Cocktail Headaches: What They Are and How to Prevent Them

Others consider an evaluation period of 6 [12] or 24 h [13], while some affirm that headaches appear frequently the next morning/day [10, 14]. Due to the inclusion of many study designs, the risk of bias was evaluated using tools adjusted to the type of study. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were used for cross-sectional, cohort and case control studies [63]. According to the appropriate JBI checklist, cross-sectional studies had to be conducted on the basis of eight questions, case-controls had ten questions, while cohort studies contained 11 questions. 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.

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Talk with a doctor about ways to identify your migraine triggers and what to do if you develop these headaches. Brandy, red wine, and rum have the highest levels of congeners, while gin and vodka contain fewer of these chemicals. However, a 2019 study found higher rates of vodka consumption among drinkers with frequent migraine attacks.

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However, each patient makes individual decisions based on their own experience. Headache after a certain amount of alcohol is likely to induce behavioral reactions (i.e., alcohol-intake adjustment). Similarly, common beliefs may influence patients habits, e.g., the conviction that “red wine causes migraine”, even if studies present conflicting evidence [80, 81]. Consequently, it seems likely that people with migraine to some extent avoid alcohol, which can alcohol cause migraines would be one interpretation of our results. For this reason, people with migraine may gain unforeseen healthcare benefits, e.g., avoiding negative effects of alcohol consumption such as gastrointestinal cancers [82], which can be partially confirmed by Elser et al. [83]. These findings suggest that red wine contains a migraine-provoking agent that is neither alcohol (because vodka is pure alcohol) nor tyramine (for the negligible content in wine).

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In fact, low doses of alcohol can have a beneficial effect on patients such as migraineurs, who were reported to have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. First of all, the existing studies present data in a heterogeneous way, which may have led to inaccurate results, and do not provide an exhaustive array of information. Information on the gender of participants was unavailable for analysis. So, the question of who is drinking more with a primary headache is still to be addressed. Additionally, only a few of the studies divided participants into migraine with and without aura.

• Nineteen studies used questionnaire methods to assess drinking [36, 44–59, 61, 62].
• Moreover, there were significant trends of decreasing prevalence of migraine and non-migraine headache with the increasing number of alcohol units consumed [28, 31].
• High humidity and heat can easily lead to dehydration, another common trigger.
• To determine if drinking is one of yours, it’s helpful to learn the signs of alcohol-induced headaches.
• Preventing migraine begins with identifying and reducing or eliminating common migraine triggers such as alcohol, dehydration, and certain foods.
• Hence, papers that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded.

Keep a diary to understand your triggers

This is especially true for people prone to headaches or migraine without alcohol. Or you might be fine until after your blood alcohol level returns to normal. This type of headache can happen to anyone, but people with migraines are more likely to get one. It can happen even if you drink less than people who https://ecosoberhouse.com/ don’t get migraine headaches. Science hasn’t been able to prove the exact cause of red wine-induced migraine, but alcohol in general and certain compounds in red wine are linked to causing migraine attacks and headaches. The sudden onset of migraine means a dark room, bed, and a cool towel for most of us.

• Migraine is a disabling disease that no one should have to go through alone.
• Brandy, red wine, and rum have the highest levels of congeners, while gin and vodka contain fewer of these chemicals.
• In addition, another study reported a surprisingly higher correlation of spirits and sparkling wine to migraine attack, compared to other alcoholic drinks.
• Then again, in some groups, alcohol appears to have protective effects against headaches.
• However, if you still experience a migraine attack after drinking any kind of alcohol, the best solution is to avoid alcohol altogether.

Results of the logistic regression models of the log odds of migraine attack in relation to alcohol consumption. We all have triggers and stimuli that can put us over the threshold of what our bodies will take until an attack begins. When I’m going to be out, I always try to be prepared for a pending attack. Migraine is an individualistic and personal disease because it impacts us all differently. Overall, I feel more research and funding for migraine and headache disorders must be done. If migraine headaches continue to cause you grief, look beyond home remedies.

Data collection and measures

• If a headache persists or worsens, visit a doctor for an examination and treatment recommendations.
• If you think red wine is causing your headaches, try keeping a food journal to help you pinpoint your unique triggers.
• Statistically, males drink more alcohol than women and have more alcohol-related behavioral disorders [23].
• But if a cocktail with friends once in a while or a glass of wine with your dinner on Saturday night does not seem to trigger a bad headache, then it’s probably OK.
• More than a third of the participants said that alcohol had this effect, with about 78% naming red wine as the most common alcohol trigger.

Talking to a doctor and allergist may also help you pinpoint the food or drink giving you a headache. If you’ve called out red wine as a common headache trigger, it may be best to eliminate vin rouge from your drink cabinet altogether. Depending on your unique triggers, it’s possible that your diet could be contributing to your head pain. A variety of foods have been linked with the throbbing, pounding, nausea, and visual symptoms of migraines. Unfortunately, nothing can prevent reactions to alcohol or ingredients in alcoholic beverages.

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