If you are one of the 39 million Americans in the U.S. living with migraines, there’s a good chance an intense headache will begin when the weather shifts.
You aren’t alone. Studies find 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify some type of weather change as a trigger, making it the most commonly reported migraine source. Yet, it’s also one of the most puzzling.
Some people are more sensitive to weather
As a neurologist and headache specialist practicing in Colorado, a place with frequent weather shifts, patients often tell me that weather is one of their biggest migraine triggers. The results can disrupt work, school and social plans, and create a sense of helplessness.
Doctors still don’t fully understand why some brains are more sensitive to environmental changes.
What we do know is that people with migraines have especially sensitive nervous systems and that certain environmental changes—like shifts in air pressure, temperature, humidity, and air quality—can activate pathways in the brain that lead to pain.
Key ways weather can trigger migraines
Weather triggers can vary from person to person, but there are a few common migraine culprits:
Barometric pressure changes, or changes in atmospheric pressure, are among the most commonly cited triggers.
When a storm system moves in, the air pressure drops. Some scientists believe this change may affect the pressure inside your head or how blood vessels in your brain dilate and constrict.
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