Some Ways To Avoid Sky-High Headaches

Air travel frequently causes headaches, and not just in people who are prone to headaches, says Alan M. Rapoport, a professor of neurology at Yale University.

The atmospheric pressure in a jetliner cabin at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet is roughly equivalent to being on a mountain at an altitude between 5,000 and 7,500 feet. This is can cause blood vessels in the head to dilate and cause pain - a headache.

The most common type of headaches aloft are tension-type headaches. These involve moderate pressure on both sides of the head, and sometimes at the top of the head. The pain tends to be steady rather than throbbing, says Rapoport.

Tension headaches arise from excitement, stress, anxiety, changed eating and sleeping schedules, prolonged and uncomfortable sitting, and other factors inherent in air travel.

Proper planning for the trip, getting to the airport early and relaxing there, getting an aisle seat for stretching and walking about, for example, help minimize the causative factors of tension headaches (and may also help minimize the effects of jet lag.)

Non-prescription headache medications can give relief, and flight attendants carry these.

However, flight attendants can also bring you headaches - literally - says Rapoport. The beverage carts and food trays contain many items that can bring on migraine and cluster headaches.

Migraines are a severe, throbbing ache (often on one side of the head) and may be associated with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Sufferers prefer lying very still - difficult to accomplish on an airplane.

Cluster headaches are excruciating, steady, boring pains in or around one eye and may last one to two hours. The eye may be red and teary, have a drooping eyelid and a small pupil. Cluster headaches tend to occur about one to three times a day for many weeks, then disappear, only to return about the same time the following year.

How can you fight airplane headaches?

Pre-order fruit platters or vegetarian dinners for flights. These generally do not contain MSG and other preservatives which may cause migraines in predisposed individuals. Also avoid cold cuts, strong cheese, and other items that contain nitrates.

Other items known to cause migraines including pickled and preserved substances, chocolate, avocados, onions, pizza, citrus fruit, red wine and the artificial sweeteners used in some carbonated beverages.

However, do drink a lot of fluids to counteract the low humidity in the cabin air. Dehydration also may lead to headaches. Fruit juices are your best choice. Alcohol and sugary sodas can trigger migraine and cluster headaches.

Numerous specific and effective prescription drugs are now available for each kind of headache. Carry your medication when flying, and start taking it as soon as you feel a headache coming on.

Ice may give some temporary relief. Apply it to your temples or the nape of your neck.

Here are some more suggestions on avoiding air-travel headaches:

-- Try to keep your normal eating and sleeping schedules as much as possible. Some studies suggest that the incidence of headaches increases if you fast more than 5 hours during the day and more than 13 hours overnight. Low blood sugar may be a factor.

-- Sleep is sufficiently important to many headache sufferers that a mild sedative may be helpful. However, sedatives and other medications may cause unusual side effects, especially on long flights. Take only medications that are absolutely necessary on travel days. Each case must be individualized.

-- Minimize alcoholic drinks and avoid tobacco smoke.

Decreased cabin atmospheric pressure and the resulting lower levels of oxygen at cruising altitudes makes alcohol about twice as potent as at sea level. And tobacco smoke further decreases (albeit slightly) the oxygen in lungs, blood and brain. Both can lead to headaches.

Smoking is still permitted on many overseas flights. U.S. flag airlines generally enforce no-smoking rules better than foreign airlines.

Poor air quality may be a factor in some headaches. Often ventilation equipment is not fully operational to conserve fuel. Ask a flight attendant if the oxygen in the cabin air can be increased. Traveling Smart focuses on health and other travel issues on the last Tuesday of the month.