Headaches, including migraine, are treatable with the right combination of medication and lifestyle adjustments. This prospective study looked at migraine diaries spanning up to 90 days. Wine, beer, and spirits did not elevate the risk of migraine with aura, but sparkling wine did. A tendency toward migraine may also play a role in hangovers, especially hangovers that cause migraine-like headaches.

Does alcohol trigger a headache?

Drink lots of water to rehydrate your body and help flush the alcohol from your system. A sports drink with electrolytes is also helpful for this purpose. But if you’re prone to migraine headaches, why does alcohol give me a migraine you’ll need to be careful about how much you drink. A 5-ounce glass of wine (or 12 ounces of beer or a 1.5-fluid-ounce shot) may be OK every now and then, so long as it doesn’t bring on a headache.

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If you do notice a pattern, especially with particular types of alcohol over others, you may choose to avoid the offending drinks. Hangovers occur when the alcohol levels in your blood drop significantly—frequently the morning after you drink. Hangovers can affect pretty much anyone who has had too much to drink. Red wine is the type of alcohol most often reported as a headache trigger. Tannin, a component in red wine, has been long considered the culprit.

What Alcohol Causes the Most Headaches and/or Migraine Attacks?

Alternatively, an inpatient program where you stay at a treatment center may be a good decision if you need a more structured environment. The best program for you depends on your personal preferences and needs. Talking with a recovery expert can help you make https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-great-tips-for-being-sober-around-drinkers/ the right decision. Alcohol dependency poses a significant health concern across the United States, impacting up to 10% of adults across the country. If a person has an alcohol use disorder, it can lead to severe health, social, and financial consequences.

Because your body views alcohol as a toxic substance, it’s perfectly normal to experience a headache from drinking alcohol. Alcohol’s effects on your body include dehydration, inflammation, reduced sleep quality, and the buildup of toxic substances—all of which can give you a headache. This type of headache is known as the ‘cocktail headache’ and comes on shortly after taking an alcoholic drink. This type of headache is less common, but many people may notice the symptoms developing within 3 hours of drinking.

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• Always drink responsibly—which includes minimizing the chances that alcohol will affect your migraine.
• While in some cases it is likely the presence of alcohol itself, it is also possible that specific components of different alcoholic drinks act as triggers.
• To add to the confusion, even known headache triggers aren’t universally reliable.
• Drinking alcohol is a trigger for migraine in some people – one study found around a third (33%) of people who get migraines are sensitive to alcohol.4 Others react to hunger, or certain foods.

Other effects of drinking alcohol