How to Prevent the Rise of Migraine Attacks in Autumn

To prevent migraine attacks that become more frequent in the autumn months, limiting your time outdoors during days with the heavy Lodos wind, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and drinking plenty of water can make a huge difference. Because sudden pressure changes in the air affect brain blood vessels and trigger severe throbbing, tracking your personal triggers during seasonal transitions can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of your attacks.

• The Lodos wind and sudden temperature drops are the most common environmental factors that trigger autumn migraines.
• Changes in barometric pressure cause blood vessels in the brain to expand, creating pain.
• Resting in a dark, quiet room, keeping a consistent sleep routine, and avoiding trigger foods are effective ways to prevent attacks.
• If you experience severe, sudden-onset headaches accompanied by neurological symptoms like numbness, you should seek emergency medical help without delay.
• Neurology specialists can evaluate your condition to create personalised preventive and acute treatment plans.

What Are Seasonal Headaches and Autumn Migraines?

Migraine is not just a simple headache; it is a neurological condition where the brain shows extreme sensitivity to environmental changes. Our brains love routine. Sudden changes in sleep hours, diet, or weather can act like an alarm system for individuals with migraines, initiating an attack. Autumn is naturally the season when change is felt most intensely. As summer ends, shortening days, fluctuating temperatures, and shifting wind directions cause seasonal headache complaints to peak.

The underlying mechanism for the increase in autumn migraine attacks is the brain struggling to adapt to changing external conditions. Fluctuations in air pressure, specifically barometric pressure, stimulate sensitive receptors in the inner ear and brain membranes. These stimuli activate the trigeminal nerve network in the brain, leading to the release of pain chemicals. The physical and psychological transition experienced during the autumn months makes this neurological sensitivity even more pronounced.

Does the Lodos Wind Cause Headaches? Causes and Risk Factors

Especially for those living in and around Istanbul, autumn means the beginning of the Lodos winds. Many patients rightly wonder whether this strong south-westerly wind causes headaches. Medical data and clinical observations show that Lodos can directly trigger migraine attacks. Lodos brings a warm, humid, and low-pressure air mass. A sudden drop in barometric pressure causes blood vessels in the brain to dilate, initiating throbbing headaches.

However, pressure change is not the only effect of the Lodos wind. The dust, pollen, and various particles carried by these winds can irritate the respiratory tract, creating fullness in the sinuses. Furthermore, the increase in the positive ion load in the atmosphere during Lodos days leads to fluctuations in serotonin levels, the hormone responsible for happiness and pain control in the brain. This sudden drop in serotonin is one of the strongest chemical foundations for a migraine attack to begin. The start of the school year in autumn, the stress of returning to the city, and increased time spent indoors are also among other significant risk factors.

Migraine Symptoms Seen in the Autumn Months

Migraine attacks triggered in autumn usually manifest in four different stages, and symptoms can vary from person to person. The first stage, which occurs hours or days before the attack begins, is called the prodrome. During this period, a person may experience excessive yawning, cravings for sweets, neck stiffness, irritability, or unexplained fatigue. This is followed by the aura stage, seen in about one-fifth of patients. During an aura, temporary neurological symptoms such as seeing flashes of light, zigzag lines, or tingling in the arms and hands occur.

When the actual attack phase begins, a severe, throbbing pain usually settles on one side of the head. This pain is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and smells. During this time, the person may become unable to perform daily tasks and feel the need to lie down in a dark room. In the postdrome phase after the attack ends, patients often feel as if they have just weathered a storm. For more detailed information about the mental fatigue and difficulty focusing experienced during this recovery process, you can review our article titled What is Brain Fog? Symptoms and Mental Cloudiness Treatment.

How is a Migraine Diagnosed?

A migraine diagnosis is made by listening in detail to the patient's complaints and performing a neurological examination, rather than relying solely on blood tests or imaging methods. Your doctor will ask when your headache started, how long it lasted, the character of the pain, and any accompanying symptoms. According to international headache criteria, pains lasting 4 to 72 hours that are unilateral, throbbing, aggravated by physical activity, and accompanied by nausea or light sensitivity are generally evaluated as migraines.

One of the most important tools in the diagnostic process is a headache diary. Having the patient record the days the pain occurs, the foods and drinks consumed, the weather, and sleep patterns makes it easier to identify triggers. Imaging methods like brain MRIs or CT scans are requested not to diagnose migraines, but to rule out other serious conditions that could cause pain, such as brain haemorrhages, tumours, or aneurysms. Since autumn migraines can often be confused with sinusitis pain, it is essential that the correct distinction is made by a specialist doctor.

