Headaches can take a heavy toll on our day-to-day lives, and for some, they are a frequent nuisance, resorting to pain medication or seeking solace in a lightless room.
They can ruin plans for an evening out, turn a workday into a never-ending ordeal, and cause moodiness and irritability.
However, although some triggers for headaches – such as food additives, strong perfumes, stress and, naturally, a hangover – are relatively well understood, you may have noticed a surge in symptoms following a change in weather.
Therefore, could high temperatures, humidity, or storms exacerbate headaches? What about rainfall?
Time to explore further.
Can atmospheric conditions cause a headache?
The quick answer, corroborated by the NHS, is indeed, it can.
Their website states: ‘For those susceptible to headaches, they may discover that grey skies, high humidity, escalating temperatures, and storms can all trigger head pain.’
In recent times, parching weather and tempestuous conditions have been a common experience for most in the UK.
What causes weather-related headaches?
As per NHS, changes in pressure that cause weather alterations are believed to induce chemical and electrical modifications in the brain.
These changes can ruffle nerves, spawning a headache that can last anywhere from half an hour to several hours.
This can irritate nerves, leading to a headache, which typically last from 30 minutes to several hours.
How to treat weather-related headaches
Unfortunately, of course, you can’t change the weather – but you can be prepared for when stormy, humid conditions are incoming.
The NHS advice is: ‘By looking at the forecast, you can predict when you’re likely to have a headache and make sure you have some painkillers ready for when you might need them.’
If you have a headache, take paracetamol, drink plenty of water and try to relax as stress can make headaches worse.
Avoid sleeping too much, skipping meals, straining your eyes by starting a a screen for too long, and – you guess it – alcohol.
You can be prepared and check the latest weather forecast for your area on the Met Office site.
