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Review
. 2024 Apr;28(4):181-187.
doi: 10.1007/s11916-024-01216-8. Epub 2024 Feb 15.

Whether Weather Matters with Migraine

Affiliations
Review

Whether Weather Matters with Migraine

Delora Elizabeth Denney et al. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2024 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Many patients with migraine report their attacks are triggered by various weather anomalies. Studies have shown mixed results regarding the association of migraine to weather changes. The purpose of the current review is to compile the most up-to-date research studies on how weather may affect migraine. In addition, we explore the association between weather and other inflammatory disease states as well as neurotransmitters.

Recent findings: Migraine attacks can be related to weather variables such as barometric pressure, humidity, and wind. However, the results of recent studies are inconsistent; weathers' effect on migraine attacks is around 20%. However, very strong weather factors have a more significant effect on migraine attack variables. Many individuals identify weather as a migraine attack trigger, yet we see no causative relationship between weather and migraine patterns. The outcomes of studies indicate mixed results and reflect individual variation in how weather can impact migraine patterns. Similar relationships can be seen with other rheumatologic and pain conditions in general. Overall, the combination of weather plus other factors appears to be a more significant migraine trigger.

Keywords: Headache; Migraine; Pain; Weather.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Figure 2 from [4] demonstrating increased c-Foss-positive cells in the superior vestibular nucleus as well as lateral vestibular nucleus of the medulla oblongata after 2 h exposure to low-pressure (A1, B1, C1, and D1) and under control (A2, B2, C2, and D2)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trigeminal vascular system [6]

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