Can Alcohol Trigger Migraines and Other Headaches?

If you are struggling with how much alcohol you consume, cutting it out altogether may not be the best idea. The ingestion of too much ethanol can cause an unhealthy imbalance of chemicals within the body, which over time may lead to more serious conditions than just a headache. It has been seen in many studies all over the world that one-third of those who suffer from regular migraines have noted that alcohol is one of the main things to trigger them off.

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For example, your genetic makeup may be such that you just can’t tolerate a lot of alcohol, or you may have a naturally-low body weight. That also doesn’t allow for much alcohol in general, beer or what is alcoholism otherwise. In other words, instead of expanding the blood vessels, higher and higher levels of alcohol constrict blood vessels, causing high blood pressure.

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To fight what it perceives as a threat, your immune system releases inflammatory messengers called cytokines. Normally, these proteins are your body’s best allies, helping coordinate the fight against actual viruses and bacteria. But when alcohol is the trigger, they cause widespread inflammation that leads directly to fatigue, muscle aches, and that signature throbbing head pain. This is where choosing your drink wisely can be a total game-changer. Darker liquors and wines are famous for being loaded with congeners, while clear spirits have very few. Knowing which drinks are low on this stuff is your first line of defense, and it helps to know what alcohol causes the least hangover.

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Understanding whether alcohol is a migraine trigger and how to treat and prevent it can help you make the best choices about what and how much you drink. For a hangover headache, also called a delayed alcohol-induced headache, experts believe that nerve chemicals involved in central pain control, like serotonin, are likely responsible. Analysis of the 22 included studies revealed 5 cohort studies 36, 45, 52, 55, 58, 11 cross-sectional 26, 27, 44, 46–48, 51, 56, 57, 59, 60 and six case-controls 49, 50, 53, 54, 61, 62. Of the cohort studies, two 36, 66 received fewer than 8 “yes” answers, therefore according to the assessment criteria from the Methods section above, these were assessed as having moderate risk of bias. The majority of cohort studies were within the range of 3–7 points, thus receiving a high risk of bias 52, 55, 58.

Why Does Alcohol Cause Headaches? Causes & Easy Remedies

Is it common for headaches to occur immediately after drinking seltzer? It can vary, but some people might feel the onset of a headache pretty quickly, especially if they’re sensitive. Does the flavor of seltzer make a difference in triggering headaches? While the carbonation is the primary suspect, certain flavors might have additives or artificial sweeteners that could trigger headaches in some people.

Many studies show that ADs are a trigger of migraine without aura (MO), migraine with aura (MA), cluster headache (CH), and tension-type headache (TH). While data on MO and CH are well delineated, those in MA and TH are discordant. There are sparse reports that ADs are also triggers of less frequent types of primary headache such as familial hemiplegic migraine, hemicrania continua, and paroxysmal https://enjoytravellingandservice.com/drug-alcohol-treatment-program-in-chicago/ hemicrania. However, in some countries, the occurrence of alcohol as headache trigger is negligible, perhaps determined by alcohol habits. The frequency estimates vary widely based on the study approach and population. In fact, prospective studies report a limited importance of ADs as migraine trigger.

• Whiskey and red wine are two of the most common migraine triggers.
• Any remaining articles were screened by title or abstract randomly by the authors (BB, PN and MS1) with the below presented inclusion/exclusion criteria and PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
• If you find yourself struggling to stop drinking or recognize that you have symptoms of alcohol use disorder, it’s important to reach out for help.
• If you wake up needing relief, an NSAID like ibuprofen is generally a better option, but only after you’ve had some water and a bite to eat.
• If you’ve identified alcohol as a trigger for your migraine headaches, avoiding it altogether is probably best.
• Also, follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding alcohol consumption.

Red Wine Might Be the Worst Choice; Vodka Might Be the Best to Avoid Headaches and Migraine Attacks

• Additionally, prospective cohort studies, likely through the use of mobile diary apps in which patients record triggers and headaches on a daily basis, may be helpful.
• A change in sleep pattern can contribute to triggering migraine attacks.
• We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
• Sometimes, the agony you feel after a few drinks is way more intense than your typical, run-of-the-mill hangover.

It’s mostly your body screaming at you about dehydration and inflammation. A migraine, on the other hand, is a whole different beast that alcohol can wake up in certain people. Drinking alcohol could create more of a risk factor for tension headaches in some people, but truth be told, people who don’t drink alcohol at all can still get tension headaches. Granted, some headaches, like migraine, can be triggered or exacerbated by drinking alcohol, but the throughline is blurry.

Sweeteners mask migraines and alcohol their flavors, so it’s easier to keep drinking them. This alcohol and sugar combo will make you feel worse the following day. For example, some people can drink alcohol without appearing intoxicated or experiencing extreme side effects, while others cannot. Any relief experienced from red wine likely comes from resveratrol, a potentially health-boosting plant compound. Pontinen said triptans are commonly used to treat migraine once symptoms start.