Trang chủMigraine episodes can be a periodic inconvenience, or they can be debilitating. The most severe migraine attacks may last up to 3 days or longer and make it impossible to do anything. People who get hangovers that trigger a migraine may also wish to avoid alcohol with high levels of congeners. These are substances that the alcohol manufacturing process produces. Some research suggests that congeners play a role in hangovers, although factors such as inflammation also contribute. One hypothesis is that red wine causes migraine due to high levels of certain compounds called flavonols, particularly quercetin.
Of the cohort studies, two 36, 66 received fewer why does alcohol cause migraines 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. A detailed description of risk of bias assessment for the cohort studies is presented in Table 3. In cross-sectional studies, six out of the 11 had a high risk of bias 46–48, 51, 56, 60, because they received fewer than 6 positive answers. Three studies were evaluated as moderate risk, with 6 “yes” answers 44, 57, 59. Two of the remaining cross-sectional papers achieved seven or eight points and therefore were low bias-risk 26, 27.
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article. Tannin, a component in red wine, has been long considered the culprit. It has also been found that a specific flavonoid in red wine inhibits an enzyme that metabolizes certain components of red wine, contributing to a build up chemicals that can cause a headache. Brandy, red wine, and rum have the highest levels of congeners, while gin and vodka contain fewer of these chemicals. We recommend exploring complementary treatments such as biofeedback, green light therapy and aerobic exercise. Learn how these common therapies can help you manage migraine.
Dark liquors and red wines may be particularly harmful due to their sugar, sulfate, tannin, and histamine content. Since the research on alcohol as a migraine trigger is limited, and everyone’s body metabolizes foods and drinks differently, it can be helpful to tune into what yours is telling you. An older 2014 study compared 95 people with migraine with 597 people without migraine. The results indicated people with migraine had higher chances of having hangover symptoms similar to those they experienced during episodes. I began having migraine attacks when I was a teenager, but was never properly diagnosed until I was an adult. This began 18 years where I was chronic and mostly intractable, resulting in a migrainous stroke in the summer of 2014.
Health Conditions
- Others find that it is more likely to trigger migraine attacks during vulnerable periods—hormonal changes, stress, and weather changes, for example.
- Look for white wine that is not too sweet and a little on the dry side.
- At present, most studies seem to link to headaches after alcohol to congeners, a byproduct of alcohol, most commonly found in darker drinks, such as whiskey, brandy and red wine.
- Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
- Many hangover symptoms arise due to detoxification, the physical process of ridding the body of toxic chemicals caused by alcohol consumption.
- Nancy Rones Zolotorofe, 51, is no stranger to migraines — the kind that start with searing pain behind the eyes that sometimes stretches to the teeth.
According to the National Headache Foundation, over 90% of people have experienced an alcohol-induced headache over the course of their lives. Regardless of the trigger, determining the cause of your headaches is well worth the effort. “Not every migraine patient is sensitive to every food,” Martin says. When it comes to headaches, “caffeine is a two-edged sword,” says Martin, who is also president of the National Headache Foundation.
- Alcohol is a diuretic, causing the body to lose vital salts and minerals which help it to function.
- Excessive drinking has numerous impacts on your body and mind, ranging from mild to severe.
- As you may recall, any kind of alcohol will eventually dehydrate you.
- Then, consider exploring more treatment options with our other free resources.
Here is the advice of one wine expert
Light drinkers (those consuming one to three drinks per week) had the lowest rates of cancer or death compared to those drinking less than 1 drink per week. “We don’t really know for sure how alcoholic beverages trigger headaches,” Martin says. One theory involves chemicals called histamines, which are released by the immune system and are best known for their role in causing allergy symptoms. “Alcohol consumption is one of the most common dietary triggers for migraine sufferers,” says Dr. Sara Crystal, Cove Medical Director, noting that alcohol causes two specific types of headaches.
