Since my vestibular migraine disorder began after a few weeks of heavy traveling, I was terrified to fly for a long time. It didn’t help that one of the first physicians I saw speculated that I had a perilymph fistula and urged me to never fly again. Traveling and discovering new places was a huge part of who I was, and I felt like VM was stealing that from me. It took a conscious decision not to let this rule my life and overcome my fear of flying.
Yet I understand the stress associated with being away from the comfort of home, where you can control the settings. It is a hassle to pack an extra bag of essential oils, rescue meds, and migraine-safe snacks. But with a little planning, you get used to it and it eventually becomes second nature. The extra work is worth the payout of living life to its fullest, even with an illness like migraine.
I’m not going to lie: my first couple of trips were rough. But over time, it got much easier. Now I take international flights without any fear! Here are some things I have learned about traveling with a migraine disorder.
Pressure changes can wreak havoc on sensitive ears. I never fly without EarPlanes. They’re small earplugs that help regulate the pressure, making flights a little more enjoyable. You insert them before the cabin door closes and remove them after it’s been opened. If it’s a long flight, you can remove them at cruising altitude and reinsert them before the descent. Sometimes the adult size can hurt my ears on a long flight, so I use the child’s size. Flonase and Afrin can also help keep your eustachian tubes clear.
Sea-Bands are wristbands that trigger an acupressure point, easing nausea and motion sickness. They help to a certain extent, although there’s nothing that can overcome a bumpy descent or a lot of turbulence. Before takeoff, double check that there’s a “barf bag” in the seatback pocket.
Work with your physician to come up with a rescue plan that works for you. Certain benzodiazepines are frequently recommended as rescue meds when traveling with a vestibular disorder. As vestibular suppressants, they take the edge off the excitability of travel and also help with anxiety. In the past, it was thought that these medications can affect vestibular compensation which is the natural ability of the brain to learn how to accept movement without causing feelings of dizziness. However Dr. Timothy Hain debunks this idea in his 2017 post “Benzodiazepines in Dizziness—What is the Data?” where he reveals the studies that show these findings use extremely high doses that should never be prescribed for vestibular migraine. Your physician may prescribe the lowest dose before a flight. I personally recommend testing the dosage a few times in the comfort of your home so you can contact your physician if you need assistance, rather than testing medications on the day of your trip. If these are not an option for you, you can ask your doctor about over-the-counter medications like Dramamine or even Benadryl, which are also sometimes helpful.
Below are some additional tips to ease your journey while traveling with migraine: