"Weather triggers my migraines," I patiently repeated, to
what seemed like the millionth doctor in a long line of
doctors. "Weather. Not alcohol, I don't drink. Not
chocolate, I eat it all the time! I'm telling you, I know
when a storm front is two days out. I know when it's
snowing in Denver."
The doctor looked at me with something resembling interest
for the first time.
"I've heard of that," he said, shocking me to my bones.
"Changes in barometric pressure, eh? We might be able to do
something about that."
Well, he was the only doctor I'd ever met who said that, I
thought. Things suddenly looked brighter. No, he hadn't
said for sure that he could fix me, but hey, he didn't look
at me like I was crazy, either...
~(Anonymous Migraine Patient)
Many migraine sufferers have attempted for years to tell
doctors that they don't seem to have any of the triggers on
the migraine list; rather, their vicious headaches seemed
linked to weather patterns. This usually leads to
skepticism, if not outright disbelief and dismissal of
migraine claims.
The frequently asked question is "OK, what kind of weather
supposedly triggers these migraines of yours?"
Problem with that question is, they don't like the answer:
"Well, different kinds, really..."
It's not the weather, precisely, you see. It's the change
in the weather. When it's hot, but the wind picks up and
the sky turns a funny color. When it's cold and clear and
still as can be, but the weekend forecast calls for snow.
When it's so humid you can hardly breathe, and the thunder
keeps rumbling but the rain just won't start.
Some people get headaches when it's too hot or too cold, if
it's storming, if the sun is bright, if the wind blows too
hard. Most, however, get migraines when the weather shifts
from one extreme to the other, whether the change be in
temperature, humidity levels or barometric pressure.
A 2000 study at the University of Calgary in Alberta,
Canada tracked 75 migraine patients for two years.(*1) A
specific weather pattern known as the Chinook is particular
to the region; warm westerly winds flowing into the area
from late fall to early spring can cause extreme changes in
temperature and barometric pressure. There is a recorded
instance of a temperature shift greater than 100 degrees F
in a single day, and winds of over 100 miles per hour have
also been documented.(*2)
The migraine patients, aged 16 to 65, were asked to keep a
detailed log of the dates that they suffered migraines, the
time the headaches started and ended, and the severity of
the pain. The volunteers were not told that the study was
related to weather conditions. A team of neurologists
studied these records and matched the dates in the logs
with weather records for the area that showed when the
Chinook had been blowing.
32 of the 75 patients suffered migraines immediately
preceding or during Chinooks. This is a very high
percentage for a condition most physicians until then had
brushed aside as being 'all in the patient's head'. Doctors
finally started taking patients seriously.
Most migraines that respond to medication can actually be
averted if the dosage is taken at the first warning signal
that a migraine is about to occur. There is hope that
sufferers from weather related migraines can stave of an
attack simply by monitoring the weather reports and taking
medication when the conditions are preparing to undergo
drastic change.
So far several other studies have been done that seem to
confirm the Canadian university's results. Several other
medical establishments, the Mayo Clinic among them, ran
their own study and said the results were inconclusive.(*3)
Many migraine sufferers are now having their symptoms
acknowledged and treated, however, and can take steps to
prevent or lessen the effects of weather triggered
migraines. Medication is one possibility, with propranolol
being the most popular preventive medication for weather
related migraines. Other avenues include relaxation
techniques, massage, aromatherapy or even acupuncture or
acupressure therapy.
If you believe your migraine symptoms are weather related,
start keeping a log of your migraine attacks. Chart as much
as you can as often as you can; if your headaches turn out
to not be triggered by weather changes, you might uncover
another reason from data you collect, if you include diet,
sleeping patterns and stress levels as well.
Educate yourself by looking up various case studies and
researching the different medications and techniques
available to prevent and treat migraines. You know your own
body better than anyone else; try to make it as healthy as
possible and figure out ways to cut down on stress in your
life. Any migraine, whether the trigger be weather, food or
hormone related, can be exacerbated by stress.
If you determine that your headaches are indeed set off by
weather patterns, take your logbook in with you to your
doctor's appointment. This will help you make your case if
your doctor is a skeptic. Together you and your physician
should be able to come up with a plan to reduce your
chances of getting migraines and minimize the severity of
any headaches you do suffer. Hopefully, just being
validated in your suspicions about your migraines being
linked to weather will be a comfort; knowing your enemy is
half the battle won!
(*1) BBC News Online: Health -- Wed, 26 Jan, 2000 (*2)
Wikipedia, from the Encyclopædia Britannica (2006) (*3)
Mayo Clinic Staff, 2008, Dan Vergano, Medical Tribune News
Service
----------------------------------------------------
Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist in 2000, at the
prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London.
Research by Grace Alexander. For immediate delivery of an
ebook full of further recommendations for natural,
alternatives approaches to treat and prevent migraine visit:
http://www.natural-migraine-alternatives.com
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