Possible answers were “Yes”, “No”, “Unclear” or “Not applicable”. If a cross-sectional study received seven or more positive answers, a case–control eight and a cohort study nine, ten or 11, their assessments were described as having a low risk of bias. A high risk of bias was reported when a cross-sectional study received five or fewer “yes” responses, a case–control fewer than six and a cohort study below seven. A moderate risk of bias was assigned when the paper received positive answers between mentioned ranges. The assessments were conducted by three researchers (BB, PN and MS1) separately, then the fourth author (MWP) compared this data and made a final decision. In the USA, 51% of adults consumed alcohol in the last year; additionally, 11% of those over 50 years old and 6% over 65 age reported the symptoms of alcohol abuse or dependence 21.
How to avoid or treat alcohol-related headaches
Still, this new research is among the best we have linking what is commonly considered moderate drinking to negative health consequences. The lower recommendation for women isn’t just because they are, on average, smaller than men. They produce less of the enzyme (called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH) that breaks down alcohol. In addition, women tend to have more body fat, which tends to retain alcohol. When it comes to your beverage of choice, alcoholic beverages are unique. For millions, they are a regular part of the dining experience.
Yet, a 2016 study pointed out that estimates vary and the reason that alcohol use might trigger migraine episodes is still unclear. Of course, everyone is different and will have different triggers. Some people may be able to drink red wine or whiskey without any problems, while others may find that even clear liquors are problematic. Those who are triggered by alcohol usually feel the attack coming on within a few hours, although some reported that the next day was when they felt it.
Reducing or eliminating alcohol may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. It may also help eliminate triggers that tend to co-occur with drinking, such as dehydration and sleep deprivation. About 29 to 36 percent of people who suffer from migraines say alcoholic beverages bring on their headaches. “It probably depends on what kind of alcoholic beverage you’re talking about,” Martin says. One study showed that red wine was far more likely to lead to a migraine than vodka. To summarize, for people with migraine, the best alcoholic choices are clear liquors like vodka, gin, or dry white wine.
If you have a bad migraine, a stiff cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage may actually help your headache. In fact, many over-the-counter analgesic medications, such as Excedrin, contain caffeine along with the pain-relieving ingredient. The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon the content provided in this article for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
All You Need To Know About Alcohol-Induced Headaches
Some people only sip a glass or two of wine before their head starts to throb. You might have heard that red wine is most likely to cause problems. But other drinks like sparkling wine, beer, and hard liquor may be just as likely, if not more, to cause problems.
As you work with your doctor on next steps, it will be important to maintain access to reliable resources on migraine. We recommend a look at our patient guides, which include useful information including how to talk to your doctor about migraine. Receiving a formal migraine diagnosis is the first milestone when working with your doctor to identify a personalized and effective treatment plan. Continuing to talk with your doctor throughout the course of your treatment is important for determining the strategies that prove beneficial and those that may not be as effective. Pregnancy can add another complicated layer to your migraine journey, but having a strong support system will make it easier to navigate the ups and downs. You can find additional support from people in your position and those who have already experienced pregnancy with migraine in our Move Against Migraine Facebook group.
In an open-bar situation, choose beer, wine, or a mixed drink made with a high-quality brand. This is the typical type of headache induced by alcohol for people with migraine, compared with delayed alcohol-induced headache (DAIH) that appears the next morning — also known as the hangover headache. Dehydration triggers some migraine cases; therefore, drinking plenty of water can help, even after the fact. Drinking water helps replenish your fluids and flush the alcohol out of your system.
Participants who registered to use the platform through physician referral, or via the website or the App Store, between October 2014 and March 2018 were eligible. At the time of the study, the app was only available to users of iOS. Get in touch with a member of our team today, or learn more about how it works. Ria Health offers several FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder. When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
How Much Alcohol Can Cause 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. One of the main problems facing those who struggle with alcohol is the alcohol-induced headache. This common problem may affect one of the 10.8 million adults in the UK who are drinking at a worrying level. Figure 2 shows data on two individuals selected at random among those who tracked more than 600 days. The final analysis was therefore based on 20,000 realizations, 10,000 from each chain. Plots of iterations versus sampled values for each variable were inspected to check model convergence.