Sufferers Say Weather Behind Headaches

Strong Smells, Loud Noises Also Cited As Headache Triggers

(WebMD)  It isn't clear whether frequent headache sufferers can predict the weather, but most believe weather changes trigger their headache pain.

In a survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation (NHF), three out of four people who had frequent headaches reported weather or barometric pressure changes as triggers.

A similar number said they avoided bars or clubs to limit their exposure to cigarette smoke, 51 percent reported being unable to attend concerts with loud music, and 38 percent said they limited their time at the computer - all in an attempt to keep headaches from happening.

The survey was designed to identify the environmental factors considered by patients to be major headache triggers.

In addition to weather and altitude changes, bright or flickering lights, strong odors, cigarette smoke, and loud music were frequently cited as triggers.

NHF Executive Director Suzanne E. Simons says people often have trouble identifying their own headache triggers because a combination of factors may be involved.

"It can take a lot of detective work, and that is why keeping a headache diary is so important," she tells WebMD. "A headache diary kept over a three-month period can be one of the best tools your physician has for making an accurate diagnosis."

Blame It on the Rain

About 28 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, with 25 percent of women and 8 percent of men experiencing one or more migraines over the course of a lifetime.

In the survey of nearly 200 frequent headache sufferers, about one out of three reported limited travel because of headaches.

Seventy-four percent said their ability to participate in outdoor activities had been restricted because of changes in weather, altitude, high winds, or bright lights.

Atlanta-based neurologist Leslie Kelman, M.D., tells WebMD that it is not clear how weather changes might trigger headaches, but some research suggests that they do.

In one study reported in 2004, researchers compared headache calendars kept by patients who believed weather played a major role in their headaches to weather data from the National Weather Service.

They concluded that while it appeared that weather variables may have a link to headaches, more patients thought weather was a trigger than was the case.

Stress, Hormones Trigger Headaches

"I hear it from my patients all the time," says Kelman, who is medical director of the Headache Center of Atlanta. "Many of them tell me that even before they are aware of a shift in the weather they notice a change in their headaches."

In Kelman's own survey of 1,207 migraine sufferers, 80 precent of respondents cited stress as a headache trigger, 57 percent reported that not eating triggered migraines, and 53 percent and 50 percent, respectively, reported weather changes and sleep disturbances as triggers.

In the same survey, reported last May, 65 percent of female patients said hormone fluctuations triggered their headaches.

"For many people, one trigger doesn't do it, but several triggers will," Kelman says. "If patients can figure out their triggers they can certainly avoid some of them and prevent at least some of their headaches."

[plplearecrzy]

mercyme884 take your opinion and shove it where the sun doesn''t shine! You have obviously never had a migraine headache. I have suffered for well over half my life and it S U C K S!!! Until you have suffered wit a headache that makes you want to die..keep your mouth shut.

[turtled28]

Sorry, didn''t mean to post multiples...

[turtled28]

I agree with PittzBurgher and lucy222. Unfortunately for people like mercyme, you cannot describe accurately the level of pain, the inability to function. I have had headaches and migraines all my life. Yes, I have found some things I can do to reduce their occurance, but as this study has confirmed something I have known a long time, I cannot change the weather.
In an attempt to "do something about it" I even left my beautiful home in Colorado for Boston, hoping that the change in altitude would help. No luck. Headaches just as bad, if not worse.
Many days I have gone about my work and school as a zombie, barely able to walk upright with the throbbing in my head, the clamping pain in my back and neck, which is exacerbated by heavy textbooks, the wonderful 300+ days of sunlight a year, and the dry winters we have here.
Could I live my life as a medicated zombie? Yes. Do I want to live my life that way? No, of course not.
I just hope my friends and family have a bit more compassion when they see my eyes nearly shut in the attempt to block painfully bright light, and me attempting to massage my aching parts in the hope I can ''soldier on'' with whatever plans we have.
There are people who whine and make an ailment (perceived or not) worse, and then there are those who simply do the best they can, with whatever lot they have, and hope that in the comments of these articles, there might be a friendly fellow-sufferer who has a remedy they haven''t tried.

