Some people call it the “October Slide.” As the nights grow colder and the days grow darker, everything from drops in barometric pressure to daylight saving time can make people feel, well, under the weather.
While it’s not an official medical condition, many people report symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, achy joints and – the one thing Danielle Wilhour, MD, can attest to – headaches rising up as the changing leaves begin to fall.
“There are more doctor visits and ER visits for headaches both in the spring and the fall,” said Wilhour, a CU Anschutz headache specialist and School of Medicine assistant professor of neurology.
Most headaches have a seasonal pattern that can be influenced by weather changes, she said, citing an analysis of web browser data that showed the highest number of searches for headaches were in October, November and February.
Wilhour shared more about fall headache triggers in the following Q&A.