Why migraine after sun exposure

You never want to step out unprotected if sunlight is painful. Protect your eyes with polarized sunglasses. The polarization minimizes the amount of glare and reflection that enters the eyes. It also makes the lenses inherently darker—both of which can reduce migraine attacks and headaches. Bonus tip : Find a frame that has a wraparound protection and can block peripheral light from sneaking in and causing you pain. If a quality pair of polarized sunglasses are not enough, exposure to the blue light of the sun may be the culprit.

To combat it, you can purchase a pair of tinted TheraSpecs FL sunglasses. These not only remove a high proportion of all light like normal sunglasses, but they also remove the most painful wavelengths. TheraSpecs frame styles also add many protective features, making them a great remedy for headaches that result from too much sun exposure. Make sure heat exhaustion or something more serious is not causing your head pain. As dehydration is also cited as a common migraine trigger, you want to drink plenty of water especially if you are outside for an extended period of time.

It might also be worth investing in ice packs or cooling vests to regulate your body temperature during hotter periods. While they won't remove the sensitivity to sunlight, these simple tips will keep it from getting worse. If you know exercise or certain foods are also triggers, you will want to steer clear of them while you're outside as these could just enhance your likelihood of a headache or migraine attack.

Numerous studies have shown that treating the underlying condition will help alleviate many of the corresponding symptoms. Taking your migraine medication, especially in the early stages of an attack, can often keep the sunlight, your headaches and other issues at bay.

Photophobia is so common in migraine that it is one of the symptoms that health care practitioners rely on when making a diagnosis. Between attacks, many people with migraine are more sensitive to light than those without migraine. Light and other visual stimuli also can trigger migraine attacks: for example, flickering or pulsing lights, repetitive patterns, glare, bright lights, computer screens, TV, and movies.

Fluorescent light contains invisible pulsing, which is likely why so many report it as a migraine trigger. Tension-type headache can also cause photophobia during and between headaches. However, individuals with tension-type headache are generally less sensitive to light than those with migraine. During a series, cluster headache can cause light sensitivity both during and between attacks. Between cluster series, those with cluster headache have the same levels of photophobia as those without a headache disorder.

Photophobia is the most common visual problem reported by people with traumatic brain injuries TBI. TBI can also cause a person to feel ill when exposed to fluorescent lighting, according to the International Brain Injury Association.

Fluorescent light-induced symptoms can include headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, eye strain, eye fatigue, and increased sensitivity to visual input. Although photophobia is hemicrania continua, SUNCT short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing , and other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias have not been studied extensively, photophobia is a known symptom of the headache disorders in this group.

Any source of light can cause photophobia. Researchers have found that blue-green light can be particularly problematic because of the innate sensitivity of the pain-sensing cells in the eye. Blue-green light is everywhere, from artificial lighting like compact fluorescents, device and computer screens, and even sunshine, in studies comparing tints.

The tint that migraine glasses, such as TheraSpecs, use called F, filters those wavelengths thus reducing migraine attacks and providing the most relief for photophobia. No medications target photophobia specifically, but finding an effective treatment for your headache disorder could also reduce your sensitivity to light. Research has found eyewear with precision-tinted FL lenses is the most reliable—and the only side-effect-free—way to treat photophobia.

When worn regularly, precision tinted FL lenses can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks by filtering the light most likely to be a trigger.

Because FL filters the wavelengths that cause the most pain responses for individuals with photophobia, the tinted glasses can provide relief no matter the reason why a person is sensitive to light. As mentioned, some wavelengths of light are more likely to activate the eye and brain, causing pain and eyestrain. Furthermore, fluorescent lights pulse very rapidly.

Although that rate is too fast to see consciously, the brain is still receiving the pulsing signals from the eye. At home, keep your meds in a cool, dark place. If you have questions about what forms of exercise are most appropriate for you, check with your doctor. Make lists. Delegate chores to family members. Make travel reservations well in advance.

Be sure your car is serviced before traveling. Take time to relax. This will help you stay healthier, and staying healthier will help your body resist headache and migraine triggers. It is important to be observant of triggers but not obsessive about triggers, as sometimes just the stress of trying to avoid triggers can lead to headaches.

Summer is a time with many opportunities for family and fun, vacations and getaways. When we take care of ourselves, we can keep more of the fun in summer. Skip to content. Tips for Avoiding Summer Migraines and Headaches. Be respectful and careful of the sun. Beware of fragrance in summer products. Try not to stray too far from your routine.

Take care of your medications. Check your exercise routine.