What does it mean when your head start hurting when landing from plan?

Answer 1

I believe your question relates to the pressure or headache when you're a passenger in a plane that's landing?

The barometric air pressure at cruising altitude of 35,000 ft (around 10k up in the air) is much reduced than at ground level. Even though the inside of the plane is pressurized, it's only relatively pressurized, still less than what you and I are used to at ground level.

For example, if you pump up your bike tire to 35psi, the inner tube remains at the same pressure at ground level and at 10k up in the air. Only difference is the surrounding pressure is much reduced, the the rubber would likely pop.

The sinuses, eustachian tubes and other gas containing/cavities and tubes in your body respond similarly. At high altitudes, excess pressure slowly exits your cavities. It's rarely detected since a typical jet plane ascends at a slow pace, roughly 50-100ft/sec

The opposite happens when the plane descends. Now greater external pressure is pushing in on your head, sinuses, ears, causing relative collapse, like a flattening straw. Swallowing motions can help open up and allow air in and repressurize. Why does this hurt? Since pressure changes happens faster as the plane descends/coasts at a much faster rate, falling from the sky at around 300-500ft/sec.

That's when it hurts.