Alcohol & Migraines: Can Drinking Cause a Migraine Headache?

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Sober living

December 19, 2022

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Most of us can break down about one drink’s worth of alcohol each hour. They are thought to contain chemicals called congeners that add to ethanol’s harmful effects. Preventing migraine begins with identifying and reducing or eliminating common migraine triggers such as alcohol, dehydration, and certain foods. A person should try keeping a migraine diary for a few weeks to observe trends in their headache patterns. Most studies point to red wine as a common headache culprit, particularly in people with migraine. These individuals commonly cite wine, especially red wine, as a migraine trigger.

Types of Alcohol-Related Headaches

• Grape skins also contain plant chemicals called tannins, which help give wine its flavor.
• Alcohol-related headaches can be a frustrating experience, especially for those who live with migraine.
• Some people only sip a glass or two of wine before their head starts to throb.
• Gatorade or other fitness drinks may be better than water alone, but there is no scientific proof.

If you think you may have migraine, these answers to common questions can help you further investigate this possibility with a doctor. The American Migraine Foundation is committed to improving the lives of those living with this debilitating disease. To learn more about all of your migraine treatment options, visit the AMF Resource Library. For help finding a healthcare provider, check out our Find a Doctor tool. If alcohol only occasionally causes you a headache, then moderation or striking that balance (as opposed to abstinence), may be a more reasonable approach. Drinking plenty of water before having a drink should also help ward a cocktail headache off.

What Is a Hangover Headache?

It can’t prevent a migraine, but it can help stop one after it starts. Triptans work best when you take them at the early signs of a migraine. Still, they can cause serious health risks for many people. Alcohol can cause two different types of migraine headaches. You might have heard that red wine is most likely to cause problems. But other drinks like sparkling wine, beer, and hard liquor may be just as likely, if not more, to cause problems.

Are there any effective treatments?

These genes may affect the likelihood of experiencing symptoms such as headaches after drinking small amounts. Feeling sick after just one drink could also mean that you’ve developed an allergy to something in that drink. Sulfites are often used as a preservative to make the alcohol last longer, while also helping to prevent contamination from bacteria or other microorganisms. An allergy to any of these ingredients can cause nausea, as well as rash, swelling, stomach cramps, and difficulty breathing. Some believe that pain is related to expansion of the blood vessels within the lymph node triggered by exposure to alcohol in the bloodstream.

Additionally, it is important to communicate with your doctor if you experience any adverse effects or if the medication does not seem to be working as expected. This Diagnosis & Treatment page walks you through next steps after a diagnosis. alcohol causes migraines You could also search our Resources Library to learn more about symptoms, triggers and treatments. Treatment options vary, from acute treatment to relieve symptoms to preventive treatment to reduce the number of attacks you experience.

How to avoid or treat alcohol-related headaches

What Are the Symptoms?