[turtled28]

I agree with PittzBurgher and lucy222. Unfortunately for people like mercyme, you cannot describe accurately the level of pain, the inability to function. I have had headaches and migraines all my life. Yes, I have found some things I can do to reduce their occurance, but as this study has confirmed something I have known a long time, I cannot change the weather.
In an attempt to "do something about it" I even left my beautiful home in Colorado for Boston, hoping that the change in altitude would help. No luck. Headaches just as bad, if not worse.
Many days I have gone about my work and school as a zombie, barely able to walk upright with the throbbing in my head, the clamping pain in my back and neck, which is exacerbated by heavy textbooks, the wonderful 300+ days of sunlight a year, and the dry winters we have here.
Could I live my life as a medicated zombie? Yes. Do I want to live my life that way? No, of course not.
I just hope my friends and family have a bit more compassion when they see my eyes nearly shut in the attempt to block painfully bright light, and me attempting to massage my aching parts in the hope I can ''soldier on'' with whatever plans we have.
There are people who whine and make an ailment (perceived or not) worse, and then there are those who simply do the best they can, with whatever lot they have, and hope that in the comments of these articles, there might be a friendly fellow-sufferer who has a remedy they haven''t tried.

[turtled28]

I agree with PittzBurgher and lucy222. Unfortunately for people like mercyme, you cannot describe accurately the level of pain, the inability to function. I have had headaches and migraines all my life. Yes, I have found some things I can do to reduce their occurance, but as this study has confirmed something I have known a long time, I cannot change the weather.
In an attempt to "do something about it" I even left my beautiful home in Colorado for Boston, hoping that the change in altitude would help. No luck. Headaches just as bad, if not worse.
Many days I have gone about my work and school as a zombie, barely able to walk upright with the throbbing in my head, the clamping pain in my back and neck, which is exacerbated by heavy textbooks, the wonderful 300+ days of sunlight a year, and the dry winters we have here.
Could I live my life as a medicated zombie? Yes. Do I want to live my life that way? No, of course not.
I just hope my friends and family have a bit more compassion when they see my eyes nearly shut in the attempt to block painfully bright light, and me attempting to massage my aching parts in the hope I can ''soldier on'' with whatever plans we have.
There are people who whine and make an ailment (perceived or not) worse, and then there are those who simply do the best they can, with whatever lot they have, and hope that in the comments of these articles, there might be a friendly fellow-sufferer who has a remedy they haven''t tried.

[lucy222-2009]

I do not think these people are "whining" I have once a year such akiller headache that nothing works. The lights bother me. My head pounds so loud I can hear drums inside. I feel nausea. My eyes get a sunken look. It is very miserable. If I had them more often, I do not know what I would do.

[pittzburgher]

To mercyme: Obviously you do not get crippling headaches like some of us. Be thankful instead of critical. The headaches I get are not your garden variety-take-two-asprin-types of headaches. Until you''ve suffered a headache which made you wonder if you''d rather be dead than continue with the pain, you will not understand our "whining." So ****.

[mercyme884]

It seems to me this country is fast becoming a writhing, whining, complaining nest of hypochondriacs.What happened to the days when you took an aspirin and completed whatever you were doing, or even called your doctor, who quickly told you to take a couple of aspirins and call him in the morning? You can''t do anything about the Weather people so why complain about it, there are times when you just have to grin and bear it.It is getting downright disgusting , all this crying and complaining about something you can''t do anything about, it just makes me sick, oh my do I feel a headache coming on, oh mercyme someone call the doctor or maybe even an ambulance. Lordy, lordy where will it al end?

[pittzburgher]

I think I took part in this study. Like "scottyusa" said, "what are we going to do with this knowledge?" Headache sufferers have been saying for years weather changes, particularly sudden drops in barometric pressure, trigger headaches. We can''t control the weather, so how do we prevent the headache? Interesting, isn''t it, that when we tell our doctors that this causes our headaches they just sort of respond with "Hmmmmm" and a look like we just may be wacky. Even this article suggests that we just may be imagining it.... BS.... I know what I know. And so do other headache sufferers like me. How about this??? CBS and other news outlets could give "Barometric Pressure Alerts," similar to Pollen Alerts, to warn us of impending weather conditions, so that we can take preventative measures (meds) to stave of the headache.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by radiob at 11:15 PM : Mar 14, 2008



So, maybe a move to North Carolina ''Might'' help, then again maybe not ;)

[radiob-2009]

Living in the "Ohio Valley" area where sinus headaches are commom due to pollens and the weather this is a no brainer.

[jolico-2009]

Both migraine and various arthritic types of pain are affected by weather and weather changes. The worst is barometric pressure falling while humidity is rising. Winds are rough also. This is not news for sufferers, it''s just finally agreeing to something many people have been saying for years.

[scottyusa]

Well duh. We know all kinds of things cause headaches. There are financial headaches and driving headaches, headaches from work Some women get headaches just by lying in bed with their husband when he is ready to go. Who would have ever thought about the weather? Humidity is a known headache. In fact there already are three known weather headaches. They are called the 3 Hs (Hazy, Hot and Humid). Where have you guys been? I hope this wasn''t done with taxpayer money. What are we going to do with this knowledge?