Can Alcohol Trigger Migraines and Other Headaches?

Possible answers were “Yes”, “No”, “Unclear” or “Not applicable”. If a cross-sectional study received seven or more positive answers, a case–control eight and a cohort study nine, ten or 11, their assessments were described as having a low risk of bias. A high risk of bias was reported when a cross-sectional study received five or fewer “yes” responses, a case–control fewer than six and a cohort study below seven.

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. One of the key culprits behind alcohol-induced headaches is the way alcohol affects blood vessels in the brain. When you consume alcohol, it causes blood vessels to expand or dilate, leading to increased blood flow. This dilation can trigger headaches, especially in individuals who are more prone to migraines or have a sensitivity to changes in blood vessel size. Additionally, alcohol can also cause dehydration, which further exacerbates the headache-inducing effects.

In a study published in 2018, 77.8% of patients reported red wine as a trigger in general, with 8.8% of patients noting it as a consistent trigger. If you have chronic headaches, identifying and avoiding your triggers can substantially improve your quality of life. To determine if drinking (which may have a weaker correlation with migraines than previously thought) is one of yours, it’s helpful to learn the signs of alcohol-induced headaches. When alcohol is a trigger for one’s usual primary headaches, the pain usually occurs within three hours of alcohol consumption. Alcohol’s exact role in triggering a migraine isn’t fully known.

Although any type of alcohol can trigger a migraine, people who experience regular migraine attacks cite red wine as the most frequent culprit. Because your body views alcohol as a toxic substance, it’s perfectly normal to experience a headache from drinking alcohol. Alcohol’s effects on your body include dehydration, inflammation, reduced sleep quality, and the buildup of toxic substances—all of which can give you a headache. Not drinking enough can alcohol cause a headache water throughout the day or consuming dehydrating substances like alcohol or caffeine before bed can lead to a dehydration-triggered headache, explains Dr. Li.

• In cross-sectional studies, six out of the 11 had a high risk of bias 46–48, 51, 56, 60, because they received fewer than 6 positive answers.
• Of course, like all medications, they have their own side effects.
• To learn more about all of your migraine treatment options, visit the AMF Resource Library.
• Then, consider exploring more treatment options with our other free resources.
• The mechanisms of alcohol-provoking headache were discussed in relationship to the principal pathogenetic theories of primary headaches.

Can alcohol give you a migraine attack?

The response to alcohol varies from person to person, and there is no alcohol that absolutely will not cause a migraine or other headache. Alcohol increases urination, which can lead to dehydration, and people who drink alcohol may not drink as much water, intensifying the water loss. It may also trigger headaches related to headache disorders, such as migraine. Around 30% of people who experience recurrent migraines report alcohol as a trigger, and 10% of patients cite it as a frequent or consistent trigger. The mechanism through which alcohol can trigger these distinct headache disorders is not well understood.

If you’re interested in connecting with more people in the migraine community, we recommend joining our Facebook support group, Move Against Migraine. There, you will find a wonderful community of people who are ready to listen and lift each other up. If your support system is lacking, consider joining a support group.

Assessment of risk bias

A detailed description of the steps performed during study selection is presented in Fig. To reduce the likelihood of developing headaches after consuming alcohol, it is important to choose high-quality alcohol, moderate consumption, avoid mixing drinks, and opt for clear spirits. Understanding personal tolerance levels, including factors like age, metabolism, body weight and composition, genetics, and health conditions and medications, is crucial in managing alcohol-induced headaches. By implementing these strategies, individuals can enjoy alcohol responsibly and minimize the risk of experiencing headaches. Like food triggers, the likelihood of a particular type of alcohol triggering a headache is probably different from person to person.

They can check if your current treatment is still working or help you find a better option. In people living with obesity, sleep apnea may occur because the weight of some fat deposits puts extra pressure on their upper airway. However, since other causes of OSA don’t involve a diagnosis of obesity, the relationship may be more complicated. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

People who get migraine attacks during or after drinking should consider reducing or eliminating alcohol. If they find this too challenging, they may have alcohol use disorder, which warrants treatment. Preventing migraine begins with identifying and reducing or eliminating common migraine triggers such as alcohol, dehydration, and certain foods.

Commonly Used Acute Migraine Treatments

Acetaminophen is toxic to the liver, compounding alcohol’s effect on the organ. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) refers to the amount of alcohol in your blood in relation to the amount of water in your blood. Two people can have the same blood alcohol levels, but their BAC will differ.

Other types of headaches, including severe headaches, can occur as a result of alcohol consumption. People who find that alcohol (often in any amount) triggers their migraines might limit their alcohol consumption or take note of when their alcohol intake prompts a headache. They should talk to a medical provider about these triggers in order to minimize their headaches.

Usually, most patients find that laying down in a dark and quiet room is helpful. Medication is often needed to reduce the debilitating headache. Sometimes people get by with just over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and sometimes we use medications that target the blood flow changes related to migraines. The more traditional prescribed medications for aborting or stopping a migraine once it’s already started are called triptans and they target blood flow dynamics but they do not work for everyone. Some patients cannot take them due to medical contraindications such as uncontrolled hypertension or history of stroke.

It can’t prevent a migraine, but it can help stop one after it starts. Triptans work best when you take them at the early signs of a migraine. There’s no proof that drinking raw eggs or downing hot sauce will get rid of your morning-after migraine faster. Downing more alcohol (the “hair of the dog” theory) won’t help either. Many things can trigger a migraine, from stress at work to changes in the weather to foods like aged cheese. And for about one-third of people who have migraines, alcohol is also a trigger.

Additives in different types of alcohol

In later sections of this article, we’ll look at why certain specific alcohols are more prone to cause post-drinking headaches. Principles Recovery Center has over 30 years experience in treating substance abuse, and are equipped to treat addicts with underlying co-occurring mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Our drug & alcohol treatment center offers clients access to detoxification at our partner facilities, along with partial day, IOP and outpatient rehab. As mentioned previously, alcoholism has been linked to a large number of health conditions. In terms of headaches, alcoholism and alcohol use, in general, have been linked to cluster and tension headaches. Principles Recovery is dedicated to educating our clients and their families about addiction and what it can potentially do to a person.

How much alcohol consumption is too much?

This is because dehydration reduces blood flow to the brain and causes the brain’s pain receptors to become more sensitive, resulting in a headache upon waking. The most common type of headache caused by alcohol is the delayed headache, which is seen to occur around 12 hours after drinking alcohol. While similar symptoms to the immediate headache are experienced, this type of headache is usually a more dull, throbbing pain.

• Whilst many people do not suffer any side effects from ingesting tannins, there are some who find them to be a source of their headaches.
• It lowers levels of GABA—making you feel less calm—and boosts glutamate, which increases anxiety.
• Over the years, research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption may provide health benefits over total abstinence.
• The mechanism through which alcohol can trigger these distinct headache disorders is not well understood.

If you’re working with a medical professional to determine why you get headaches, it’s important to look at every possible trigger, including alcohol. As you may recall, any kind of alcohol will eventually dehydrate you. Dehydration is one of the reasons why you get a headache after drinking.