A migraine is not just a bad headache. It’s a neurological condition that affects how your brain processes pain. Drinking more water or taking a couple of over-the-counter painkillers might help a typical headache, but migraines usually need more than that.
Migraine pain can be severe and disruptive. It often feels like pounding or throbbing, usually on one side of the head. Many people also feel sick to their stomach, throw up, or become very sensitive to light, sound, or smells. Some people have trouble thinking clearly or focusing. Migraines can last for hours or even days.
If you get migraines, you may notice they happen more often in winter. This is common and occurs because the cold weather creates certain conditions that trigger episodes. Before trying to manage winter migraines on your own, though, you need a proper diagnosis.
Not all head pain is a migraine, and treatment needs to be specific to you. At SEPA Pain & Spine in southeastern Pennsylvania, our team is experienced at figuring out what’s causing your migraines and creating a treatment plan based on your symptoms and triggers.
Here we explain why the cold weather aggravates migraines and what you can do about it.
One major trigger is weather changes. Winter storms often cause fast changes in air pressure. Some people’s brains are very sensitive to these pressure shifts, which can trigger migraines. Cold air can also irritate nerves in your face and head, which may contribute to pain.
Another common issue is dehydration. In winter, people tend to drink less water without realizing it. Dry indoor air from heating systems pulls moisture from your body, and dehydration is a well-known migraine trigger.
Winter also affects your sleep. Shorter days, less sunlight, and changes to your daily routine can throw off your sleep schedule. Even small changes in sleep quality or timing can trigger migraines.
On top of that, stress often increases in winter. Holidays, financial pressures, travel, and less physical activity can raise stress levels. Stress can make migraines more frequent and harder to manage.
Finally, less sunlight can play a role. Sunlight affects chemicals in the brain that help control pain. When daylight hours are shorter, migraines may be more likely to occur.
Colds, flu, and sinus infections are more common in winter. While sinus headaches and migraines are not the same thing, sinus inflammation can trigger migraines or make them worse.
In the winter, you may think you have a sinus headache when you actually have a migraine. Facial pressure, stuffy nose, and head pain can happen with migraines, too.
When migraines increase in frequency, you may rely more heavily on pain medication. Over time, this can cause complications. Frequent use of certain medications can lead to medication-overuse headaches. Instead of helping, the medicine starts to cause more headaches.
Frequent migraines can also become chronic, meaning headaches happen most days of the month. Treating migraines early can help prevent this from happening.
Not all headaches are migraines. Tension headaches, sinus headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines can feel similar but need different treatments.
At SEPA Pain & Spine, we can confirm whether you’re dealing with migraines and help figure out your triggers. This is important because migraine treatment is not the same for everyone. What works for one person may not work for another.
We look at how often your migraines happen, how severe they are, and how they change during the year. This helps us choose the most effective treatment for you. Treatment may aim to reduce how often migraines happen, how painful they are, or how long they last.
As we mentioned, migraines are neurological, not just severe headaches. Winter can make them worse because of weather changes, sleep problems, dehydration, stress, and less sunlight.
With the right diagnosis and treatment, you can reduce how often migraines happen and how much they affect your life.
Call us today to schedule a consultation at any of our offices in Horsham, Langhorne, Meadowbrook, Chalfont, East Norriton, or Limerick in southeastern Pennsylvania. You can also request one online here.
