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What Alcohol Causes the Most Headaches and/or Migraine Attacks?
Understanding how long heroin addiction these headaches can last can help you take the necessary steps to prevent or manage them effectively. Studies have shown that alcoholic drinks act as a trigger for migraines in up to one-third of patients. When you consume alcohol, it can cause headaches due to factors. Alcohol is a diuretic that increases urine production and can lead to dehydration. Most of us can break down about one drink’s worth of alcohol each hour. They are thought to contain chemicals called congeners that add to ethanol’s harmful effects.
When to contact a doctor
Tension headaches feel like you have a tight band, like a headband, around your head. They feel different than a migraine and, in some cases, may feel different than a hangover headache. Women suffer from migraines at higher rates than men and experience the effects of alcohol more severely than men, so the combination is especially tenuous for women migraine sufferers. As the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism https://ecosoberhouse.com/ points out, hangovers usually have several symptoms.
Genetic factors
Making sure to drink plenty of water during and after alcohol consumption can decrease the chance of headaches. 2020 research shows that females are more likely to experience hangovers, memory problems, and liver disease from consuming alcohol. Alcohol-induced headaches generally resolve within 72 hours of onset, although they can and many do last for a shorter time period. While these headaches eventually do subside, it is important to talk to a medical provider about headache triggers and develop a plan to minimize them. The correlation between alcohol and migraines, though, might not be as strong as once reported.
- These chemicals include tryptamines, flavonoids, acetaldehydes, and congeners among others.
- In an open-bar situation, choose beer, wine, or a mixed drink made with a high-quality brand.
- The relationship between alcohol and anxiety is more complex than you might think.
- About 46% of all chronic alcohol users may eventually develop this condition.
- But as Waterhouse and Devi noted, there are many other phenolic compounds in grape skins and seeds — like quercetin — that are causing the hangovers.
- Individuals from different ethnic backgrounds may have variable sensitivity to alcohol.
- However, the scientists said there’s too few of an amount of biogenic amines in wine to cause brutal hangovers.
As we discussed earlier, not everyone is prone to alcohol-related headaches. For instance, people who experience alcohol headaches after drinking are likely to suffer the same each time they drink even if it’s after one drink. In addition, if you are prone to migraine headaches, then there is a high chance that you will have headaches after driving alcohol.
Can Alcohol Trigger Migraine Headaches?
Alcohol poisoning is a serious and sometimes deadly result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex. Red wine often gets the most blame, but beer can also have a significant impact. In fact, in one large survey on cluster headaches, beer was the most common culprit of all alcoholic drinks. After a night on the town, it’s easy to blame a headache on too much alcohol.
- Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient that’s found in all sorts of common foods, such as poultry, potatoes, and fruit.
- Many things can trigger a migraine, from stress at work to changes in the weather to foods like aged cheese.
- A chemical called N-acetyl-cysteine may be useful in detoxifying the body from acetaldehyde buildup, but this too is an unproven treatment.
- Researchers have found that people who experience unpleasant effects from drinking alcohol, such as headaches, tend to consume less alcohol or abstain from it altogether.
- These so-called hangover headaches differ from an immediate alcohol-induced headache, as they typically present as a more dull, throbbing sensation.
A sports drink with electrolytes is also helpful for this purpose. As dehydration can cause headaches, headache after drinking alcohol staying hydrated when consuming alcohol is key. Aim to drink plenty of water before, after, and during alcohol consumption. A 2019 study recognized alcoholic beverages, especially red wine, as a migraine trigger factor for people with migraine.
If a headache persists or worsens, visit a doctor for an examination and treatment recommendations. While there is some research on each possible reason why alcohol causes headaches, study authors have not definitively proven the link between the two. Meanwhile, 2020 research showed that 95% of participants experienced alcohol-induced headaches.
Mental Health Resources
- Because alcohol’s a diuretic — it causes your body to increase how much urine it produces.
- There are some health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption, but the key is knowing what types of alcohol cause your headaches, in what amounts, and what other factors might be involved.
- In addition, some people may be born with a genetic predisposition to developing worse hangovers than others.
- If a person takes acetaminophen while alcohol is in their system, it may worsen the toxic effects on the liver.
Drinking alcohol can also cause dehydration by affecting the kidneys, which regulate fluid levels in the body. Alcohol causes the kidneys to excrete more fluid, leading to excessive urination and further contributing to dehydration. This dehydration can cause a headache even after a small amount of alcohol. According to Harvard Health, people should avoid taking acetaminophen. If a person takes acetaminophen while alcohol is in their system, it may worsen the toxic effects on the liver.
Can I Prevent Headaches When I Drink?
Before consuming a cocktail, ask yourself if it is worth developing a headache over and ruining your celebration or holiday. If you develop a cocktail headache, stop drinking alcohol and go someplace where you can rest comfortably. Drink lots of water to rehydrate your body and help flush the alcohol from your system.