How Do Migraine Attacks Subside and What Are the Prevention Methods?

The answer to how migraine attacks subside is divided into two main approaches depending on the severity and frequency of the attack: acute treatment and preventive treatment. Acute treatment aims to stop the symptoms as soon as the pain begins. Special migraine medications and painkillers are used for this purpose. Taking the medication as soon as the pain starts, while it is still mild, greatly increases its effectiveness. Resting in a dark, quiet, and cool room, applying a cold compress to the head, and gently massaging the temples provide relief during an attack.

Preventive treatment, on the other hand, is applied to patients who experience more than four attacks a month or whose attacks are very severe. The goal of this treatment is to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks through regular daily medication use. Alongside medical treatment, lifestyle changes play a critical role in prevention. Staying indoors on days with strong Lodos winds, drinking plenty of water, not skipping meals, and maintaining a regular sleep schedule are the most effective measures. To understand the effects of sleep disruptions on headaches, you can also check out our content Is Oversleeping Harmful? Causes of Excessive Sleepiness.

Risk Groups and Possible Complications

Migraine is a disease with a strong genetic predisposition; people with a family history of migraines have a much higher risk of developing the condition. It is seen about three times more frequently in women than in men due to hormonal fluctuations. Menstrual periods, pregnancy, and the transition to menopause are times when attacks become more frequent. Those working in stressful jobs, having irregular shifts, and consuming excessive caffeine are also in a high-risk group.

The biggest complication of an untreated or poorly managed migraine is the disease becoming chronic. Experiencing a headache for more than 15 days a month is called chronic migraine and severely reduces the quality of life. Furthermore, unconsciously using painkillers for every headache eventually leads to the emergence of a new and more resistant type of pain called medication-overuse headache. To avoid entering this vicious cycle, the use of painkillers must be under the supervision of a physician.

When to See a Doctor and Emergencies

Not every headache is a migraine, and some symptoms can be harbingers of life-threatening conditions. If the character of your current migraine pain has changed, if it is much more severe than before, or if it no longer responds to the treatments you are using, you should definitely consult a neurology specialist. Additionally, headaches that appear for the first time after the age of 50 and increase with coughing, sneezing, or straining require a detailed examination.

• If the worst headache of your life starts suddenly in seconds like a thunderclap,
• If the pain is accompanied by speech impairment, loss of strength in an arm or leg, or facial drooping,
• If there are signs such as high fever, stiff neck, confusion, or seizures,
• If a headache develops after a head trauma or fall, you should call the 112 emergency call centre without delay or visit the nearest hospital's emergency department.

Diagnosis and Treatment Process at BHT CLINIC Neurology Department

For your seasonal headache and migraine complaints, the BHT CLINIC Neurology Polyclinic is at your service with its expert staff for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan. When you visit our hospital, a detailed neurological examination is first performed, and your headache diary is reviewed. When deemed necessary, imaging tests are quickly carried out with our advanced technology MRI and CT scanners to rule out other diseases.

Once a diagnosis is made, a personalised treatment plan best suited to your lifestyle and pain frequency is created. For severe migraine attacks that cannot be controlled at home, our 24/7 emergency department provides special intravenous acute treatments to rapidly stop your pain. To experience a healthy and pain-free autumn, you can book an appointment without delay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Lodos wind affect migraines?

The Lodos wind causes sudden drops in air pressure, leading to the dilation of blood vessels in the brain. It also alters the ion balance in the air, affecting serotonin levels in the brain, which directly triggers migraine attacks.

How long do headaches last during seasonal transitions?

Migraine attacks triggered during seasonal changes generally last between 4 and 72 hours. However, as long as weather fluctuations continue, the frequency of attacks can remain high for several weeks.

What should I eat and drink during a migraine attack?

Because the digestive system slows down during an attack, heavy and greasy foods should be avoided. Drinking plenty of water, or consuming ginger tea or peppermint tea can help alleviate nausea and relax the body.

Do painkillers completely cure migraines?

Painkillers and specific migraine medications are effective in ending an attack, but they do not completely eliminate the disease. Excessive use of painkillers in those who suffer frequent attacks should be done carefully, as it can cause the pain to become chronic.

What is good for migraine pain at home?

Lying down in a dark, quiet, and cool room and applying a cold compress to the head and neck are the most effective methods you can use at home. Additionally, trying to sleep and applying gentle circular massages to the temples can reduce the severity of the pain.

This article is for informational purposes only; please consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment.