Migraine Headache - Can Solar Flares Affect It?

Solar flare. A sudden, short burst of energy. The sun’s surface releases a gust of hydrogen gas - radiation and energetic particles - magnetic energy equivalent to tens of millions of hydrogen bombs exploding at one time. The release lasts a few minutes or a few hours, hurling plasma into space at many hundreds of kilometers per second. Electrons and protons accelerate. The particles crash into the solar atmosphere, their kinetic energy changing into X-rays and gamma-rays. And this affects you how?

Solar flares = migraine headaches. At least, some people believe they do. But are “some people” right in this case? Is there a link between solar flares and migraine headaches?

Magnetic Stirrings

Scientists know that magnetism affects humans and other animals. Magnetism is thought to be the reason a bird can find its way back and forth along a migratory route. Magnetism may explain a dog or cat finding its way “home” after being moved to a location many miles from its birthplace. Magnetism is thought to have healing powers, and is used for back pain and other complaints. Magnetism can affect migraine headache, too, it is said.

The sun affects the amount of magnetism here on Earth. When the sun flares, magnetism increases.

So solar flares and migraine headaches may have a connection.

Hospital Records

Solar flares and migraine headaches have been linked by some hospital records. That is, the geomagnetic activity of solar flares has been linked to migraine headaches.

Hospital records reveal that, on days when geomagnetic activity is high, more patients with severe migraine headaches arrive. Since that is true, doctors and nurses prepare for migraine headache patients when solar flares occur.

Studies indicate that the relationship of solar flares and migraine headaches is strong. (”Geomagnetic Activity and the Severity of the Migraine Attack”, A. Kuritzky et al, “Headache” February 1987, pp 87-89)

Many who suffer migraine headaches say their personal journals prove that migraine headaches are triggered by solar flares.

More Research Needed

Are solar flares and migraine headaches linked? There is proof that solar flares cause disturbances in the human body, but researchers don’t know yet whether they are one of the causes of migraine headaches. More research is needed.