People who rely on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to manage migraine pain should also be careful with alcohol. Drinking alcohol while taking NSAIDs can increase the risk of serious side effects, like gastrointestinal bleeding. The more alcohol consumed, the more the risk of these problems increases.
How can you prevent getting a migraine headache from alcohol?
- Another 6 individuals were excluded because they never tracked alcohol consumption.
- Many different factors can contribute to a hangover as a result of drinking.
- When blood pressure, the force of blood flowing through your arteries, is consistently high, that ups your risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure, as well as vision loss and kidney disease.
Track what you eat and drink, how much sleep you get, and other potential triggers (such as stress). You may find that alcohol triggers your migraine, or you may see that alcohol has no effect on your symptoms. Once you know what effect alcohol has on your body, you can make decisions about whether to drink at all — and, if so, how much to drink and when. Red wine’s propensity for causing headaches is usually attributed to the sulfates and sulfites it contains.
More on Migraine & Headaches
But that’s good news because while you can’t always change your environment, you have much more control over your internal state. The association goes in both directions since a bad migraine can make sleep almost impossible. Even in the immediate absence of symptoms, anxiety about getting a migraine can keep people staring at the ceiling and counting porcupines instead of getting shuteye. Fortunately, over the past couple of decades, science has amassed evidence that lifestyle and dietary interventions can effectively treat and sometimes even prevent migraines. Of course, there is an avalanche of purported migraine cures and treatments on the internet!
Is alcohol a migraine trigger?
The NHS guidelines suggest a maximum of 14 units per week—not a target but rather a threshold for minimizing risk. Our mission is to educate, inspire, and empower on behalf of healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for all. This Soothing Ginger and Mushroom Congee is like a warm hug for your brain — gentle, nourishing, and packed with migraine-fighting goodness. For more on ginger and migraines, check out our article, You Won’t Believe How Powerful Ginger Can Be for Fighting Migraines Naturally. Devineé Lingo is a registered dietitian nutritionist who is on a mission to cultivate health and wholeness in people seeking restoration and renewal. Her nutrition philosophy is to dig deeper and identify the root causes of people’s health concerns using a holistic, integrative and functional approach.
- Results of the logistic regression models of the log odds of migraine attack in relation to alcohol consumption.
- Hangover anxiety can also arise as the brain adjusts to the mental effects of alcohol.
- Top-shelf brands not only taste better but may also be less likely to prove a migraine trigger.
- For example, a tension headache may cause pain in the neck or shoulders.
- This percentage is very similar to the amount reported in a study on migraine and triggers.
How to tell if alcohol triggers your migraine attacks
This leads to excessive urination and dehydration, which may cause a headache after a small amount of alcohol. Brandy, red wine, and rum have the highest levels of congeners, while gin and vodka contain fewer of these chemicals. There have been several proposed explanations for how alcohol causes headaches. Researchers found those who use alcohol to cope with anxiety have greater chances of becoming dependent, misusing can alcohol cause migraines alcohol, or developing alcohol use disorder. Compared to those without them, people with anxiety disorders—mental health conditions that cause frequent worry and panic—have lower levels of zinc, iron, and selenium.
Do you have tips for enjoying alcohol without triggering an attack? Share a tip with the community.
Migraines can be a real headache to deal with, but the wrong supplements might add more fuel to the fire. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Moore says that there may not be a safe amount to drink, and this corresponds with the latest advice from the World Health Organization.
Links to NCBI Databases
Researchers compared the diets of 500 adults with newly diagnosed migraines to those of similarly matched healthy people, looking closely at their diets using a detailed food questionnaire. They found that eating plenty of vegetables, beans, and whole grains seemed to protect against migraines. Remember those elimination diets we talked about a little while ago? Not getting enough quality sleep is a significant risk factor for getting a migraine. A 2022 study found that people who had trouble sleeping were nearly four times more likely to have migraines than those who slept well. That is, until her neurologist recommended a medication that was right for her.
