Headaches and Weather Changes: Are They Really Connected?
When headaches hit, it’s nothing you want to mess around with. The pain can be so severe you are forced to lie down in a cool place, or simply cause an annoyance you can’t shake. Sometimes they are so severe and frequent you may feel as if you cannot plan anything because you never know when the next headache will hit. This can cause you to have a decrease in your life quality and feel as if you are not living life to the fullest.
Some people can tell if the weather is about to change because they claim they get a headache just before or at the same time. But, is it true?!? If you notice this taking place, you may find the following information helpful. After taking a closer look at how weather affects it, we will discuss what can be done about them to alleviate the pain.
The truth is, barometric pressure may be to blame. Barometric pressure is the amount of force being applied to your body due to the air around you. Our sinuses are filled with air. This makes them sensitive to any change in air pressure and can bring on headaches or migraines.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF WEATHER HEADACHES?
Pain on one or both sides of your head
An increased sensitivity to light or sound
Nausea and vomiting
WHAT CAUSES THEM?
As the barometric pressure outside lowers, it causes a difference in pressure in your sinuses versus pressure in the outside air. This a reason why pain may develop in your head. This can be compared to what happens when you are on an airplane. As the plane takes off, the pressure changes as the altitude changes, and you may notice your ear popping or pain from that change in pressure.
RELIEF?
If you are having headaches, no matter the source or trigger, you may find some relief by visiting an upper cervical chiropractor. A link has been established between headaches and a misaligned bone in the top of the neck. A misalignment in either the C1 or C2 vertebra can hinder the flow of blood to and from the brain. It can also put stress on the brainstem, causing it to send improper signals to the brain. Either of these can lead to headaches.
Chiropractors have been trained to find the tiny misalignments that may be to blame. They use a gentle method to encourage the bones of the neck to move back into place naturally. This is often all that is needed to experience relief from the head-pounding pain of migraines.
