New research finds a link between hot weather and migraines
New research reveals a rise in temperature could be a real pain.
Whether it's a pressure change or a rise in temperatures - migraine sufferers now have data showcasing the link between heat and migraines.
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine is the first to publish a direct connection between temperature and headache frequency. Researchers looked at 71,030 daily diary records from 660 migraine patients.
When they matched migraine occurrence with temperature rise, they found for every temperature increase of 10 degrees Fahrenheit, there was a 6 per cent increase in the occurrence of a headache.
"In general, in the medical literature, there have been more positive results correlating migraine attack results to increased humidity. So if you have high temperatures and humidity, that is probably a double stimulus for migraine attacks for some people," Dr. Werner J. Becker, Professor Emeritus of Neurology at the University of Calgary, says.
"It's not really understood why increases in temperature cause an increase in migraines," says Dr. Sian Spacey, associate clinical professor and director at UBC Headache Clinic.
"Certainly, we know migraine patients have a more sensitive brain."
Due to this sensitive brain, Dr. Becker suggests some ways heat could play a role in migraines.
"If it gets quite hot, that could cause stress to a number of people, and stress is a very commonly reported migraine trigger by patients," Dr. Becker says.
"But it could also result in some sort of dehydration. And dehydration could trigger migraine attacks."
Less physical activity is also more common when it's very hot, and this lack of movement could trigger a migraine. Air pollution may also occur during a heat wave, which is also a migraine stimulant.
This study could be the first step to learning more about the connection between heat and migraines. As of now, you can officially blame the weather for your pain.
RELATED: New study shows heat waves can damage internal organs
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