Migralex Blog

Barometric pressure and headaches

Many headache patients report that just like arthritis sufferers they can predict rainy or stormy weather. A drop in barometric pressure seems to be responsible for these headaches. We can speculate that since the brain resides in an enclosed space (similarly to joints, which are also sealed within a joint capsule), drop in the pressure outside the skull makes the blood vessels in and around the brain expand, causing a headache.

Normally this should not happen because our blood vessels are very good at adapting to changing pressures, but headache sufferers are known to have impaired vascular control mechanisms. This means that headache sufferers are also susceptible to headaches caused by vigorous exercise, dehydration, and other factors affecting blood vessels. The good news is that opening and closing of blood vessels is controlled by muscles within the wall of the vessels and, like any other muscle, it gets stronger with exercise. As mentioned in a previous blog, cardiovascular exercise has been shown to reduce the frequency of headaches.

Frequency of exercise seems to be more important than the duration – I usually recommend 30 minutes, 4-5 times a week. Riding a stationary bicycle is often tolerated better than running because it avoids jarring of the head, which in some can also trigger a headache. Also, a stationary bike is inexpensive and occupies little space. Just make sure not to use it only as a coat hanger. As far as medications, besides the usual preventive drugs, such as beta-blocker, epilepsy drugs, and antidepressants, some patients with barometric pressure related headaches seem to respond to acetazolamide (Diamox). This is a water pill (diuretic), which is also used to treat mountain sickness.

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