Pachuta, 19, now realizes that the vision problems he experienced were the result of heat-induced migraines.
Since then, climate change has caused heat waves around the world to become more frequent and last longer, and an estimated 39 million Americans suffer from migraines, according to the National Migraine Foundation. half According to Elizabeth Lauder, M.D., head of headache medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 70 percent of migraine sufferers report that weather is one of their headache triggers.
Here’s what you need to know about heatstroke headaches and how to avoid them.
Does heat really cause headaches?
The onset of headaches is often a combination of multiple environmental factors, but experts agree that heat can be a big factor.
Higher temperatures are often accompanied by changes in air pressure, direct sunlight, and humidity, and these environmental changes can trigger headaches in people with migraines.
“The migraine brain doesn’t like change,” says Jessica Ailani, MD, a neurologist and director of the MedStar Headache Center at Georgetown. “It wants to go to bed at the same time and eat the same foods, so big changes in temperature and weather are bad for a migraine.”
While experts don’t know the exact mechanism by which heat causes headaches, heat could trigger processes known to cause headaches: Extreme dehydration can cause the brain to shrink and pull on blood vessels inside the brain, leading to physical pain, Roeder said.
In extreme cases, heat This is due to changes in the function of neurons in the brain, according to Mayo Clinic neurologist Narayan Kissoon, who said the changes in cell function lead to increased activity in the brain’s pain centers.
What is the difference between a headache and a migraine?
While headaches are a common symptom of many illnesses, Roeder said migraines are a neurological disorder that causes headaches.
“It’s like the difference between a sneeze (presumably an allergy) and a cold (a certain viral illness),” Cherubino Di Lorenzo, chair of the neurology department at Sapienza University of Rome, said in an email.
People who have been diagnosed with migraine Headaches of various causes Factors, including Experts say stress, dehydration, lack of sleep, and, of course, heat are all to blame. woman More women suffer from migraines than men. Migraines are usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as: Nausea, fatigue, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound.
Pachuta discovered Lying down can help relieve heatstroke-induced migraines Stay in a dark room with your eyes closed until the pain behind your eyes subsides. A mild headache accompanied by a feeling of “being out of sorts” can be an early indicator of a migraine attack.
But for people who don’t normally suffer from headaches, heat is unlikely to cause one, Roeder said.
In such cases, headaches caused by high temperatures “This could be a sign of more serious heat illness such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke, so it’s important to recognize these symptoms early, stay hydrated and find a cool place,” Roeder said.
While dehydration does make it harder for the body to cope with heat, experts agree that it isn’t necessarily the cause of a heatstroke headache.
Extreme heat can cause the body to lose sodium through sweating, leading to an electrolyte imbalance, so it’s important to replenish electrolytes as well as fluids.
“Dehydration is closely related to electrolyte imbalance, with water following salt,” says Kissoon. “When salt is lost, the body’s ability to retain water is reduced.”
However, even if you drink enough fluids, you may still experience a headache due to heatstroke.
Patrick Cortesi, 55, is a landscaper for the local school district in Bloomington, Illinois. His job requires him to be outdoors 40 hours a week, so he wears sun-protective clothing, drinks plenty of fluids, and takes breaks from air conditioning on warm days. Still, in a climate where it gets seasonally hot and humid and sweaty, Cortesi experiences headaches several times a week.
“It’s not just dehydration,” Ailani said. “Anytime the heat index gets to this level, you have to be more conscious of your health. You can’t fix it by drinking water.”
What can be done to ease symptoms?
It’s not something to be taken lightly, experts say.
A headache due to heat is a sign that the situation is getting worse, especially if you don’t suffer from a migraine. Get out of the heat and cool down with cold drinks and ice packs. Use air conditioning indoors and make use of cooling facilities during heat waves.
To help your body recover, drink water and electrolyte drinks. Add electrolytes to your water by adding a pinch of salt or lemon juice, says Ailani.
Afterwards, people can try strategies that generally help deal with headaches, such as lying down with their eyes closed in a dark room, says Roeder.
Kissoon urged people to avoid foods known to cause dehydration and limit their alcohol consumption, which Di Lorenzo said can also lead to dehydration.
Another seemingly obvious suggestion is to avoid outdoor exercise when temperatures are high.
“It may seem like a trivial piece of advice, but almost all of the cases of heat-related headaches reported in the literature have occurred in people who did not follow this common-sense rule,” Di Lorenzo said.
If you must go outdoors, wearing sunglasses can help as a precaution, he added.
There are several over-the-counter medications available to treat headaches, such as aspirin or Tylenol. Your doctor may also prescribe the following: TriptansThese work by binding to serotonin receptors and preventing the release of substances that stimulate neural activity, Roder said.
Recently approved migraine medications by the Food and Drug Administration include: CGRP antagonistsThis is a drug that targets molecules related to headaches. LasmiditanKissoon said the drug, which works similarly to triptans, may be safer for migraine patients with a history of vascular disease.
Further preventive treatment like CGRP monoclonal antibody It blocks the action of CGRP and is taken by migraine sufferers regardless of whether they have a headache or not.
“We recommend that migraineurs who experience any type of headache six or more days per month take preventive medication to reduce the number of headache days,” Kissoon said.
It is important for people who suffer from headaches to speak with their healthcare provider.
“The situation is not hopeless,” Ailani said. “There are many treatments available to help get you through these difficult months.”
