Some people say they can predict that the weather is going to change or it is going to rain because their joints or bunions start to hurt, while for others the variations in atmospheric pressure cause a tension headache or a migraine. It is estimated that around 30% of the population is more sensitive to meteorological phenomena, and would therefore be more susceptible to experiencing physical symptoms associated with climate changes in their environment.
Some regular headache or migraine sufferers have pointed to the weather as a trigger for the attacks, and sometimes specify the causes and describe more specific changes in temperature, humidity, sunlight, wind speed, or point of view. Dew. For example, a study involving 1,200 migraine sufferers published in Cephalalgia identified time shifting as the fourth most common migraine trigger, reported by 50% of participants.
If you are one of those who suffers from a headache when the weather changes, we will explain the possible causes of this sensitivity to the weather, what you can do to prevent its appearance or alleviate its discomfort, and in which cases it could indicate a health problem that should be consulted with a doctor, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms.
Why weather changes cause a headache
More than 90% of the Spanish population has suffered at some time an episode of primary headache (in which the headache is the only or main symptom). Half of the population has suffered from it in the last year, and 5% suffer from chronic headache, that is, 15 days or more a month, according to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN).
This means that it is a very frequent health problem in our country, regardless of the reason for which it appears. There are numerous causes of headache, even if we are not especially prone to this ailment, but the weather phenomena associated with headache are:
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Sudden drop in atmospheric or barometric pressure. When the barometric pressure decreases, a difference is produced between the ambient air pressure and the air in the paranasal sinuses, something that also happens when we travel in an airplane and the pressure varies as the device gains altitude during takeoff, which is when we usually notice a kind of clicking in the ears, which is sometimes painful. Migraines associated with barometric pressure changes are attributed to activation of the trigeminal nerve fibers. A Trusted Source study published in 2015 looking at the effects of barometric pressure in chronic migraine sufferers showed that even slight drops in barometric pressure acted as a migraine trigger. The symptoms that are associated with headaches due to this cause are pain in the temples, nausea or vomiting, numbness in the face and neck, and sensitivity to light.
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Electric storm. Cold air and warm air collide and create a strong difference in barometric pressure that results in wind and rain, which can induce headaches, tension headaches, sinus headaches, or migraine symptoms.
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Sudden changes in temperature. Like those that affect the body when we go from a very cold environment to a very hot one, or vice versa; something frequent in winter when we enter a room or house with very high heating after having stayed outside at low temperatures, and in summer when, on the contrary, we go from an excessively cooled room to the heat of the outside. Excess light, solar or artificial, can also cause headaches.
How to prevent and relieve headaches associated with climate change
We cannot influence the weather or the meteorological phenomena, but we can avoid at least other possible causes of the headache or that increase its intensity; For this reason, if we know that we are susceptible to headaches when we travel by plane or climb a mountain or a high place (altitude sickness), we must reduce caffeine consumption, sleep well, and control stress and other environmental factors such as odors. and loud sounds.
There are medications that can be taken to prevent headaches that occur when we are at high altitude, such as acetazolamide, although the doctor should always be consulted so that it is the specialist who determines the convenience of prescribing it in each case.
There are migraine treatments that not only relieve symptoms when an episode occurs, but are also used to prevent attacks for chronic migraine sufferers. To combat severe attacks, triptans are often used.
When to worry about a headache
In general, a headache triggered by a weather change should not be a cause for concern and usually goes away with a mild pain reliever and rest, but a doctor should be consulted if it is accompanied by these other symptoms:
- The headache occurs suddenly and intensifies in a very short time (seconds or minutes).
- The affected person has a fever or a stiff neck, facial paralysis, pain in the eyes, difficulties speaking, or suffers seizures or fainting, as these could be symptoms of a stroke.
- You are drowsy, confused or exhausted and you are at high altitude, because it could mean that you have cerebral edema (fluid in the brain).
- Difficulty breathing at high altitudes may indicate that there is excess fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema).
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