For many of us migraine warriors, weather changes trigger migraine attacks. However, nasty weather doesn't have to mean a nasty migraine attack; learn tips to cope with weather's unpredictability.
Dark clouds don't just mean "take cover" to people with migraine. For many of us, an approaching storm signals the unavoidable beginning of another raging attack. My friend Nan used to say she was a human barometer; she could predict a storm before the weather forecaster. Can you sense weather changes on the horizon?
Weather Changes Trigger Migraine Attacks
How to Manage Weather-Related Migraines. Brain and Life. June/July 2013.
- Temperature changes
- High humidity
- High winds
- Stormy weather
- Extremely dry conditions
- Bright lights and sun glare
- Barometric or atmospheric pressure changes
Martin V, Houle T, Nicholson R, et al. Lightning and its association with the frequency of headache in people with migraine: An observational cohort study. Cephalalgia. April 2013.
Kimoto K, Aiba S, Takashima R, et al. Influence of Barometric Pressure in Patients with Migraine Headache. Internal Medicine. September 2011.
Sensitivity to Weather Triggers Can Vary
According to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF), weather triggers are only one piece of the puzzle, even with weather-related attacks. A single trigger like a storm might not be able to start an attack on its own, unless it's dramatic.
"The weather change may only 'cause' a migraine attack if it is able to add together with another trigger, like a meal containing monosodium glutamate or a glass of red wine," noted AMF, for people susceptible to those triggers.
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Weather and Migraine. AMF Resource Library. February 2016.
Why Weather Patterns Affect People With Migraine
There may be different reasons why certain weather patterns trigger migraine attacks. High humidity and extremely dry conditions may exacerbate dehydration, one of the most common and preventable migraine triggers. Bright lights and sun glare activate a condition called photophobia (a painful sensitivity to light) among many people with migraine.
Why lightning and barometric pressure are associated with migraine isn't completely understood. It may be that environmental changes that affect the body's homeostasis, or set point, are involved.
Vince Martin, MD, the director of the Headache and Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute, is the lead author of a handful of studies on weather-related migraine. In an interview during the 2018 Migraine World Summit he explained what he's learned about atmospheric pressure-related migraine attacks:
"Rising barometric pressure can trigger a migraine attack in some individuals. Falling barometric pressure can trigger it in some individuals. But the two often do not cross. So generally speaking, you're either sensitive to falls or you're sensitive to rises but not both."
As for lightning, Dr. Martin and researchers suggest a couple of different theories:
"There's something about lightning — whether it's the electromagnetic waves called sferics that are emitted or whether it interacts with different environmental factors such as mold or different funguses in the environment is really unknown right now. But our research suggests that lightning has a unique effect on headache that cannot be explained by other meteorological factors."Migraine Again Verified SourceView SourceSurviving Weather-Related Migraine. Migraine World Summit. 2018.
More study is needed on medical and natural remedies for headaches caused by weather changes.
8 Tips to Dodge a Weather-Triggered Migraine Attack
Read on for 8 tips to help you weather the next thundercloud before it bursts inside your head. Most of these are nondrug, natural remedies for headaches caused by weather changes that can save you from taking more migraine medication.
1. Drink Up
If you needed another reason to guzzle more water, high humidity and extremely dry weather can be managed with better hydration.
2. Stay Indoors
While it won't avert electromagnetic waves or barometric pressure, it will help you manage exposure to bright light, extreme temperatures, and high humidity.
3. Invest in New Specs
Even when you're indoors, fluorescent and other bright light can aggravate some migraine warriors. Block indoor lights and outdoor glare with migraine glasses; there are several options on the market. Yes, you can wear shades to the supermarket and look like a rock star!
4. Know the Weather Forecast
Knowing which weather-related triggers are headed your way might give you a chance to alter your plans or, at the very least, keep your migraine treatments handy.
There's a feature on AccuWeather that gives a migraine forecast for your area. It includes several migraine-specific weather triggers (wind, air quality, storms, etc.). Our Facebook audience shared with us that it is a remarkably accurate way to know how to prevent weather-related migraine attacks.
5. Keep an Eye on the Barometric Pressure
You can't control the atmospheric pressure, but monitoring it can give you a heads-up that a potential migraine trigger is on its way. If you don't travel much, you can get a barometer for your home or workplace.
Alternatively, you can track it on your phone. Community member Diana D. shares about an app that sends alerts for incoming changes in barometric pressure: "I use WeatherX earplugs — they have an app that lets you set the shift in pressure alert up or down. This has cut my headaches tremendously." This app is available for both iPhones and Androids.
6. Talk to Your Doctor About Prevention
If you notice a clear pattern between migraine changes in weather and your migraine attacks, it may be worth talking to your doctor about a preventive medication.
When Weather Makes Migraines Worse. New York Times Blog. July 2010
7. Limit Your Other Triggers
Once you know that a storm is on its way or underway, the key to avoiding a weather-related migraine attack is to limit your exposure to other triggers. Avoid positive or negative stress, get adequate sleep, avoid any potential food and drink triggers, exercise regularly, and practice the best prevention protocol possible.
"From a practical standpoint, there is not much a patient can do to control the weather or avoid changes in barometric pressure," explains Dr. Dodick. "However, it is prudent to stay well hydrated and to avoid strenuous outdoor activities or exercise during times of the day when it's excessively warm or humid. It's also important to be vigilant about managing other trigger factors like sleep and diet.
"You can't control the migraine weather today, but you can be prepared."
8. If All Else Fails, Move
If your migraine weather today is intolerable, you might be inspired by this Migraine Journey of someone who moved for her health.
Yes, this seems like a radical idea to many, but if chronic migraine is ruining your life and you can get better control of a major trigger by moving, this might be an option for you. Before you do, ponder wise advice of migraine blogger Kerrie Smyres, who relocated from Seattle to Phoenix.
Where should you move? Discover the best and worst places to live with migraine in the United States. Eight of the 20 best cities are in temperate California. Could it be a coincidence that the city with Migraine Again's biggest audience is rainy London?
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Test Your Powers of Migraine Weather Prediction
Before you get too bummed out about the weather you can't control, consider this: It might just be a hidden superpower. In a way, those with migraine are more in tune with their environment. Could this have actually been an evolutionary advantage?
While this is just a theory, I like the idea of being a human barometer. It makes me different, a little special — just in case the Weather Channel calls to offer me a job.
Track your migraine attacks as you track the weather and see if it's a trigger for you. If it is, start forecasting so you can adjust your exposure to triggers that you can control.
Holly Gerring-Leone contributed to this article.
