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Headache associated with airplane travel: a rare entity
Ajith Cherian1, Mini Mathew, Thomas Iype
1Department of Neurology, Government Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. drajithcherian@yahoo.com
Neurology India
|May 7, 2013
Summary
Airplane travel headache is a rare condition affecting 0.16% of patients. This specific headache occurs during aircraft ascent or descent and can be treated with nasal decongestants and naproxen sodium.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Airplane travel headache is a recently described condition.
- It is a situational headache linked to air travel.
Observation:
- Two patients (0.16%) out of 1,208 primary headache patients met the criteria.
- The headache was intense, stabbing, and localized to the medial supraorbital region.
Findings:
- Headache occurred exclusively during aircraft landing or take-off.
- The mean duration was 24 minutes.
- The cause is likely the "squeeze effect" on the frontal sinus due to pressure changes.
Implications:
- Nasal decongestants, alone or with naproxen sodium, effectively treated the headache.
- Increased awareness is crucial for proper diagnosis and patient care.
- This condition highlights the link between environmental factors and primary headaches.
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