There are several causes of alcohol-induced headaches; some occur within hours of drinking an alcoholic beverage and others occur the following day. Hangover is a major cause of alcohol-related headache. Other triggers include nonalcoholic ingredients contained in alcoholic beverages, health issues and changes in the physiological state of the person consuming the alcohol.
Is it the Alcohol or Something Else?
Joel Saper, M.D., director of the Michigan Headache and Neurological Institute, reports for ABC News/Health that drinking different brands or different hues of the same type of alcoholic beverage, determines whether you will get a headache. For example, drinking red wine causes headache while consuming white wine usually does not. Clear liquors, such as vodka and gin, are less apt cause a headache than beer or dark liquors, like rum. Saper says genetics play a role in some headaches attributed to alcohol. Based on previous experiences with headaches, the sight, smell or taking a sip from an alcoholic beverage causes the brain to respond by initiating a headache.
Nonalcoholic Ingredients
According to Saper, artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, cause alcohol-induced headaches by rapidly elevating blood alcohol levels. Tyramine, a compound found in red wine, triggers migraines. Toxic compounds called congeners, which occur in alcoholic beverages as part of the fermentation process, also cause headaches. “Current Drug Abuse Reviews” attributes the most devastating hangovers to bourbon, which has the highest congener content. Vodka, with practically no congeners, does not elicit the same effect as bourbon. Alcoholic beverages containing high levels of congeners include red wine, brandy, rum and tequila. Gin, white wine, Scotch and light-colored beer are virtually congener-free.
Dehydration
Alcohol works like a diuretic. Ethanol, a toxic component in alcohol, triggers frequent urination, which results in dehydration. Excess urination flushes out electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, needed to maintain your body’s chemical balance. Headaches occur as the result of this imbalance. Dehydration is a serious condition that can ultimately lead to death. Saper suggests you drink water and sports drinks containing sugar, salt and minerals to counteract electrolyte imbalance before and after consuming alcohol.
Health-Related, Alcohol-Induced Headaches
Alcohol triggers headaches in people suffering from a problem known as cluster headaches. This type of headache follows a distinct pattern of cluster periods – days, weeks or months during which these headaches occur. According to FamilyDoctor.org, alcohol-induced cluster headaches occur with the first drink; therefore, it is advisable to avoid alcohol during cluster periods to reduce the possibility of triggering a headache. Alcohol-induced headaches also affect allergy sufferers. According to “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” drinking alcoholic beverages that cause the release of histamine, which initiates headaches in patients with histamine intolerance. Just one drink containing alcohol brings on a headache for migraine sufferers.
References
- ABC News/Health; Alcohol, Headaches and Hangovers; Joel Saper, M.D.; Dec. 26, 2006
- “Current Drug Abuse Reviews”; The Role of Beverage Congeners in Hangover and Other Residual Effects of Alcohol Intoxication: a Review; D. J. Rohsenow and J. Howard; June 2010
- FamilyDoctor.org; Cluster Headaches; September 2010
- “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”; Histamine and Histamine Intolerance; Laura Maintz and Natalija Novak; May 2007
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