In these cases, it’s not surprising to see withdrawal last longer, and symptoms like anxiety and headaches may take more time to go away. After consuming alcohol, individuals with migraines should be mindful of managing their symptoms effectively. If a migraine occurs after drinking, it is crucial to stay well-hydrated to mitigate the effects of alcohol-related dehydration, which can exacerbate headache symptoms. Additionally, getting adequate rest and sleep can help the body recover from the stress that alcohol places on the system, potentially reducing the severity and duration of migraine symptoms. Additionally, the dehydration effect of alcohol can also act as a trigger for migraines. Alcohol can cause the body to lose fluids and electrolytes, leading to dehydration, which is a known trigger for migraines in some people.
Alcohol and Migraine: Trigger, Not a Cause
While both can be triggered by alcohol, cluster headaches are a distinct type of primary headache. This disruption can be a potential trigger for migraine, as poor sleep quality is a known risk factor for migraine attacks. Factors such as individual tolerance (which includes your genetic ability to detoxify alcohol), specific ingredients in drinks, and even the amount consumed can all play roles in whether a migraine attack will follow. The relationship between alcohol and migraine isn’t clear because alcoholic beverages also contain ingredients such as phenylethylamine, tyramine, histamine, flavonoid phenols, and sulfites. Many of these same components are found in higher concentrations in our favorite foods. Sipping slowly allows your body to process the alcohol more gradually and may help lessen its potential to trigger migraine.
The Role of Congeners in Alcoholic Drinks
By combining metabolic insights with behavioral adjustments, individuals can better navigate the complex relationship between alcohol and migraines, reducing the frequency and severity of attacks. Stay hydrated by alternating alcoholic drinks with water, as dehydration is a known migraine trigger. Avoid drinking drug addiction on an empty stomach, as food can slow alcohol absorption and reduce its impact. If you suspect a specific type of alcohol is problematic, keep a migraine diary to track patterns.
Study selection
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. So it’s best to make alcohol the single, isolated factor and journal what triggers each migraine. Whenever one comes on, jot down what you last ate, how much sleep you got, what the current environmental factors are, and anything else that may help you to find out what the cause is. This will help your doctor isolate the cause of your migraine and your triggers. Mixed models obtain the differences between each individual effect and the population estimates, thus estimates from Table 4 can be adjusted to provide an individualized model for each user. Figure 1 shows the results of the predicted probabilities (median and 95% CI) of migraine attack for each of the 487 individuals.
It is estimated that 10 million people in the United States are living with alcohol dependency. Of that 10 million, it is predicted that about 40% will experience serious symptoms of alcohol withdrawal if they choose to quit drinking. Before you have a drink, consider if it’s worth the potential headache and how it might affect your celebration or holiday. Some recovering alcoholics will also experience PAWS after the acute withdrawal phase. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) symptoms can be as strong as the ones during the worst part of alcohol withdrawal fatigue, like feeling really tired. Since PAWS symptoms feel a lot like the worst withdrawal symptoms, many people in recovery worry that they won’t ever feel better.
- Headaches are a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal and PAWS, but it’s important to check for any other health problems that might be causing them.
- Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.27 The Biomedical Research Alliance of New York (BRANY) IRB granted full waiver from informed consent on 10 October 2019.
- Herbal teas, such as chamomile or peppermint, can provide a calming and soothing effect, making them suitable alternatives for those avoiding alcohol due to migraines.
- Identifying your specific food and drink triggers is a key part of any migraine prevention and treatment plan.
Together, study participants contributed data on 43,830 diary days; migraine was reported on 9,578 (22%) of those days. In addition to red wine, other alcoholic beverages, including beer, white wine, and liqueur, have also been reported as headache triggers. The number one thing that you need to remember when experiencing a headache related to alcohol withdrawal is to hydrate. Staying hydrated is crucial to counteract the dehydrating effects of the withdrawal process. In addition, many people experience severe nausea and vomiting during the withdrawal process. These experiences can dehydrate the body, putting additional stress on organs.
- However, a 2019 study found higher rates of vodka consumption among drinkers with frequent migraine attacks.
- Migraines and alcohol triggers are closely linked for many sufferers.
- Many people look for alternative ways to raise the migraine threshold, which in turn might also enable that occasional glass of wine.
- Staying hydrated when consuming alcohol can help decrease the chance of dehydration-induced migraines.
- Immediate alcohol-induced headaches are rarer than hangovers, and even a small amount of alcohol might trigger them in people who, for instance, experience migraines.
Moreover, there were significant trends of decreasing prevalence of migraine and non-migraine headache with the increasing number of alcohol units consumed 28, 31. 2020 research shows that women are more likely to experience hangovers, memory problems, and liver alcohol and migraines disease from consuming alcohol. After creating and using search terms in databases, the results were searched by three authors (BB, PN and MS1) independently. Then, the results were compared by researchers and duplicates were removed.
- Dark-colored alcohols like red wine, brandy, and whiskey may contain more of them.
- In addition to drinking plenty of water, you also need to ensure you are eating a healthy diet.
- In addition, many people experience severe nausea and vomiting during the withdrawal process.
- In contrast, prospective studies don’t face those limitations, and tend to report a lower prevalence of alcohol as a trigger.
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. Headaches are one of the most common neurological symptoms related to the sensation of pain 1 and cause a decrease in patients’ quality of life 2. Headache disorders are classified according to the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) 4, 5 as either primary headaches, secondary headaches or neuropathies and facial pains 4, 6.