How to Prevent Summer Migraines During Extreme Heat

An estimated 39 million Americans live with migraines, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Excessively hot weather can trigger symptoms and lead to attacks.

In tonight's Health Minute, Mandy Gaither spoke to a neurologist about how to avoid summer migraines and headaches.

The heat, humidity, and changes in barometric pressure can all negatively affect the brain—particularly for those prone to migraines.

“That is a critical trigger for those who have migraines. It will bring on migraines. It will worsen headaches for those who suffer from underlying headache conditions,” said Dr. Emad Estemalik with the Cleveland Clinic.

Dehydration is also a common trigger during summer. Dr. Estemalik advises staying fully hydrated and identifying personal triggers to avoid them. He also recommends limiting sun exposure, getting quality sleep, and not skipping meals. Alcohol and certain foods can also provoke an attack.

“You want to avoid some of the food triggers that can bring on the migraines, just because you don't want to have another component or another trigger that can worsen it,” said Estemalik.

He also says if you've been prescribed rescue medication, keep it nearby—and take it early when symptoms begin. But he warns against overusing painkillers.

“If you do that for an extended period of time, say a week or two, it can actually sometimes fire back. We call that rebound headache or medication overuse headache. And before you realize, you could be in an ongoing cycle of headache that tends to be a little bit more difficult to break at times.”

For Health Minute, I'm Mandy Gaither.