alcohol headache
Alcohol headache
Why does alcohol cause headaches or migraines in so many people?
Three reasons -
Many types of alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, and distilled alcohol) contain ethanol. This type of alcohol causes blood vessel dilation. In fact it is the dilation of blood vessels which causes one’s face to flush. Why is this important? Once a migraine attack begins (usually caused by nerve over-excitability in the brain) the blood vessels in the brain begin to dilate (constrict.) It is this constriction which causes headaches and other symptoms such as dizziness, visual disturbances, etc.
Alcoholic drinks such as red wine contain additional chemicals such as tyramine, which are thought to trigger migraine attacks. It is important to note that trigger does not mean “cause.” Instead a trigger simply ignites a process which is already primed to go. This is likely why some people are bothered by headaches and migraines after drinking alcohol and others are not.
Lastly, alcohol – namely ethanol – causes dehydration by causing your body to produce more urine than normal. Dehydration is well known for causing headaches in everyone, not just in migraine sufferers. The best way to prevent these types of headaches is by drinking water while you consume alcohol as well as afterwards. Be sure to drink more water than you normally would to offset the effects of dehydration.
How can I tell if it is dehydration or a migraine condition?
If you have a migraine condition you will likely have reoccurring headaches and migraines even when you do not drink. You may also note that you develop headaches despite consuming large quantities of water. If this is the case there are only a couple options – one, if you know you will be drinking be sure to avoid every other migraine trigger you know of (starting a few days before if possible) and this may decrease the odds of developing a migraine, two – if this does not work you will likely have to reduce the quantity you drink or avoid alcohol altogether unless you are willing to tolerate having a migraine.
If you would like to learn more about how to minimize other migraine triggers, and reduce the frequency and severity of your headaches and migraines, then click here now.
