This summer has brought record-breaking heat to areas across the U.S., a potential trigger for the 39 million Americans who deal with migraines.
“Weather-related changes – even sun, and then going from the sun being warm into like AC can trigger migraines for patients,” Dr. Shae Datta, a neurologist at NYU Langone Health, told CBS News this week. She said that people who suffer from migraines therefore often experience more episodes during the summer months.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, migraines are a health condition characterized by severe headaches that keep coming back. It can also include nausea, vomiting, changes in mood, extreme tiredness, aura and sensitivity to light, noise, and smells. Migraine episodes can last from hours to days and can be debilitating and symptoms such as depression and tiredness can even linger between attacks.
“Current research shows that this head pain happens when there is abnormal activity among nerve signals, chemical signals, and blood vessels in the brain,” said the institute. There is no cure for migraines, but treatments to manage symptoms.
In addition to heat, triggers for migraine can include lack of sleep, strong smells, stress, loud noises, motion sickness, low blood sugar, tobacco, head trauma, excessive alcohol use, hormonal changes and bright lights.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Errex Inc. and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA. Inc. released a study last summer that showed that migraine attacks do indeed increase when temperatures rise. Their work, which looked at the use of the drug Fremanezumab, was presented at the American Headache Society’s 66th Annual Scientific Meeting last June.
“Weather change is one of the most common trigger factors for migraine,” explained Dr. Vincent Martin, director of the Headache and Facial Pain Center at UC’s Gardner Neuroscience Institute, lead author of the study.
To get through the rest of an already hot summer, experts cited by CBS recommend that people who suffer from migraines remember to stay hydrated. They also recommend limiting sun exposure and wearing sunglasses or hats when outside.