Weather-related migraines from heat are common - here's what to know

Hot weather with humidity could lead to migraines

A doctor from Cleveland Clinic has some advice for those who suffer in the hot temperatures - or just wild weather temperature swings in general.

FOX 2 - The heat does a lot to our bodies and it may be playing a role in your health. That thick humidity could be leading to migraines and headaches.  

The backstory:

Since more than 37 million people in the US suffer from migraines, you'd think we'd have a clear understanding of what triggers them.

But in many ways the throbbing head pain seems to come out of nowhere.  One of the big causes is stress, and we can add to that changes in the weather.

We asked Headache and Migraine specialist Dr. Emad Estemalik about it.

"The sudden change in barometric pressure tends to be one of the most crucial elements when it comes to weather," he said. "Anytime we go from temperatures like in the 50s or 60s all the way to the 80s within a 48-72-hour window or vice versa, that in itself can induce migraines."

And it's not just summer - any extreme weather can cause migraines.

We can't change the weather, so what is the solution?

Dr. Estemalik says do what you can to keep track of your triggers and then work on eliminating or modifying what you can. 

It might be certain foods, lack of sleep, or lots of stress. If lifestyle changes don’t work, he says there are medications and other treatment options available.

"And then really you also have the abortive or the rescue therapies that are available, and migraine patients typically don't respond well to over-the-counter (medications)," he said.

"So there are all the triptans that are available, they’re prescribed meds, and now we have those new abortive monoclonal antibodies different from the preventive ones, they work wonderful for patients, DHE is available. There are so many options now."

There is also something called a dehydration headache. So how can dehydration cause headaches?

When you’re dehydrated, your brain and other tissues in your body shrink. Your shrinking brain pulls away from your skull and that puts pressure on the nerves.

Even mild dehydration can lead to a headache. The good news is, with this type of headache drinking fluids makes it go away fairly quickly. 

Woman suffering from headache. (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)