Alcohol Can Trigger Headaches and Migraines

Research shows that people with migraine may also experience related symptoms during a hangover. Reducing or eliminating alcohol may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. It may also help eliminate triggers that tend to co-occur with drinking, such as dehydration and sleep deprivation. The type of alcohol does not seem to affect whether a person gets a headache. While red wine has been described as a dominant trigger of migraines and cluster headaches, white wine, champagne, sparkling wines, and beer have also been linked to headaches.

• However, these individuals were not more vulnerable to other hangover symptoms.
• If, after keeping track, you become convinced alcohol is the problem, then it’s now time to identify the symptoms.
• If you do notice a pattern, especially with particular types of alcohol over others, you may choose to avoid the offending drinks.
• Alcohol is responsible for creating a relaxing effect on the blood vessels.

However, the type of alcoholic beverage that triggers these headaches is not clear. Having another drink may temporarily curb withdrawal symptoms and make you feel better. But unless you intend to keep drinking, the alcohol levels in your body will eventually drop, causing a headache anyway. And, of course, continuing to drink to avoid hangover symptoms can increase your risk of alcohol dependence in the long run. The migraines tend to start within three hours of consuming alcohol. Sometimes, migraines don’t plague patients until the next morning, just as their blood-alcohol content level is back to normal.

Hangover Headache Symptoms

These chemicals include tryptamines, flavonoids, acetaldehydes, and congeners among others. These chemicals usually have a connection with headaches as they interact with the brain chemicals leading to headaches and even migraines. One study showed that 300ml of red wine provoked headaches in red wine-sensitive individuals, while a drink of vodka with an equivalent alcohol content did not have the same result [20]. Ethanol is clear and colorless with a sweet flavor and a smell that some people find pleasant. When a person drinks an alcoholic beverage, the ethanol is quickly absorbed in the stomach.

• However, a 2019 study found higher rates of vodka consumption among drinkers with frequent migraine attacks.
• Congeners additionally increase probability of an alcohol-induced headache [17].
• If ADs are capable of triggering practically all primary headaches, they should act at a common pathogenetic level.
• Additionally, missing your morning coffee can lead to a caffeine withdrawal headache.

Many people confuse this with a regular hangover until the intensity of the migraine sets in. As we have discovered from looking at the types of alcohol-induced headaches, can alcohol cause migraines you may experience one from as little as three hours after drinking alcohol. Moreover, people who drink alcohol may not drink as much water, intensifying the water loss.

How Alcohol Triggers Headaches

The frequency estimates vary widely based on the study approach and population. In fact, prospective studies report a limited importance of ADs as migraine trigger. If ADs are capable of triggering practically all primary headaches, they should act at a common pathogenetic level. The mechanisms of alcohol-provoking headache were discussed in relationship to the principal pathogenetic theories of primary headaches. In this study we focused on the role of alcohol as a potential trigger of migraine attacks within 24–48 h after consumption.

Observations with missing information in any of the independent variables were handled with listwise deletion, that is, only complete cases were used for parameter estimation. At least one small study has shown some hangover treatment benefits from an over-the-counter remedy that contains milk thistle, thiamine, and antioxidants, but more research is needed. Certain supplements and herbal remedies have been touted as hangover remedies, but there is no solid evidence backing up this claim.

How Much Alcohol Does It Take To Cause A Headache?

Furthermore, remember that your weight, age, and body composition also affect alcohol metabolism. The older you are, the harder it is for your body to metabolize alcohol. Alcohol stimulates the pancreas to produce toxins that can cause pancreatitis.

Among these, 787 were ≥18 years old who tracked ≥90 days with ≥75% adherence. Of these, 651 met the criterion for EM retrospectively, and 493 reported drinking alcohol. Another 6 individuals were excluded because they never tracked alcohol consumption. The final sample size was 487 individuals, who collectively contributed data on 43,830 diary days, of which 9578 were migraine days and 5913 were the first days of a migraine attack.