Is this why your head hurts?
The next time you feel a migraine coming on, glance out the window: A stormy day might be the culprit.
Lightning appears to trigger migraine headaches, according to surprising new research from the University of Cincinnati. After tracking the headaches of 90 middle-aged adults for several months, researchers noted that migraines were more common on days with lightning compared to days with more mild weather.
What's behind the strange finding? Experts aren’t entirely sure, but they do have a few theories. “It could have to do with electromagnetic disturbances that come from lightning strikes, the turbulent weather associated with lightning, or the production of noxious chemicals like ozone and nitrogen dioxide,” says study co-author Geoffrey Martin, a medical student at the University of Cincinnati.
But questions remain as to just how important lightning, or any other apparent migraine trigger, really is in contributing to the condition: Another recent study, published in the journal Neurology, found that headache sufferers often blame factors—including weather, stress, or certain foods—that aren’t actually responsible for their discomfort. That’s likely because when it comes to migraines, people sometimes confuse causes for very early effects. “Chocolate could trigger your migraine, but it could also be that the very early onset of a migraine makes you crave chocolate,” says Allen Towfigh, MD, a neurologist affiliated with the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York.
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So what’s the best way to accurately determine your migraine triggers? Unfortunately, it might come down to trial-and-error: Attempting to provoke a headache with factors you suspect contribute to them. “If you think that a certain spice causes your migraine, test it out and log the results in a headache journal,” Dr. Towfigh suggests. “If it causes a migraine two or three times, it’s a trigger. If you try it two or three times and nothing happens, it’s probably not.”
Regardless of your triggers, the onset of a migraine is sometimes totally out of our control (we can't exactly stop a lightning storm, after all). So when your head starts throbbing, seek relief with these natural remedies.
Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting with your eyes and working down to your toes, tense each muscle group in your body for five seconds, then relax. The process can reduce muscle tension in the head, neck, and shoulders, which often makes a migraine feel worse, Dr. Towfigh says.
Natural supplements. A daily dose of 400 mg of magnesium oxide has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines, Dr. Towfigh says. Other soothing options: Coenzyme Q10 and feverfew, an herb that’s part of the sunflower family.
Acupuncture. Some research suggests that acupuncture might be as effective as conventional pain medications at reducing migraine symptoms. “It can’t hurt, and it could help, so it’s definitely a viable option,” Dr. Towfigh says.
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Published January 2013, Prevention