You get through the airport and finally settle into yourseat on the plane.
But after an hour or so,bam,a migraine strikes.
We know: A flight-induced migraine soundsmiserable.
What causes a migraine when flying?
Unfortunately, flying is a perfect storm of migraine triggers.
Here are just a few of the most common:
1.
neurologist and assistant professor at theIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Cabin pressure
Do your ears pop when youre on a plane?
This is from changes in air pressure during takeoff and landing.
Motion
For some people, turbulence turns their stomach.
Light
Those ultra-bright artificial lights on planes can aggravate migraines, too.
And erratic sleep can induce a migraine.
And as weve learned, dehydration and migraine dont mix well.
Stress
While going on vacation should be relaxing, some aspectslike flyingcan also be a bit stressful.
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How is this different from an airplane headache?
neurologist and assistant professor at theIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Even if you dont get migraines, flying can still cause head pain for some people.
Once again, a change in cabin pressure seems to be the culprit.
While airplane headaches and migraines both produce head pain, there are some key differences.
These include the following, per Dr. Pace:
So what can you do if an airplane headache strikes?
But you may not even need to pop a pill.
Try these tips to help you stay pain-free each step of the way.
Heres how to cope if it does:
1.
), Dr. Pace says.
If youre unsure of the best combo of meds to take, ask your doctor in advance.
The sooner you take your medication, the better.
The cold decreases blood flow to the brain, which can provide pain relief.
This can block out the bright, harsh lights on the plane that may aggravate your head pain.
Once your eyes are covered, have a go at get some shut-eye to sleep off the pain.
This could also be where the Dramamine comes into play.
Stayhydrated
Once again, little sips of water can go a long way.
Youll know youre properly hydrated if take a bathroom break andyour pee is light yellow/clear, perUCI Health.
The bottom line
For people who get migraines, flying is a common trigger.
Avoiding, managing, or minimizing known triggerslike dehydration, stress, and lack of sleepis half the battle.
Still, migraine attacks arent always avoidable.
Give yourself grace, and know it is not your fault.
Migraine can be unpredictable.
reviewed bySmita Holden, MD
Cuomo-Granston, Anna, and Peter D Drummond.
Migraine and motion sickness: what is the link?.Progress in neurobiologyvol.
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