Study: Lightning, Thunder Linked To Increased Risk Of Headaches
CINCINNATI, Ohio (CBS Cleveland) – If raindrops keep falling on your head, there’s a chance that a headache could be on the way.
New research has linked the proximity of thunder and lightning to the likelihood of getting a headache. Vincent Martin, a researcher from Cincinnati University, told Cephalagia, the journal for the International Headache Society, that when lightning happens within 25 miles of people, the risk of getting a headache goes up by 31 percent. When there’s thunder, the headache risk goes up by 28 percent.
“Electromagnetic waves from lightning could trigger headaches,” Martin told Cephalagia. He added: “Lightning also produces more air pollutants and can cause release of fungal spores that might lead to migraine.”
As part of the study, researchers looked at a sample size of 90 people with the average age of 44 living in Ohio and Missouri. These people were self-described headache sufferers. As part of the research, they recorded their headaches in a journal for three to six months.