A slice of cheesecake or pizza can do far more damage for some people than others. Over the years, research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption may provide health benefits over total abstinence. In spite of this, there are some people for whom combining alcohol with a tendency toward migraines. Patients often make this decision after experiencing a strong connection between alcohol and migraines firsthand. Fortunately, beer is fairly low in congeners, especially the lighter varieties. You can find the most congeners in dark alcohols and liquors such as red wine, whiskey, scotch, and more.

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Menstruation was found to increase the likelihood that food and drinks would be more likely to trigger an attack. This is linked to the threshold theory, or Bucket Theory, where a stacking of triggers will induce a migraine attack. Additionally, keeping a diary to track your triggers and being mindful of other factors like stress and sleep can be helpful.

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For example, wine may be a trigger for some but whiskey may not have an influence. However, if you still experience a migraine attack after drinking any kind of alcohol, the best solution is to avoid alcohol altogether. This data suggests that there may be a misperception that drinks containing alcohol cause migraine attacks. This indicates that people with migraine and other headache diseases may be more likely to give up alcohol because they perceive it as a possible migraine trigger. In addition to red wine, other alcoholic beverages, including beer, white wine, and liqueur, have also been reported as headache triggers. The type of alcohol does not seem to affect whether a person gets a headache.

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These clear liquors are less likely to trigger migraines than their darker counterparts. If you do drink vodka or gin, be sure to avoid any sugary mixers as they can also trigger headaches. How do you know if beer is one of the types of alcohol that can trigger an attack for you? Test to see if alcohol (beer, wine, clear liquors, bourbon etc.) is a trigger by consuming a modest amount and then waiting 30 minutes to 3 hours to see if a migraine attack https://ecosoberhouse.com/ ensues. While there is no magical alcohol that doesn’t cause headaches when consumed in excess, alcohol does vary tremendously from manufacturer to manufacturer. Top-shelf brands not only taste better but may also be less likely to prove a migraine trigger.

• People who experienced migraine with alcohol were more likely to have migraine with aura and to experience more migraine days and more frequent attacks.
• People who experience a headache after drinking should not assume that it is a migraine attack, especially if they have symptoms consistent with other types of headaches.
• If you develop a cocktail headache, take care to rest and nourish your body with water, electrolytes, and a healthy fruit or vegetable snack if possible.
• If alcohol is a confirmed trigger for your migraine, then avoiding alcohol is the best solution.

Instead, does beer cause headaches researchers suggest that alcohol as a trigger is more of a personal reaction — common in certain types of headaches — than a general effect. When alcohol is a trigger for one’s usual primary headaches, the pain usually occurs within three hours of alcohol consumption. One of the more interesting migraine facts is that triggers are additive. If you wake up after a night of drinking with an attack, it doesn’t necessarily mean the beer is to blame.

So, if quercetin causes headaches, are there red wines without it? Unfortunately, the data available on specific wines is far too limited to provide any helpful advice. However, grapes exposed to the Sun do produce more quercetin, and many inexpensive red wines are made from grapes that see less sunlight.

• Sulfites have been a popular scapegoat for all sorts of ailments since it became mandatory in the 1990s to label them on wines in the US.
• It not only increases the likelihood of a hangover but also sours the taste of beer, especially home-brewed varieties.
• As many migraine sufferers can attest to, sometimes it just takes one glass of wine or even a sip.

Can Alcohol Trigger Migraine Headaches?

You also put yourself at a higher risk of an immediate alcohol-induced headache, which may put a damper on your evening. By taking proper precautions before alcohol consumption, you can avoid symptoms such as a hangover the following day. You also reduce your chances of more serious problems such as alcohol poisoning.

These are by-products of the fermentation process, and they’re found in higher concentrations Sober living home in dark liquors. Congeners can also include chemicals like histamine, which can trigger migraine attacks and headaches. Migraine attacks can be debilitating, and most people who experience them will do anything to find relief. Avoiding personally known triggers can be a useful way to reduce the number of potential attacks. Alcohol is a common trigger for migraine attacks, but some types may be less likely to cause problems than others.