Headaches during cold weather, what are the causes?

Everyone must have felt headaches. However, some people experience headaches more often during cold weather. You are one of them?

Why do you get headaches when it's cold or hot?

According to a study in The Journal of Headache and Pain, cold weather conditions can trigger headaches and migraines. Moreover, dr. Shuu-Jiun Wang, a neurologist who also led the study, said that some people are prone to headaches during cold weather because they do have a genetic disorder that makes their nerves more sensitive to changes in environmental temperature.

When the weather temperature decreases, the air pressure around you decreases as the humidity increases. As a result, your body temperature drops suddenly. These sudden changes make the levels of the hormone serotonin, which is regulated by the brain, unbalanced. The nerves in the brain will overreact and cause headaches. The weather is even said to worsen headaches caused by other triggers.

According to the health website MD Web, headaches during cold weather are a self-protective reaction to bad environmental stress. In theory, headaches will cause a person to seek a safer and more comfortable environment for their body. Especially if there is a change in weather that is classified as extreme.

For example, you are on the road with sunny weather but suddenly dark clouds, followed by heavy rain, this makes your body, which was feeling warm, becomes cold. It could also be because you didn't bring a thick jacket or umbrella to protect it from. So, after arriving home you feel a headache.

According to a survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation, 73 percent of people experience headaches when the weather changes, 38 percent because of extreme temperature changes such as colder or warmer, and 18 percent colder because of strong winds.

This is what to do if you suspect your headache is due to the weather

The first thing you do for cold-weather headaches is to record each pain when you feel it, including the date and time. Some people will usually feel a sign when the headache will come, more precisely 48 hours before the headache strikes. What is the sign like?

• Getting angry more easily
• Feeling depressed
• Yawn often

Keeping track of every headache you experience can help you figure out what the real trigger is. Think back to how you felt the day or two before the headache. Also take note of what has happened to you lately. This is to determine if your headaches are caused by a change in weather or due to some other trigger.

Keep this log for three months so that you can identify any patterns of headaches that appear. You can also consult your doctor about this to get the right treatment and medication.