Why Do I Get a Headache After Drinking a Small Amount of Alcohol? Sunset Alcohol Flush Support

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junio 20, 2023

Even though your pain is legit, there’s no concrete scientific link between migraine and red wine. Compared to other types of alcohol, red wine’s relatively high tannin and histamine content may play a role in headaches and migraine. There is some evidence that vitamin B6 taken before drinking can be mildly helpful. An anti-inflammatory drug called tolfenamic acid has been shown to be somewhat helpful when taken during alcohol consumption. While this drug is not available in the U.S., other related medications, including ibuprofen, naproxen, and prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be similarly helpful. However, when combined with alcohol they might increase the risk of stomach bleeding.

What drinks are bad for migraines?

Beverages that are high in caffeine may trigger your migraines. This includes drinks like coffee, tea, and soda. While a moderate amount of caffeine can alleviate your headache, too much can have the opposite effect, triggering a migraine.

Is there something in your routine that facilitates more drinking, like friends who drink or routines that involve alcohol? Do you see more anxiety or depression before or after a night of drinking? If so, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about the amount you drink and formulating a plan.

Study population and groups

Understanding the basics of your symptoms is the first step towards treating yourself and returning things to normal. If none of the preventative measures above work or you didn’t know alcohol triggered migraines until after the fact, there are still options available to you. However, if you already have a headache, it is a good idea to stop drinking. If both stress and alcohol are migraine triggers for you, combining them won’t do you any favors. In addition to this, people are sometimes more likely to drink more when they are feeling stressed and a little reckless.

why does alcohol cause migraines

One 2014 study in The Journal of Headache and Pain found that people who went on a vegan diet experienced less pain during their headaches than they had on their normal diet. Plant foods contain anti-inflammatory compounds, but the researchers also note that their subjects lost weight during the study—and obesity in particular has been linked with migraines, according to some research. However, in other countries (France, Italy) white wine (in France also champagne) is viewed as the major culprit [5, 6]. In addition, another study reported a surprisingly higher correlation of spirits and sparkling wine to migraine attack, compared to other alcoholic drinks.

Is alcohol or another component of the drink the trigger?

Ethanol is also a diuretic, meaning it increases urination, which then leads to electrolyte loss and dehydration. Dehydration causes brain cells to contract temporarily, also resulting in headaches. Ethanol is found in every alcoholic drink, and is a key reason why any form or amount of alcohol may contribute to headaches.

  • For help finding a healthcare provider, check out our Find a Doctor tool.
  • If you have other hangover symptoms, like nausea or dizziness, in addition to your headache, then the likely cause of your headache is alcohol.
  • Those suffering from an immediate alcohol headache will likely feel a pulsating sensation, usually on both sides of the head.

If alcohol is a confirmed trigger for your migraine, then avoiding alcohol is the best solution. If you’re unsure whether alcohol is triggering your migraine, keep a detailed migraine journal that includes any foods and alcohol consumed throughout the week. This will be a valuable resource for you and your doctor to start identifying more specific migraine triggers. According to The American Migraine Foundation, 10% to 15% of migraine sufferers are sensitive to monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG, a high-sodium seasoning.

Alcohol and migraine: trigger factor, consumption, mechanisms. A review

This dilutes the effect of alcohol in your system and reduces the chance of alcohol triggering a headache or migraine attack,” he says. Delayed alcohol-induced headaches, aka hangover headaches, often show up the next day. And that hangover can evolve into a migraine attack that can last for days. Additionally, alcohol consumption decreases the level of B vitamins in the body, which can make headaches worse. Supplementing with Vitamin B12 or B6 before or after drinking may improve symptoms. Histamine has been known to cause headaches for almost 100 years.² When it enters the bloodstream it dilates blood vessels, which leads to headaches.

  • It may also be helpful to keep a food journal to help narrow the list down of food and drink triggers.
  • However, a few negative experiences cannot justify the media and scientific information on alcohol as a major headache trigger and the suggestion of abstinence.
  • If alcohol is a headache trigger for you, think before you drink.

If you do develop an occasional cocktail headache, soothe your discomfort with rest, a tall glass of water, and an over-the-counter painkiller. A more recent 2019 study also highlighted histamines as a culprit Selecting the Most Suitable Sober House for Addiction Recovery for migraines. Alcohol not only contains histamines, it can also cause your body to create them. For people prone to migraines, even the smallest amount of alcohol can be enough to ruin a fun night out.

Alcohol relaxes your blood vessels.

Advanced headache clinics focus on finding triggers and best medication combinations –  for each patient. Knowing what to avoid, finding the right medications, and having clear records for your care team is the key. If you’ve been drinking heavily for a long time, good nutrition is even more important. If you’re sensitive to one or more of these, you may get a pounding headache after only a small amount of beer. If you are sensitive to one or more of the ingredients in beer, you may get an instant headache from consuming it. However, it should be noted that, according to Scientific American, the vasodilator effect of alcohol reverses when you drink higher levels of alcohol.

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