Throbbing or sharp head pain is a common complaint this time of year in Arizona after monsoon storms hit. Is this pain caused by the storms or is the timing just a coincidence?
Phoenix doctor Natasha Bhuyan confirms that this head pain can actually be caused by the heavy rain storms. The change in atmospheric pressure at this time of year can frequently cause people to experience “throbbing, sharp pain, stabbing pain, even pressure on the side of their head,” says Dr. Bhuyan.
Monsoons cause a drop in barometric pressure which causes an increase in patients with migraine headaches. Experiencing this “monsoon migraine,” as Dr. Bhuyan calls it, is perfectly normal.
“About 40 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches and half of them have said they’ve been triggered by weather changes,” she says.
Unfortunately singing “Rain, rain, go away” isn’t going to make the storms leave. Aside from completely leaving the state, it’s hard to avoid the Arizona monsoons; however, Dr. Bhuyan does have two recommendation to help ease your monsoon migraine.
The first thing you can do to help ease your symptoms is to properly identify what’s ailing you to get the correct treatment. Many patients don’t realize the cause of the painful pressure in their head is a migraine. The dust kicking up can cause people to experience nasal congestion and pressure behind their eyes in addition to having an awful headache. This range of symptoms leads people to believe they have a sinus infection, when in reality they just have a migraine.
“If you think you have a migraine or a sinus infection, if you think it’s just a tension headache, it’s good to see a doctor, because the treatments are different for all of them,” Dr. Bhuyan says. Trying to treat a sinus infection when you’re plagued by a migraine won’t be as effective.
Another way to minimize the pain caused by the monsoon season is to follow the boy scout motto and “always be prepared.” Regularly check weather reports so you can be prepared and minimize the chance of getting a migraine. Head tension is less likely to occur is you drink plenty of water and the proper amount of sleep before a storm.
Monsoon migraines are a real problem and not just a crazy coincidence. Fortunately, if you make sure to properly identify your symptoms and be prepared prior to storms hitting, you can minimize the pain.
