Climate change may play a role in the frequency and severity of headaches, as rising global average temperatures and the associated increase in extreme weather events can trigger these common nervous system disorders.
About 45 million Americans, or one in six, complain of headaches each year, but many may not realize the potential link between their headaches and global climate change.
Climate Change and Headaches
Climate change impacts various weather patterns and leads to more frequent or intense extreme weather events, such as heat waves and hurricanes.
These events can cause significant stress, which can trigger headaches, particularly in individuals who are already susceptible to them.
Furthermore, severe weather events can disturb storage facilities for chemicals and other hazardous materials, potentially causing spills and leaks that can contaminate the soil, water, and air.
Exposure to these chemicals can trigger headaches in some individuals.
Climate change can also lead to changes in foliage and pollen, potentially exacerbating existing allergies or leading to the development of new ones. This can also lead to increased headaches in affected individuals.
A study by Holly Elser, MD, Ph.D., a Neurology resident at Penn Medicine, links an increase in emergency department visits for headache diagnoses to the occurrence of wildfires in California.
Advice for Headache Patients
Patients who experience headaches should monitor their symptoms, paying attention to whether they worsen on days with poor air quality.
It is easy to monitor air quality using smartphone weather apps or online resources, such as the National Weather Service.
The Role of Health Systems
Changing weather patterns can exacerbate many health conditions, not just headaches. Pollution associated with climate change can lead to poor sleep, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and increased rates of cancer.
Furthermore, experiencing severe weather can cause mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Clinicians and health systems should anticipate an increase in patient visits complaining of headaches or other associated symptoms following climate events like wildfires or flooding.
They should also consider environmental triggers when counseling patients, especially those living in areas impacted by increased wildfires.
Penn Medicine, in partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has created the Philadelphia Regional Center for Children’s Environmental Health (PRCCEH) to identify and protect children’s health from environmental threats, such as air pollution and toxic chemicals.
The impacts of climate change on human health, including the triggering of headaches, should not be underestimated.
The more the health community understands these impacts, the better it can develop proactive strategies to care for those affected as these events become increasingly common.
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The study was published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.
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