While the exact reasons why alcohol triggers headaches are still not fully understood, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk and enjoy a drink without pain. 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.

The headache culprit: Quercetin, a flavanol

But other drinks like sparkling wine, beer, and hard liquor may be just as likely, if not more, to cause problems. Hangover headaches are common enough, but they can have an impact on daily life. It has been suggested that a tendency to experience alcohol-induced headaches could be genetic. Migraines in general have been linked to variations in genes, especially those that regulate blood flow to the brain. Often, alcohol-induced headaches also have characteristics that resemble your usual headaches, such as migraines, because alcohol is a trigger for these chronic headache conditions.

Data extraction

• Only few studies 46, 48–50, 52 provided the data about the period in which alcohol drinking was considered and measured.
• “As the holidays are coming around, this comes up a lot at my clinic because people really enjoy having a glass of red wine,” Pace said.
• It also looks at ways to manage the other symptoms of a hangover and when to contact a doctor.
• The advice she gives them depends on the severity of their RWH, Pace explained.
• If alcohol only occasionally causes you a headache, then moderation or striking that balance (as opposed to abstinence), may be a more reasonable approach.
• Then, the results were compared by researchers and duplicates were removed.

Having too much alcohol at one time can lead to alcohol poisoning. If untreated, alcohol poisoning can have long-term consequences or may even result in death. Your body metabolizes a typical serving of alcohol (about 16 fluid ounces) in the course of an hour or so. This is because distilled, dark-colored drinks like whiskey, bourbon, and brandy contain large amounts of congeners.

• Waterhouse said that’s because the drug also causes the toxin to build up in the body when normally an enzyme in the body would break it down.
• If ADs are capable of triggering practically all primary headaches, they should act at a common pathogenetic level.
• Most people are well aware of the presence of headache, malaise, diarrhea, loss of appetite, tiredness, nausea and sensitivity to light, sound and motion the day after binge drinking.
• Scientists will next compare red wines that contain a lot of quercetin with those that have very little to test their theory about red wine headaches on people.
• Then, 142 conference abstracts, 100 reviews, four book chapters and 42 unretrieved studies were not taken into further consideration.

More in Finding Relief from Migraine

Red wine is the type of alcohol most often reported as a headache trigger. In a study published in 2018, 77.8% of patients reported red wine as a trigger in general, with 8.8% of patients noting it as a consistent trigger. Staying hydrated and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum can decrease the chance of experiencing a headache. Individuals who experience severe headaches after drinking alcohol may also avoid alcohol altogether. However, the type of alcoholic beverage that triggers these headaches is not clear.

Relationship between alcohol and primary headaches: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Such headaches can occur while you are drinking, or a few hours after—even if you’ve had as little as one drink. If you experience migraine headaches after drinking alcohol, it may be best to avoid alcohol. Talk with a doctor about ways to identify your migraine triggers and what to do if you develop these headaches. The type of alcohol does not seem to affect whether a person gets a headache. While red wine has been described as a dominant trigger of migraines and cluster headaches, white wine, champagne, sparkling wines, and beer have also been linked to headaches. Criteria to recognize habits for alcohol consumption was various in almost each study.

• ADs have been reported to trigger the principal types of primary headaches.
• Some studies found that red wine is a main trigger in migraine with aura and cluster type migraine, but they also note that all alcohol could have the same effect.
• With Thanksgiving fast approaching, many of us rely on a glass (or two) of red wine to keep us going through the family festivities.
• Although headaches can be painful and interfere with quality of life, in many cases, they are not caused by a potentially serious medical condition.

More than half of those who experience cluster headaches say that alcohol is a trigger. This article explains why hangover headaches occur, especially in people with underlying migraine disorders. It presents some home remedies to treat your headache until the hangover passes. If you are experiencing headaches every day, it’s essential to keep a headache diary and seek medical advice if the headaches continue. A healthcare professional can help you determine your headache type, possible triggers, and treatments to relieve your symptoms. If your headaches are continuing even with medication and avoiding triggers, it might be time to consult a healthcare provider.

Other primary headaches

A migraine each time you what causes headaches from alcohol have a night out should be a good reason to abstain. But if you’re prone to migraine headaches, 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. If it does, you’ll need to drink less or stay away from all alcohol. After a night on the town, it’s easy to blame a headache on too much alcohol.

How does alcohol affect the brain and the rest of the body?

This article looks at whether a person can cure a hangover headache, its causes, and possible remedies. The best way to avoid developing a headache after consuming alcohol is to drink in moderation. However, if a person does develop a headache, there are ways to help manage the pain. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and staying hydrated may help get rid of a hangover headache.

Hangover headache

However, these painkillers can increase acid release and potentially irritate the lining of the stomach. According to the National Headache Foundation, a person can also consume oral rehydration solutions to help manage dehydration. Oral rehydration solutions contain the correct amounts of glucose and electrolytes to help a person rehydrate more quickly. Sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea are also symptoms of a hangover and can lead to further dehydration.