Recent American Studies shows that a hot day can raise the hazard of a migraine the very next day, leading to the belief that weather may cause migraines.
The potential of a migraine increases 7.5% for every 5 Celsius (9 Fahrenheit) increase in temperature.
Unlike normal headaches, migraines are chronic, more common in women (perhaps because of hormonal issues) and are usually genetically linked.
Diet can influence how many migraines you get, caffeine and alcohol withdrawal are also well known for their tie to headaches.
Estimates show almost 18% of adult females and 6% of men in the United States admitted to coping with these oppressing headaches.
The methods to help handle the nausea and pain have improved tremendously, and this along with life-style adaptations and other strategies can make a difference in the frequency and severity of headaches for many.
In addition to a higher temperature, this work discovered a link between lower barometer readings and migraine headaches. So monitoring air pressure or an approaching storm could also be a sensible idea.
The connection however isn’t as strong as the one to temperature, but it is present and might give a sufferer an early idea that a headache is more likely.
Climbers might note that different air pressure at higher altitudes also makes a headache more likely.
Amazingly the work found no link between air pollution and headaches.
The research, published in the March 10, 2009 issue of the journal Neurology, involved over 7,000 patients whose headache had them going to the emergency department of a well-known U.S. hospital, Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, between May 2000 and December 2007.
Three quarters (75%) of the patients were adult females. Of the total number of subjects 2,250 were diagnosed with migraine; 4,803 with stress or undiagnosed headaches.
The study team also used meteorological and pollution monitors to look at environmental factors like temperature, air pollution index and barometric pressure a week before and a week following the visit.
“Fairly consistently, it was warmer on the days that individuals came in than on control days before and afterwards,” explains Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, lead author on the study and a doctor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
No one knows why (or how) temperature could be linked to migraines.
Hot days have us leaving cool air conditioning on for the oppressive heat outside. The heat means that doing any physical activity out door hot and sweaty.
Getting dehydrated is more likely on hot days. Headaches and migraines are very complex processes that can be impacted by umpteen things, some of which science has yet to understand.
Dr. Mukamal remarks, “These findings help tell us that the environment around us does affect our health and, in terms of headaches, may be impacting many, many people on a daily basis.”
At last the research confirms what many people who deal with migraines on an all to regular basis, that weather can spark off a headache.
Now knowing this it can do no harm to to monitor temperature and barometer readings and utilize this information to warn of a potential attack.
This does not mean of course taking drugs but taking precautions like having your sunglasses ready, keep eyestrain to a minimum and avoid potential triggers that might bring on a withering headachethat makes you want to hide in a dark corner of the room.
Next – just head on over to the Daily Health Bulletin for more information on how to the migraine weather link, plus get 5 free fantastic health reports. Click here for more details on this study of the link between migraine and weather.
