2023-12-03 07:01:19
Published3. December 2023, 08:01
Winter and winds: Cold temperatures can trigger headaches and severe migraine attacks
For many people, the onset of winter means a splitting headache. Why this is the case and what you can do regarding it.
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The freezing conditions in the winter months cause headaches and migraines.
Tamedia AG/Raphael Moser
As the advice portal “ratgebergesund.de” communicates, cold is one of the best-known trigger factors for migraine attacks.
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The reason for this is, on the one hand, tense head muscles, but also problems with blood circulation.
Tamedia AG/Christian Pfander
That’s what it’s regarding
Icy winds and freezing temperatures can trigger anything from mild headaches to severe migraine attacks.
The reason for this is, on the one hand, tense head muscles, but also problems with blood circulation.
Anyone who leaves a warm apartment without preparation must be prepared for the fact that the cold environment might trigger a headache. According to the guide, this already applies to a temperature difference of five degrees or more.
Massages and proper clothing help once morest such pain.
However, if you have repeated and prolonged headaches or even have migraine symptoms, you should see a doctor.
The onset of winter is in full swing. For many Swiss people, however, this is no reason to be happy, because the icy sub-zero temperatures and winds cause headaches and severe migraines. Like the advice portal «ratgebergesund.de» communicated, cold is one of the best-known trigger factors for migraine attacks. But how does this happen and what helps once morest it?
causes
Acute tension in the head muscles is to blame for the aching heads. “If your head cools down, it often leads to your muscles cramping up,” says the guide. After all, it lies almost unprotected under the thin scalp.
Headaches also occur when the outside temperature changes quickly. For example, when you leave your warm apartment in frosty temperatures. Differences of just five degrees are enough to make it difficult for the blood vessels in the head to regulate blood flow correctly. People “who experience has shown to be sensitive to temperature fluctuations should be particularly careful,” the guide warns.
What helps?
So if you struggle with a headache in the colder months, you can try to loosen the cramped muscles with a gentle head massage. It is also important to avoid any cold shocks. “A warm and windproof hat can prevent bad headaches,” informs the Headache Foundation in Marburg. If you leave the house on frosty days, you should definitely wear a warm hat that covers your ears.
When do I have to see a doctor?
“If you have repeated or long-lasting headaches, we recommend that you see a doctor,” writes the guide. This is especially true when typical migraine symptoms occur, such as an excruciating, throbbing, one-sided headache that can last for several hours or even up to three days. Furthermore, characteristic side effects such as nausea, photophobia and increased sensitivity to noises and smells pointed to a migraine.
A doctor’s diagnosis might then help to treat these headaches successfully and in a targeted manner. “Of course there can be other reasons besides low temperatures for the skull to be buzzing,” says the guide. If a migraine attack occurs, painkillers or – in particularly severe cases – special migraine preparations can help.
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