Is The Weather Making Your Headache Worse?

One minute it’s sunny, the next the heavens have opened – and now you can feel a headache brewing. Coincidence? Or can abrupt changes in the weather trigger migraines? 

There certainly seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting this could be the case. According to the American Migraine Foundation, just over a third of migraine sufferers feel that particular weather conditions can bring on an attack. Other research has suggested this figure could be over 50 percent, making weather one of the most commonly reported migraine triggers, alongside things like stress, hormones, diet, and sleep.

“As a neurologist and headache specialist practicing in Colorado, a place with frequent weather shifts, patients often tell me that weather is one of their biggest migraine triggers,” Danielle Wilhour, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, wrote in a recent piece for The Conversation.

That said, researchers are yet to establish a clear link between weather patterns and migraine, and studies investigating it have shown mixed results.

“Doctors still don’t fully understand why some brains are more sensitive to environmental changes,” Wilhour adds. “What we do know is that people with migraines have especially sensitive nervous systems, and that certain environmental changes – like shifts in air pressure, temperature, humidity and air quality – can activate pathways in the brain that lead to pain.”

How can the weather trigger migraines?

What provokes a migraine is unique to each individual, but there a number of weather conditions that crop up time and again in this debate.

A meta-analysis published earlier this year, which found a significant association between migraine attacks and weather changes as a trigger, noted that specific factors, like temperature and ambient pressure, were often implicated.

Drops in barometric pressure (also known as atmospheric or air pressure), which often precede storms, have repeatedly been blamed for headaches and migraine attacks. There are a few theories as to why, but one of the most commonly cited is its effect on the trigeminal nerve – a nerve located in the face and scalp that is implicated in many headache and facial pain disorders. Some research suggests that the trigeminal nerve is vulnerable to changes in atmospheric pressure where it meets the narrow tubing of the middle ear.

Pressure changes have also been linked to imbalances in the sinuses, and changes in serotonin levels, which could explain how they might bring on a migraine.

Other types of weather changes that people report induce their migraine attacks include humidity, bright light and sun glare, and things like seasonal allergies and air pollutants.

“In short, weather changes can act as stressors on a brain that’s already wired to be more sensitive. The exact triggers and responses vary from person to person, but the research suggests that the interaction between weather and our biology plays a significant role for a subset of patients with migraines,” Wilhour writes.

How to manage weather-induced migraines

Unfortunately, you can’t change the weather, but there are steps you can take to minimize its impact on your headache.

• Keep a diary – it’ll help you better understand your weather-related triggers.
• Keep an eye on the forecast – this could help you predict when you're likely to have a migraine, meaning you have painkillers at hand for when you might need them.
• Take your medication – treating attacks early can mean that they’re less severe.
• Stay hydrated – if it’s especially hot, make sure to drink enough to make up for extra fluid loss.
• Protect your eyes – wearing sunglasses or a hat will minimize glare and light on bright days.
• Limit other triggers – staying inside if it’s particularly hot or bright can be helpful, as can making sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating properly, exercising regularly, limiting stress, and drinking enough water, so as not to worsen the effects of a weather-triggered attack.

Ultimately, we need more research to fully understand what causes migraines. It’s likely that weather is a piece of the puzzle, and so understanding how it can affect you, alongside other triggers, is crucial to prevention and treatment.

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.  

All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text, images, and links may be edited, removed, or added to at a later date to keep information current.