Real or false health: can drinking water sometimes be enough to make a headache go away?

Real or false health: can drinking water sometimes be enough to make a headache go away?
Do you have a headache and your first instinct is to swallow a painkiller? However, in some cases, a simple glass of water could be more useful than a tablet. So, is drinking water really enough to relieve some headaches?

Verdict: TRUE.

It may seem surprising, but dehydration is one of the common causes of headaches. When the body lacks water, blood volume decreases. This drop in volume leads to a reduction in cerebral perfusion, likely to trigger headaches. In some cases, this phenomenon is also accompanied by nausea.

This is what explains some of the symptoms observed during a “hangover”. Alcohol promotes dehydration, which contributes to the appearance of headaches sometimes felt the next day.

Why is this idea important?

Because many people tend to systematically treat pain without investigating its cause. However, when a headache is linked to a lack of hydration, correcting this deficit is often the first action to adopt.

Be careful though: not all headaches are due to dehydration. Migraines, tension headaches, certain viral infections, stress or even high blood pressure can also cause sometimes intense pain.

Specialists therefore recommend asking questions about the context. Did you drink little during the day? Have you been exposed to heat?

Have you engaged in significant physical activity? These elements can point to an origin linked to lack of water.

In practice, in the event of a mild or moderate headache, it is advisable to settle in a calm environment, to rest and to regularly drink small quantities of water. The goal is not to drink a large amount at once but to gradually restore hydration.

When should you consult?

If the headache becomes unusual, persists despite simple measures or is accompanied by symptoms such as high fever, stiff neck, neurological disorders or severe vomiting, medical advice should be sought promptly.

A simple glass of water does not cure all headaches. But in some cases, it may be the first treatment to try.

Advice from Dr Gérald Kierzek

Each migraine sufferer is different, with their triggering or protective factors, so the best thing is to keep a migraine diary; and in the event of a headache during extreme heat or a heatwave, you should first think of dehydration or heat stroke, a situation where paracetamol is not the right reflex.