Can Lack of Water Cause Headaches?

can lack of water cause headaches

Can lack of water cause headaches? Many people do not realize this, but dehydration can actually cause a headache. People with dehydration headaches typically experience pain in the whole head and face. In addition to the pain, these people may experience fatigue, dizziness, and confusion. In addition, their heart rate may increase and they may experience nausea. Fortunately, most dehydration headaches are temporary and can be treated by drinking more water.

Although it is not easy to measure dehydration and hypohydration in patient office visits, researchers have gotten close by looking at the prevalence of migraines and the duration of these attacks. Dehydration is characterized by a loss of body mass, increased urine and plasma osmolality, and urine specific gravity. Unfortunately, most headache studies do not take these measurements. A small 2005 randomized pilot study investigated the effects of drinking 1.5 liters of water per day on headache hours. People who drank more water during the study reduced their number of headache attacks and acute medication use. However, quality of life did not improve.

Fortunately, dehydration headaches are usually short-lived and resolve within 3 hours of drinking water. However, if you’re already dehydrated, a glass of water is not enough to alleviate the pain. Don’t drink too much water too quickly, or you may experience vomiting. Instead, drink a glass or two of water slowly and suck on ice cubes to help hydrate yourself.