Updated January 01, 2015.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
For most of us, a day of thunderstorms on a summer Saturday means staying inside with a cup of tea and a good movie. For others though, a thunderstorm is a brutal trigger for a headache.
Weather as a Headache Trigger
Weather has commonly been reported as a headache trigger. One study in Cephalalgia examined over 1200 patients diagnosed with migraine. Weather was identified as the fourth most frequent trigger, occurring in approximately 50% of patients.
In another study of 120 subjects in Austria, weather was described as the most common trigger for people, occurring in over 80% of patients with migraines or tension-type headaches. Several weather-related factors have been evaluated as potential triggers for headaches, especially migraines. These include:
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Sunlight
• Wind Speed
• Dew Point
But what about storms in particular? Many of us can recall plugging along at work or in our homes on a gloomy, damp day with a nagging headache. Was it triggered by that morning thunderstorm? Many of us claim it was.
Do Storms Trigger Headaches?
It is not unusual to hear someone cite a storm as a trigger for their head pain, whether their headaches are migraines, tension-type headaches, sinus headaches, or undiagnosed headaches. During a storm, cold and warm air collide, creating an extreme difference in barometric (or air) pressure, which creates the elements of a thunderstorm, like wind and rain. This change in barometric pressure may be what triggers your headache, although the science behind it is not well understood, and studies show conflicting results.
In addition, with a thunderstorm comes lightning. Sferics, which are electromagnetic impulses produced by lightning, may also trigger migraines — although again, there is a limited number of studies suggesting this hypothesis.
Regarding barometric pressure, one study in Internal Medicine examined a small number of people with migraines living in Japan. The participants kept a headache diary for one year. Half of the participants reported low barometric pressure as a migraine trigger. Additionally, results revealed that half of the participants had more frequent headaches the day following a drop in barometric pressure.
On the other hand, another study in Headache examined over 900 patients with migraines and did not find a link between migraine attacks and falls in barometric pressure.
Overall, there is not great evidence or science behind the triggering effect of storms on headaches. Nevertheless, listen to your gut. If storms consistently trigger your headaches, then being prepared for managing your headache when rainclouds are brewing can only serve to help you in the end.
What Can I Do?
If you do suffer from storm-triggered headaches, there is not much you can do to escape this phenomenon. Instead, coping with the trigger is your best option.
Keep a headache diary and review it with your doctor who may help you form a plan to prevent or lessen your attack the next time a storm approaches. It would also be beneficial to discuss over-the-counter medications or possibly a prescription medication with your doctor to help you cope with a storm-triggered headache.
Sources
Cull RE. Barometric pressure and other factors in migraine. Headache. 1981;21:102-104.
Friedman DI. De Ver Dye T. Migraine and the Environment. Headache. 2009 Jun;49(6):941-52.
Kelman L. The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalgia. 2007;27:394-402.
Kimoto K, Aiba S, Takashima R, Suzuki K, Takekawa H, Watanabe Y, Tatsumoto M, Hirata K. Influence of barometric pressure in patients with migraine headache. Intern Med. 2011;50(18):1923-8.
Wöber C, Holzhammer J, Zeitlhofer J, Wessely P, Wöber-Bingöl C. Trigger factors of migraine and tension-type headache: Experience and knowledge of the patients. J Headache Pain. 2006;7:188-195.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this site is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed physician. Please see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment of any concerning symptoms or medical condition.
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