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Warmer temperatures are associated with an increase in emergency room visits for headaches according to research published in the March issue of the journal Neurology.
The study measured weather and air pollution conditions right before the ER visits and at other times during the same month. Researchers found than an increase of 5 degrees Celsius lead to an 8 percent increase in severe headache attacks.
The reason why warmer weather leads to more migraine attacks is not yet clear.
Lower barometric pressure was also associated with an increase in ER visits, but is not as strong a factor as warmer temperatures.
Warm weather, humidity and sun exposure are my oldest triggers. When I got migraines as a child (I started having them around age 6), something like 8 in 10 of them were caused by heat exposure.
The study's authors noted that migraineurs can use this information in their lives by paying close attention to weather forecasts. Knowing what to expect can help migraineurs plan ahead by preparing to face the coming trigger (such as double checking to make sure you bring your treatment medications with you) and by minimizing other triggers that can be controlled.
Sources:
Warm Weather Could Cause Migraines, Study Finds
Vital Signs - More Headaches in Warmer Weather
Technorati Tags: depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me
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Content by Diana E. Lee.
3 comments:
Warm weather, humidity and sun exposure all exacerbate my pain but not nearly as much as the fluorescent lights at work that I'm forced to work under.
Fluorescent lights are just awful. I really feel for you that you have to deal with them all the time. :(
Diane,
When I was first married through the 20's I use to dread the thought of warmer weather. At that time air conditioning wasn't in everyone's home including mine. I would actually get paranoid at the thought of it.
My first husband played baseball. We would be at the park 4 if not more evenings a week and many times on weekends somewhere. There were so many times I became ill. Did know at the time that I had migraines. I knew I couldn't take the heat or siting out directly in the sun.
Many times I would become ill while at a game. Many times the other wifes would ask if I was okay. It was so hard to try and act like this head pain etc was not happening.
Many, many, many times was I sick. It was terrible when I think about it. How I was treated by my first husband was rather cruel.
When I was 7 walking home from school one day I didn't think I would even make it home. I remember hanging around the school some. I wanted to make sure the other kids were gone before I left for home.
I was sick so much of my childhood it is unbelievable. I was told when I was young that it was just the 24 hour flu. I remember in Junior High my mom writing the note that I was home with the 24 hour flu. How many many many times was that note written.
Then as a teenager the headpain interupted my teen runing around time. That along with all the other disfunctional ways of life that were in the home that I grew up in.
Nor until the age of 42 was it ever mentioned that I was experiencing migraines. After a few visits with this Doctor I asked if she would be my regular doc. This she did and also sent me to my neuro that I have now had for 12 years. I still have my neuro and my gp doc had to leave practice because of some serious health issues. I did and still do miss her so.
There are so many for instances when I was growing up. I wasn't able to take any otc meds because they would make the nausea worse and then the hours spent in the bathroom we all know what happens then.
When I think of migraines I would wonder why the people around me including family would treat me. I shake my head now thinking about it.
I know the saying you need to get on with your life and not dwell so much on what did or didn't work out for you. I never really if at all spoke bout the pain and sickness I have lived in until 7 or 8 years ago when Topamax came into my life.
I still don't speak about it much. Strange though I now speak about the home life I came from. I started that about a year ago. I really don't want to speak about my life but it seems so many things are coming or be remembred in my mind.
I am in less pain now and especially the 12 hours of heaving rarely happen. I know there are many lives that are dealing with way more than I am. I just have been thinking alot about what it will be like in my life as an elderly person. I really would like to have some years to where I can laugh more and just be happpy. I want that for everyone who has had to suffer through anything and that includes migraines.
Diane I am not sure where you wanted all this chicken scratch to land on. That is if you put it in the Blog, a Forum, or even the trash.
I do want to say I thank you for what you and others bring to the migraine sufferers.
If it weren't for you and all the other postings I would be where I was 8 years ago. That is something I do get paranoid about. It does frighten me if I think about it too much.
Greatfully, Marlene S.
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