Many of us know that weather changes bring on migraines. Is it true? A new research reveals that an increase in weather temperature is the biggest weather-related headache trigger. To be more specific, every 9 degree Fahreinheit increase in temperature raises the headache risk by 7.5 %.

Harvard researchers examined the records of 7,054 emergency room patients who were treated for migraines at Beth Israel Deaconess between 2000 and 2007. They tried to observe the association between the number of headache cases and levels of temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. The team also looked at the pollution level.

According to the study, the most significant trigger that caused a migraine was whether a particular day was higher than expected regardless of the time of the year. “Warmer days were associated with higher risk, even in the winter,” the researchers noted.

The researchers found no association between migraines and low-pressure systems. Lower pressure was associated with a small increase in risk for non-migraine headaches.

As for the third factor taken into consideration, the results did not reveal a strong association between air pollution and migraine risk. At the same time, researchers found that the automobile exhaust pollutant nitrogen dioxide was responsible for a borderline effect on non-migraine headaches. Previous studies found an association between air pollution and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness, such as asthma.

According to estimative reports, nearly 28 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, perhaps as many as 17 percent of women and 6 percent of men. Migraine treatment consists in painkillers, biofeedback and newer drugs that relieve swelling in the brain.

However, some studies note that women with a history of severe headache have a 30% lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who do not suffer such attacks, the research has shown. Experts suggest that migraine treatments may be responsible for this reduction rather than migraine itself.

Hormones also play a role in migraines, as migraines occur more frequently in women than in men. They are often triggered by low levels of the hormone estrogen, an element that is known to stimulate hormonally sensitive breast cancer. Women who suffer from migraines may have lower levels of estrogen.

Migraine sufferers report that, from their experience, red wine, chocolate, menstrual cycles and lack of sleep may trigger their migraines.
“This magnitude of excess risk is obviously modest and may not be an important factor in the clinical management of individual patients, given the many other potential triggers of migraine that patients face,” the researchers said.

The study is published in the journal Neurology. It was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health and Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency.