Impact of Barometric Pressure Changes on the Severity, Frequency, and Duration of Migraine Attacks: A Systematic Review of the Literature

TL;DR

This paper reviews whether changes in barometric pressure affect how often, how badly, and how long migraines last, finding some evidence for frequency but not duration.

Contribution

A systematic review of 14 studies evaluating the specific impact of barometric pressure changes on migraine frequency, severity, and duration.

Findings

Some studies found significant associations between barometric pressure drops/fluctuations and increased migraine frequency.

No consistent evidence was found linking barometric pressure changes to migraine severity or duration.

Study quality was limited by methodological variability and potential biases.

Abstract

Migraine is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions, characterized by painful headache attacks accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia, and sensory-visual disturbances. Multiple factors are considered potential triggers, including weather conditions. This review aims to evaluate and synthesize existing literature on the impact of barometric pressure changes on migraine severity, frequency, and duration.

This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After defining eligibility criteria, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Relevant studies were screened, and data were extracted using a predefined spreadsheet. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational, Cohort, and Cross-Sectional Studies.

Of the 979 records identified, 14 (1.4%) studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 2,696 participants aged 11 to 70 years. Most participants were female, 2,372 (87.9%). The majority of studies focused on adults and were conducted in geographically limited regions. All studies examined barometric pressure as the primary exposure, but methods for measuring pressure changes, assessing migraine severity, timing, and data sources varied substantially. Findings were inconsistent: several studies reported significant associations between pressure drops or rapid fluctuations and increased migraine frequency, fewer found associations with severity, and none identified a link with migraine duration.

Some evidence suggests a link between barometric pressure drops or fluctuations and increased migraine frequency. However, associations with migraine severity remain unclear, and no evidence supports a relationship with attack duration. The overall quality of existing evidence is limited by methodological weaknesses and potential biases, including heterogeneity in measurement methods, population characteristics, and study design. Further high-quality research, using standardized assessment tools and diverse, larger populations, is warranted to clarify the relationship between barometric pressure changes and migraine characteristics.

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