Medical question about air travel inducing monster headache

[justin case]

Anyone else get terrible stiff neck / back and zombie headache when spending hours on an airplane ?

 

For me, it is the super chilled air(co), the jet-fuel smells, the bad crampy seat with hardly any leg space

 

I start to cramp up, even I take Tylenol, the pains just don't go away.

 

I don't like to fly at all, but no choice... Immigration made me a visa runner after divorce with hostile ex-wife.
 

[CharlieH]

Probably dehydration.

 

Moving to health forum.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, justin case said:

Anyone else get terrible stiff neck / back and zombie headache when spending hours on an airplane ?

Nope!

[Sheryl]

Dehydration and also muscle spasms.

 

Drink plenty of (non alcoholic) fluids and get up hourly to stretch.

 

You can also do simple neck and shoulder exercises in your seat.

[BritManToo]

Not really, but then I only fly to Vietnam/China/Cambodia, so it's only an hour, two at the most.

On the other hand, my hostile ex-wife gave me many monster headaches.

Edited January 19, 2020 by BritManToo

[justin case]

I super hydrated the day before

 

I drank enough in the morning

 

Good I did not drink too much as there was a 1 hour queue at Suvi immigration

 

I bought more water in the only place that sells it at a almost normal price : BOOTS

 

I did put counterpain all over my neck at shoulders at the beginning of the pain ...they must have been happy on the plane

 

I took 2 Tylenol with food, to no avail

 

but I guess most people here are rich & just book a business class seat anyway

 

thanks for the replies ...  

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by justin case

[Speedo1968]

Perhaps stay off coffee and even tea before and during flight.

You can also try to pre-book a prefered seat.
 

[tinca tinca]

take an aspirin.....thins the blood.....

[ChaiyaTH]

Perhaps you wanna see a doctor and do a CT scan too.

[rak sa_ngop]

Read up on sinus discomfort which is exacerbated on take off and landing due to difficulty in equalising air pressure. It is never a problem for me except for the time I was dozing on landing and I forgot to remove my noise isolating ear buds. This resulted in an intense headache which cleared within a few hours.

[ukrules]

Fly business next time to eliminate the crappy seats as a source of the problem.

 

Google 'clearing eustachian tube' as that might help (like a scuba diver) but that shouldn't affect the neck.

[CanuckThai]

It's note a tuma....    (sorry, saw a Schwarzenegger flick last night)

[Enki]

As several already have pointed out: most likely dehydration. Because of the low air pressure and the dry air from air con. 

 

Except for typical non alc drinks, you can try coffee (unless you want to sleep, of course), it has a nice counter effect to head aches. 

 

NEVER combine paracetamol with alcohol!! 

 

If you need pain-killer, consider first neck and head massage and/or something like tiger balm.

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, Enki said:

NEVER combine paracetamol with alcohol!!

I think you're getting mixed up with aspirin there...

[Roy Baht]

 

6 hours ago, Enki said:

NEVER combine paracetamol with alcohol!!

12 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I think you're getting mixed up with aspirin there...

It's not unusual for a long flight to Thailand will end with an enormous headache. It's called "immigration".

 

Enki is correct: paracetamol and alcohol use the same enzymes to metabolise so it's a strain on your liver.

 

 

[mike787]

Answers with option:  (consult your medical provider before following anyone's advice).  

1.  muscles relaxant may help, ie myonal, etc

2. Lyrica, for pain and sleep

3. Arcoxia, Non steroidal anti inflammatory

3.  Travel Business class.

4.  Buy seat with more leg room if cannot afford business class.

5. Avoid mixing alcohol with meds or consuming straight alcohol.

6. Celexa, for sleep and or nerve/muscle pain.

7. Travel with fleece blanket, hat, gloves, whatever it takes to be warm.  Ask flight attendant for extra blanket.

8. Consult Doctor before taking any suggested medications.

9. Ativan, controlled drug for rest.  See #8 above for this.

10.  Consult Thai visa Agent for advice and option if insisting to remain in Thailand.

11.  Choose another country.

12.  Consider other TVF suggestions...

13.  Good Luck.  

Edited January 20, 2020 by mike787

[impulse]

Could just be a change on your caffeine scheduling.  I get monster headaches if I don't feed the caffeine habit.  I started keeping NoDoz on hand for those times when I couldn't get a cup of Joe.  Like long flights in the cheap seats, along with crazy layovers.

 

Edit:  In Thailand, I bought caffeine tablets on Lazada.  Lots cheaper than going to Starbucks for my caffeine fix...

I'd note that a lot of OTC migraine medicines are based on caffeine, with aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/allmax-nutrition-caffeine-200-mg-x-100-i222772909-s339983998.html

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by impulse

[impulse]

On 1/19/2020 at 6:03 AM, Speedo1968 said:

Perhaps stay off coffee and even tea before and during flight.

 

For anyone addicted to caffeine (and a lot of us are- whether we admit or or not), that's a guaranteed method of getting a withdrawal headache. 

 

For me, I need to make sure the hours of traveling and any time zone change don't throw off the intervals between doses.  Because that's what coffee is for me, a CDS (caffeine delivery system).  And when I look at the airport price of a cup of coffee, it's tempting to forgo the next dose.  For those times, I always carry caffeine tablets.

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by impulse

[Enki]

5 hours ago, Roy Baht said:

 

It's not unusual for a long flight to Thailand will end with an enormous headache. It's called "immigration".

 

Enki is correct: paracetamol and alcohol use the same enzymes to metabolise so it's a strain on your liver.

 

 

Not only that, if alcohol is presen, paracetamol is transmuted into a poison, which can cause server liver damage, brain damage and even death - depending on doses or circumstances.