The Link between Weather and Migraines Explained by a Neurologist

Can time really trigger a migraine?

By Danielle Wilhour And the conversation we

The following test is reprinted with the permission of The conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.

“Is it just me, or is there a storm to come?”

If you are one of the 39 million Americans in the United States living with migraines, there is a good chance that an intense headache will start when the weather changes.

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You are not alone. Studies reveal that 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify a certain type of meteorological change as a trigger, which makes it the most commonly reported migraine.

However, it is also one of the most confusing.

Some people are more sensitive to bad weather

As a neurologist and specialist in headache practicing in Colorado, a place with frequent weather changes, patients often tell me that time is one of their largest migraine triggers. The results can disrupt work, schools and social plans and create a feeling of helplessness.

Doctors still do not fully understand why some brains are more sensitive to environmental changes.

What we know is that people with migraine have particularly sensitive nervous systems, and that certain environmental changes – such as changes in air pressure, temperature, humidity and air quality – can activate brain roads that cause pain.

Key manners can trigger migraines

Weather triggers can vary from person to person, but there are a few common migraine:

Barometric pressure changes, Or atmospheric pressure changes are among the most often quoted triggers.

When a storm system takes, air pressure drops. Some scientists believe that this change can affect pressure inside your head or how blood vessels in your brain expand and contract.

A theory is that barometric pressure changes can cause a small imbalance in the pressure between the inside of your skull and the external environment. This could directly stimulate the nerves sensitive to pain in the head, triggering inflammation and the start of a migraine.

Others indicate inflammation, the way the brain treats sensory entry and changes in serotonin levels – which play a key role in activating migraine.

Extreme temperature, With very hot or very cold days, or sudden temperature changes, can eliminate the internal balance of the body. High humidity or rapid changes in humidity levels can have a similar effect.

Air pollutants As ozone and nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation of the nerves that play a role in migraines.

Sunlight Can also be particularly annoying, probably due to increased sensitivity to light and a hyperactive visual treatment system in the brain.

Lightning And strong winds Can also be linked to migraine attacks in some people.

In short, weather changes can act as stressors on a brain that is already wired to be more sensitive. Triggers and exact responses vary from person to person, but research suggests that the interaction between weather and our biology plays an important role for a subset of migraine patients.

Steps you can take to reduce pain

You can’t change the weather, but you can be proactive. Here are some tips to help your migraine routine in bad weather:

1. Follow your migraines and watch the forecasts: use a migraine newspaper or an application to follow when the attacks occur, as well as weather conditions. Models can emerge, such as attacks one day before the rain or during temperature changes, which will allow you to adjust your schedule or medication plan.

2. Develop healthy eating, sleep and exercise habits: dehydration, bad sleep and sautéed meals can amplify the effects of weather triggers, therefore keep your body on a uniform keel helps reduce vulnerability. Regular exercise and healthy diet can also help.

3. Create a friendly environment for migraine: the days when the sun is hard or humidity is high, stay inside. Sunglasses, eye masks or even blue light glasses can be useful. Some people find that some ear caps are able to reduce pressure changes felt in the middle ear.

4. Try meditation, mindfulness techniques or biofeedback, which teaches people to moderate their physiological responses, such as muscle responses and breathing. These strategies can help your nervous system become less reactive over time, which can be particularly useful when it comes to uncontrollable triggers such as weather.

5. Consider the pre -treatment: If you know that a storm is likely to trigger your migraines, you can keep the life -rescue drugs or even process preventively during weather events.

6. Look at the preventive treatment: if the weather triggers frequent migraines, talk to your health care provider of preventive treatments – medicines, supplements or neuromodulation devices – which can be used regularly to reduce the occurrence of migraines.

Overview

It is important to remember that even if time can be a trigger, it is rarely the only one. Migraine is generally the result of a perfect storm of factors: genetic sensitivity, hormones, stress, sleep, food and, yes, time.

This is why the identification of your personal triggers and the creation of a plan, if necessary, with the support of a medicine supplier, can make a big difference in migraine management.

Migraine linked to bad weather can be one of the most frustrating triggers because it feels completely out of your hands. However, with knowledge, follow -up and good treatment strategies, you can resume a feeling of control.

This article was initially published on The conversation. Read it original article.