Does Acid Reflux Cause Headache? 6 Facts From Research.

Ever find yourself dealing with both heartburn and a pounding head? You might be scratching your head wondering if there’s a connection. While headaches aren’t typically flagged as a main symptom of chronic acid reflux (GERD), some research hints at a possible link. 

Let’s dive into what might be going on and tackle some common questions that might be swirling in your mind.

Questions We’re Going to Tackle:

• How often do headaches occur with acid reflux?
• Is there a link between acid reflux and headaches?
• Does treating acid reflux make headaches disappear?
• What can you use for headaches when dealing with acid reflux?

How Often Do Headaches Pop Up with Acid Reflux?

So far, there isn’t rock-solid proof that acid reflux straight-up causes headaches. Yet, some studies have spotted a connection between headaches and gut troubles like GERD. But keep in mind, research here is still kinda sparse and doesn’t always agree.

Some Studies That Hint at a Connection:

• A big study from Norway with 43,782 folks found more headaches among people with acid reflux. Their risk of headaches was over twice that of healthy peeps (odds ratio of 2.4).
• A study in the U.S. looked at 1,832 migraine sufferers and noticed more GERD and heartburn in them.
• A research from Iran involving 1,956 participants found headaches were strongly linked with GERD.
• Another study from 2019 found migraines were pretty common in GERD patients—about 71.6% (78 out of 109 patients) had migraines.
• More research showed migraines were more frequent in folks with GERD (26.8%) compared to those with tension-type headaches (10.7%).

Is There a Connection Between Acid Reflux and Headaches?

If you ask your doc about headaches and acid reflux, you might not get a straight answer. Headaches aren’t officially recognized as a symptom or complication of acid reflux (source). Still, there are some ideas floating around that might explain a possible link:

1. Your Brain’s Pain Threshold

Some conditions like functional heartburn and reflux hypersensitivity make you feel heartburn without actual acid reflux happening. It’s thought that your brain might be extra sensitive to pain, so you feel discomfort when most people wouldn’t. This could be why some folks get both headaches and heartburn (source).

Find out more about functional heartburn and reflux hypersensitivity

2. Issues with the Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) runs the show for things you don’t consciously control—like your heartbeat, digestion, and sensations. If something’s off with your ANS, it can mess up digestion (leading to GERD) and how you feel pain (causing headaches). Things like diabetes, Parkinson’s, or heavy drinking can mess with your ANS.

Get the scoop on symptoms of autonomic dysfunction

3. Blood Vessel Quirks

Weirdness in your blood vessels can lead to migraines (source), and might also cause gut issues like acid reflux. Problems like abnormal widening, narrowing, or inflammation of blood vessels could be a shared culprit.

4. Pain That Travels

Pain from your gut can sometimes be felt in other spots, like your shoulders, neck, or even your head. So, pain from your esophagus could be felt as a headache (source).

5. Food Allergies

Food allergies are a hot topic. They can cause gut symptoms like heartburn and also things like headaches. When you’re allergic, your body releases histamine, which can dilate blood vessels and trigger headaches.

Foods That Might Be Trouble:

• Aged cheeses
• Artificial sweeteners
• Chocolate
• Nuts

Learn more about food allergies causing headaches and acid reflux

6. Medications Might Be the Culprit

Some meds you take for headaches or acid reflux might actually cause the other problem. NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and diclofenac can irritate your stomach and cause acid reflux. On the flip side, meds like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used for acid reflux have been linked to headaches.

A big study in Taiwan with over 300,000 people found that using PPIs upped the risk of acute headaches by 1.4 times within a week of starting them.

Does Treating Acid Reflux Make Headaches Vanish?

We don’t really know for sure if fixing acid reflux will make your headaches go away. Some small studies hint that treating GERD might help with headaches, but others suggest that some acid reflux meds could actually cause headaches.

Like, there was this tiny study in the U.S. with just two patients—they had migraines linked to tooth pain from reflux, and when they got anti-reflux treatment, their migraines totally disappeared. But as we mentioned before, PPIs (which treat reflux) have been tied to more acute headaches.

Everyone’s different, so it’s super important to chat with your doc to figure out what’s best for you.

What Can You Use for Headaches When Dealing with Acid Reflux?

A lot of headache meds, especially NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil) and diclofenac, can mess with your stomach and make acid reflux worse. So, if you’ve got reflux, it’s best to steer clear of these.

What’s Safe to Take:

• Paracetamol (Acetaminophen or Tylenol): This one’s generally okay for folks with acid reflux.
• Talk to Your Doctor: It’s a good idea to chat with your healthcare provider to figure out what’s best, especially if you get migraines or bad headaches.

Find out more about taking NSAIDs safely

Dealing with both acid reflux and headaches can be a bit of a puzzle. While there’s no definite proof that one causes the other, there’s some interesting stuff out there that suggests they might be connected in ways like how your brain handles pain, issues with your nervous system, blood vessel problems, referred pain, food allergies, or even the meds you’re taking.

If you’re wrestling with both of these issues, it’s a smart move to sit down with your healthcare provider. Together, you can dig into what’s going on and come up with a game plan that’s just right for you.

Check This Out Too:

• Can Stomach Ulcers Cause Headaches and Dizziness?