| "Weather triggers my migraines," I patiently | | | | records for the area that showed when the |
| repeated, to what seemed like the millionth doctor | | | | Chinook had been blowing. |
| in a long line of doctors. "Weather. Not alcohol, I | | | | 32 of these 75 participants suffered a migraine |
| don't drink. Not chocolate, I eat it all the time! I'm | | | | just before, or during, Chinooks. This is a very |
| telling you, I know when a storm front is two | | | | high percentage for a condition most physicians |
| days out. I know when it's snowing in Denver." | | | | until then had brushed aside as being 'all in the |
| The doctor looked at me with something | | | | patient's head'. Doctors finally started taking |
| resembling interest for the first time. | | | | patients seriously. |
| Imagine my surprise, and relief, when he said | | | | Most migraines that respond to medication can |
| "Yes, I heard that at a medical conference | | | | actually be averted if the dosage is taken at the |
| recently". "Changes in barometric pressure, eh? | | | | first warning signal that a migraine is about to |
| We might be able to do something about that." | | | | occur. Hopefully those whose migraines are |
| Well, he was the only doctor I'd ever met who | | | | triggered by weather changes can prevent a |
| said that, I thought. Things suddenly looked | | | | migraine attack by checking the weather |
| brighter. Although he hadn't promised a cure, at | | | | forecasts and taking preventive measures when |
| least he hadn't totally dismissed my theory... | | | | serious changes are ahead. |
| ~(Anonymous Migraine Patient) | | | | So far several other studies have been done that |
| Many migraine sufferers have attempted for | | | | seem to confirm the Canadian university's results. |
| years to tell doctors that they don't seem to | | | | Several other medical establishments, the Mayo |
| have any of the triggers on the migraine list; | | | | Clinic among them, ran their own study and said |
| rather, their vicious headaches seemed linked to | | | | the results were inconclusive.(*3) |
| weather patterns. This usually leads to skepticism, | | | | Many migraine sufferers are now having their |
| if not outright disbelief and dismissal of migraine | | | | symptoms acknowledged and treated, however, |
| claims. | | | | and can take steps to prevent or lessen the |
| Usually they then ask "Well, what sort of weather | | | | effects of weather triggered migraines. Medication |
| conditions cause your migraines?"?" | | | | is one possibility, with propranolol being the most |
| Problem with that question is, they don't like the | | | | popular preventive medication for weather related |
| answer: "Well, different kinds, really..." | | | | migraines. Other avenues include relaxation |
| It's not the weather, precisely, you see. It's the | | | | techniques, massage, aromatherapy or even |
| change in the weather. When it's hot, but the wind | | | | acupuncture or acupressure therapy. |
| picks up and the sky turns a funny color. When | | | | If you believe your migraine symptoms are |
| it's cold and clear and still as can be, but the | | | | weather related, start keeping a log of your |
| weekend forecast calls for snow. When it's so | | | | migraine attacks. Chart as much as you can as |
| humid you can hardly breathe, and the thunder | | | | often as you can; if your headaches turn out to |
| keeps rumbling but the rain just won't start. | | | | not be triggered by weather changes, you might |
| Some people get headaches when it's too hot or | | | | uncover another reason from data you collect, if |
| too cold, if it's storming, if the sun is bright, if the | | | | you include diet, sleeping patterns and stress |
| wind blows too hard. For most people, it is a | | | | levels as well. |
| shifting from one extreme to another - in | | | | Educate yourself by looking up various case |
| temperature, humidity level, or barometric | | | | studies and researching the different medications |
| pressure. | | | | and techniques available to prevent and treat |
| A 2000 study at the University of Calgary in | | | | migraines. You know your own body better than |
| Alberta, Canada tracked 75 migraine patients for | | | | anyone else; try to make it as healthy as possible |
| two years.(*1) A specific weather pattern known | | | | and figure out ways to cut down on stress in |
| as the Chinook is particular to the region; warm | | | | your life. Any migraine, whether the trigger be |
| westerly winds flowing into the area from late fall | | | | weather, food or hormone related, can be |
| to early spring can cause extreme changes in | | | | exacerbated by stress. |
| temperature and barometric pressure. There is a | | | | If you determine that your headaches are indeed |
| recorded instance of a temperature shift greater | | | | set off by weather patterns, take your logbook |
| than 100 degrees F in a single day, and winds of | | | | in with you to your doctor's appointment. This will |
| over 100 miles per hour have also been | | | | help you make your case if your doctor is a |
| documented.(*2) | | | | skeptic. Working with your Doctor, or even alone, |
| The migraine patients, aged 16 to 65, were asked | | | | this gives you the basis for planning to prevent |
| to keep a detailed log of the dates that they | | | | migraines, or at least minimize their severity. It is |
| suffered migraines, the time the headaches | | | | a relief even having someone acknowledge that |
| started and ended, and the severity of the pain. | | | | barometric pressure changes can be a migraine |
| The trial subjects did not know that the effect of | | | | trigger; knowing your enemy is half the battle |
| changes in barometric pressure was being studied. | | | | won! |
| A team of neurologists studied these records and | | | | (*1) BBC News Online: Health -- Wed, 26 Jan, |
| matched the dates in the logs with weather | | | | 2000 (*2) Wikipedia, from the Encyclop? |