​My son turned 5 years old not too long ago. We had LOTS of party balloons left over from his birthday party. A couple of days later, something strange happened.

The balloons started to randomly burst. Not just one or two, but at least five balloons popped in ten minutes.

After calming my shattered nerves, I started to investigate. 

Looking out the window, I found the answer. A storm was coming in, pressure in the air had changed, and now balloons were popping all over the place.

For migraineurs, our heads can be a bit like those balloons at times, with many linking a change in weather to a migraine.

But why?  

The answer is that we are not quite sure. In fact, researchers, clinicians and scientists are still working to completely understand how and why migraines develop during a change in weather or storms.

One theory is that weather changes can cause changes in our brain chemicals – such as serotonin.

Another theory is that changes in atmospheric pressure can cause a pressure difference between the sinus cavities, the structures and chambers on the inner ear, and the world outside. 
This variation in pressure between inside the head, and outside the head, may also cause blood vessels to dilate resulting in abnormal blood flow to the brain.

There is also some research to show that magnetic field changes can activate the trigeminal brainstem complex (part of the nervous system which is linked to some migraines). Could changes in force fields which occur during electrical and thunderstorm activity be a trigger for migraines?

So far, studies in to how the weather affects migraine show varying results. Some pieces of research are inconclusive, while others do seem to show that weather can be a migraine trigger. Migraines are difficult to research as there are so many individual factors and triggers which can influence whether you get a migraine.  

Many migraineurs have linked weather changes to their own migraines. So it is worthwhile considering if this could be a factor for you.

If you don’t already, it can be super helpful to keep a “migraine diary” to help track whether the weather seems to be a trigger for you. Online migraine apps – such as Migraine Buddy - can also make it easy to record migraines, and even alert you to atmospheric pressure changes. 

Try monitoring the weather, and if a change is on the way, then it might be worthwhile stepping up your migraine prevention strategies.

As always, if migraines are a problem for you, and you would like help to create your own migraine prevention plan, do feel free to book in for an appointment. I’d love to help.

Josie x

PS – Oh, and I did feel a migraine come on when that storm arrived! An afternoon of rest and following my “oh no, I think I have a migraine coming” health plan and I felt fine the next day.

Headaches are never normal.

They are a sign from your body that something is not right, and you need to pay attention.

It could be as simple as you haven’t had enough water that day. Or perhaps you have spent too long in glare, or looking at a computer screen.

Could it be a hangover? Perhaps not enough sleep last night. You might be stressed, or skipped a meal.

Maybe your blood sugar is too high. Or your blood sugar is too low. Perhaps you have eaten something that you are intolerant too. Possibly your liver is not functioning as it should.

It could be that you have a nutritional deficiency, or excess. 

Maybe you have an infection.

Perhaps your back and neck muscles are tight, or your hair is pulled into that bun too tightly. Possibly it is dental problems.

You may have a hormonal imbalance. Or perhaps your medication is responsible.

Or, a headache can mean something more serious.

Either way, headaches should be investigated.

Painkillers can help mask the pain. But they rarely address the real cause. In fact, pain killers can make the problem worse – causing “medication rebound headaches”.

Of course, I'm an advocate for natural medicine when it comes to managing headaches. 

If you are worried by headaches, a naturopath can take a holistic approach and help you work out what is going on in your body to cause headaches. 

And then address the root cause with gentle and effective methods – such as nutrition, herbal medicine, lifestyle counselling or referral to other practitioners who can help.

As a qualified naturopath, helping clients with headache and migraine is a special interest of mine. I’ve been there and know how frustrating it can be to not get answers or figure out what is going on.

Please feel free to get in touch and book an appointment. I’d love to help you too.

Josie x

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