason behind a small number of flight accidents. Although medical certification is granted on a case-by-case basis, doctors prefer that a pilot be headache-free for at least six months before flying.
Warning
The FSF recounts a particularly serious aviation incident that occurred when a pilot lost control of the plane due to migraine medication. The pilot was taking a barbiturate that can cause drowsiness and dizziness, and struck a building before crash-landing in a residential area. The pilot and two passengers were killed, and 27 people were injured. Although he had denied taking medications, private medical records indicated that he had been taking medicine to control his migraines.
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