Inova Medical Group, Department of Neurology, McLean, VA, USA.
Health Quest Medical Practice, Kingston, 12401, NY, USA.
Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2018 Jun 14;22(7):48. doi: 10.1007/s11916-018-0701-9.
Headaches due to airplane travel are rare but documented in the literature. We aim to provide a review of diagnostic criteria and treatment for this condition.
Several cases of this syndrome have been reported since it was first described in 2004. Airplane headache is classified as unilateral, stabbing, orbito-frontal pain, lasting under 30 min, and occurs during ascent or descent of a plane. Patients with this condition can develop anxiety and fear of flying given the intensity and severity of the pain. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is unknown, but theories include suspected barotrauma given changes in barometric pressure during ascent and descent. There are no randomized controlled trials regarding treatment, but case reports suggest headache prevention with pre-treatment with naproxen, decongestants, and triptans prior to air travel. Some non-pharmacological therapies reported include Valsalva maneuvers, chewing, relaxation techniques, and pressure at the pain area. As more cases of headache attributed to airplane travel are reported, epidemiological data can be obtained to further understand the incidence and prevalence of this condition, which can lead to improved treatment options for patients.
飞行引起的头痛虽少见，但已有文献记载。我们旨在为这种疾病的诊断标准和治疗提供综述。
自 2004 年首次描述以来，已有几例该综合征的报道。飞机性头痛被归类为单侧、刺痛、眶额疼痛，持续时间不到 30 分钟，发生在飞机上升或下降期间。由于疼痛的强度和严重程度，患有这种疾病的患者可能会产生焦虑和对飞行的恐惧。该综合征的病理生理学尚不清楚，但理论包括上升和下降过程中气压变化引起的疑似气压创伤。关于治疗，尚无随机对照试验，但病例报告表明，在航空旅行前用萘普生、减充血剂和曲坦类药物进行预处理可以预防头痛。一些报告的非药物治疗包括瓦尔萨尔瓦动作、咀嚼、放松技术和疼痛区域的压力。随着更多归因于飞机旅行的头痛病例的报告，可以获得流行病学数据，以进一步了解这种疾病的发病率和流行率，从而为患者提供更好的治疗选择。
