Weather May Cause Migraines

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If you suffer from migraine headaches, you might want to blame the winds. Canadian researchers say warm winds may trigger migraines. The report appears in the Jan. 25 issue of the scientific journal Neurology.

Dr. Wernher Becker and a team of scientists at the University of Calgary studied the effects of warm westerly winds called “chinooks” on 75 migraine patients. Nearly half of the sufferers appeared to be affected by a change in the weather with the arrival of the chinook.

Older patients were the most susceptible. Some patients were more likely to get migraines during the days before the front moved through. Others suffered worst on days when wind speeds reached more than 24 mph.

“The more triggers we can identify, the closer we get to preventing the onset of migraine,” Becker said. “Patients could treat migraines before they start, similar to those patients who suffer from menstrual migraine.”

Reviewed July 2008