Wine, Beer, and Headache Tips

There have been a lot of news articles lately about wine and headaches. Last year we talked a bit about the different theories about why wine may – or may not – trigger headaches or migraine attacks.

There are also a lot of tips out there to help you avoid alcohol induced headaches in general.

For example, Dr. Seymour Diamond has recommended drinking two strong cups of coffee before you move on to alcohol. A little bit of honey in the coffee also may help, because the fructose in the honey helps the alcohol metabolize faster.

Trying something different may also help – some suggest a lighter coloured wine, or white instead of red. Also try wines that are lower in sugar.

Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa recommends a nondrowsy antihistamine prior to drinking wine.

But most of the advice seems to actually be – drink less. This includes not only simply avoiding alcohol, but also drinking water before you drink anything else – or alternating between water and alcohol.

Drinking water afterwards may help with the hangover, according to Dr. Dan Small.

With all the advice, remember that headaches related to alcohol have a number of causes. For example, if you get a headache right after drinking, it’s something different than the next-morning-hangover. If you have headaches like this, or any new headaches or symptoms, don’t just blame it on the drink – talk to a doctor who knows your medical history.

Have you tried any of this, or other advice? What have you found to be helpful?