If you’ve ever suffered a migraine, you’ll know they’re so much more than just an annoying headache.

You’ll also be feeling some dread at the prospect of a heatwave, because, yes, hot weather can make migraines not only more common, but even more awful.

Why is that? And how can migraine-sufferers deal with the heat?

Parvinder Sagoo, clinical advisor at Simply Meds, explains: ‘Heat may trigger migraines more frequently in some sufferers and not in others.

‘Migraine triggers include; stress, hormone changes, food, drinks, sleeping patterns, bright lights and weather changes. It is possible changes in weather pressure cause the onset of a migraine attack.’

Part of the reason hot weather increases the likelihood of a migraine is the stress heat puts the body under.

When it’s hot, our body has to work hard to maintain a safe temperature, meaning our heart rate increases and everything can go into overdrive.

Increased sweating in hot weather can lead to dehydration. If you’re not prone to migraines, you might experience headaches, tiredness, muscle pain, dizziness, and nausea, but if you are, you’ll experience all of these with the double whammy of all your usual migraine symptoms, too.

Then you add in all the ways hot weather changes our lifestyle habits and overall health, which can in turn make migraines more likely to occur and more intense when they do.

Symptoms of migraines

A migraine is not the same as just a bad headache.

‘Headaches most commonly cause pain around the head, in the face and neck and can normally vary in intensity and are usually minor enough that most people can still go about their day,’ explains Parvinder. ‘Whereas a migraine is a much more painful and intense headache disorder which can last several hours and cause much more severe and deliberating symptoms causing a person to have to lie down in a dark room for a few hours, perhaps nap or apply a compress until the pain subsides.’

Symptoms of a migraine include:

• An intense headache, often with severe throbbing sensation that prevents you carrying out normal activities
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound
• Sweating
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling very hot or very cold
• Diarrhoea

The symptoms of a migraine usually last between 4 hours and 3 days, although you may feel very tired for up to a week afterwards.

About 1 in 3 people with migraines have temporary warning symptoms, known as aura, before a migraine.

These include:

• visual problems – such as seeing flashing lights, zig-zag patterns or blind spots
• numbness or a tingling sensation like pins and needles – which usually starts in one hand and moves up your arm before affecting your face, lips and tongue
• feeling dizzy or off balance
• difficulty speaking
• loss of consciousness – although this is unusual

You should see a GP if you have frequent or severe migraine symptoms that cannot be managed with occasional use of over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol.

Try not to use the maximum dosage of painkillers on a regular or frequent basis as this could make it harder to treat headaches over time.

Stages of a migraine:

• prodromal (pre-headache) stage – changes in mood, energy levels, behaviour and appetite that can occur several hours or days before an attack
• aura – usually visual problems, such as flashes of light or blind spots, which can last for 5 minutes to an hour
• headache stage – usually a pulsating or throbbing pain on 1 side of the head, often accompanied by feeling sick, vomiting or extreme sensitivity to bright light and loud sounds, which can last for 4 to 72 hours
• resolution stage – when the headache and other symptoms gradually fade away, although you may feel tired for a few days afterwards

NHS

‘We sleep less, need to drink more and lose our appetites during heat waves which are known migraine triggers,’ explains Parvinder.

‘People manage their migraines by identifying their triggers and avoiding them environmental changes make it more difficult.

‘Life is busier in the summer months with holidays, driving children to outdoor activities, festivals and the pressure to have fun take their toll. It is more likely the lifestyle changes relating to hot weather trigger migraines more than the heat itself.’

An obvious (but not so simple) solution is to thus identify migraine triggers and reduce them as much as possible, taking special care as temperatures rise.

It’s also essential to look after your overall health in a heatwave to avoid dehydration and heatstroke.

‘The only way to prevent an attack in extreme weather conditions is to take extra care to avoid such triggers,’ says Parvinder.

‘It is important to drink plenty and keep physical exertion to a minimum. Those who do physical work must ensure they drink regularly and replace the water they are losing.

‘Migraine forecasting involves recording everything you do, eat or drink, experiences and the occurrence of migraines. This helps sufferers to identify a pattern in their condition and make efforts to avoid triggers. There are lots of phone apps to help you to record attacks and possible triggers.

‘Being aware of triggers helps people to avoid them and hopefully reduce the number of attacks they suffer. During a heatwave, it is important to avoid triggers, drink plenty and keep cool to avoid an attack.

‘You should limit your time outside on hot days, try to avoid direct sunlight from midday to about 3pm. If you are heading outside wear a hat which protects your head and neck fully, also wear dark sun glasses. Ensure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you are working or exercising. Exercise indoors in a cool or air-conditioned environment if possible.

‘Symptoms of a heat induced migraine or headache are usually dizziness, muscle cramps or tightening of muscles nausea, extreme thirst or possible fainting.

‘If you are feeling any of these symptoms you should retire inside immediately and lie down in a dark cool room and drink plenty of water. You may also be suffering from heat stroke which is a serious condition and so immediate measures should be taken to ensure your body temperature is regulated.”

You can try home remedies such as gently inhaling lavender oil or drinking ginger tea, but if you’re suffering with migraines, please do speak to your doctor about medication and other treatments that may work for you.

Migraines suck, to put it very lightly, and you don’t need to struggle through them on your own.

Take care, prepare for the heat to send you a bit haywire, and reach out to a medical professional just in case.

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