Stepped outside when the air pollution levels were at their peak and felt a pounding headache? Air pollution doesn’t just harm your lungs, but it can also affect the brain too, which triggers severe headaches and even migraines.
Understanding how air quality impacts our health is so crucial, especially in cities where pollution levels regularly rise above safe limits.
The Link Between Air Pollution and Headaches
According to the Global Burden of Disease study, headaches are one of the top causes of disability globally and rank third in terms of years lived with disability (YLD), after low back pain and depression.
Air pollution gets into our bodies in more ways than you’d think. It can sneak in through your nose, settle in your lungs, or slip right into your bloodstream. Once these pollutants are inside, some of them stir up trouble. They trigger inflammation and set off cytokines-those brain-affecting chemicals. That fires up the brain’s immune cells, which just makes everything worse: more inflammation, more stress on brain cells, and damage to neurons that can build up over time.
Air pollution and migraine
As you must be aware, migraine can be triggered by many common factors such as stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes during menstruation or pregnancy, fatigue and much more. Changes in weather and loud environmental noise can also trigger migraine. Some with migraines are particularly sensitive to weather, especially higher humidity during warmer months from April to September.
If you’re exposed to air pollution even for a short term, that has a chance of triggering your migraine. Pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, coarse particles (PM10), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone can trigger migraines in individuals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines state that the annual average level of fine particles in the air (PM2.5) should be between 10 and 25 micrograms per cubic metre, with the same limits for a 24-hour period. But in many regions, including parts of Eastern and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, air pollution levels often exceed these recommended limits.
Air pollution and headache
Air pollution is a rapidly growing health concern in India. In 2019, 21 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world were in India, and 13 of the 20 cities with the highest levels of air pollution globally were Indian. That year, approximately 1.67 million deaths were attributed to air pollution, primarily caused by outdoor fine particulate matter (PM) and indoor air pollution.
A research study by Lawrence A and Fatima N from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, found that indoor air pollution correlated with symptoms of headache, depression, bronchial asthma, and dizziness.
How to get rid of headaches caused by poor air quality
On days when the pollution levels are high, try to stay indoors as much as possible and keep the windows closed. Consider taking OTC pain relievers, which can provide temporary relief from the headache pain. Drink loads of water and rest well if you feel a headache coming on. Wear a mask when stepping outdoors, especially when you’re near traffic or crowded areas. Keep High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter air purifiers, as these are highly effective against many pollutants.