Understanding your migraine triggers and avoiding them can be an important part of learning to manage migraines so you can live your life. However, if changes in the barometric pressure, temperature, or other atmospheric conditions — the weather — trigger your migraines, you may feel like there’s nothing you can do about it. We can’t change the weather, after all.
Although we cannot change the weather, Adam Learner, LAc and the staff at Family Acupuncture and Wellness may be able to help you develop tools to ease your symptoms or even avoid migraines due to changes in the weather. Knowing that the weather is a trigger for you is just the first step. Understanding how the weather triggers migraines can help you develop tools to manage your condition.
Just as some people can’t drink wine without a migraine but others can, different types of weather conditions can cause migraines for some people. One very common weather-related trigger is a change in barometric pressure.
When warm air and cool air mix, the barometric pressure — or atmospheric pressure — changes. This can cause wind, rain, and storms and, for some people, migraines.
Your sinus cavities are filled with air, and are air channels, where air moves in and out. When the barometric pressure of the air changes, it also changes the pressure in your sinuses. The change in pressure can disrupt the balance of fluid and air.
Other weather-related conditions can also trigger migraines, including:
It’s simply not possible to avoid the weather. However, you can do some things that can help. For example, keep sunglasses handy. You may want to keep several pairs, one in your car, one in your bag, one at work, and so on.
You should also keep your rescue medications nearby. Often, weather changes that trigger migraines occur without much warning, so having your medications at hand can be helpful.
If you expect the weather to change suddenly, be extra careful to avoid any other triggers. You may be able to have, say, cured meat without triggering a migraine now and then, but if the weather is potentially volatile, you should avoid things that sometimes, but don’t always, act as triggers.
One of our specialties at Family Acupuncture and Wellness is helping you learn to manage stress. It’s so easy for providers to advise patients to lower their stress levels, but we understand exactly how difficult that is to do. And we know exactly how important it is for a person with a chronic health issue, like migraines.
We can help you develop personal stress-busting habits, and we offer proven stress-relieving modalities such as acupuncture and massage. Keeping your stress under control is a crucial element in avoiding weather-related migraines.
One of the most important things you can do is talk to a professional who is well-versed in treating migraines and, together, come up with a plan. Our staff at Family Acupuncture and Wellness knows the sudden onslaught of a migraine can disrupt your life, painfully, inconveniently, and frustratingly. When you come to see us, we will suggest treatments to address your overall health, designed to work within the context of your life.
Schedule your appointment today.
