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Dehydration Headaches: Causes and Prevention

What does a dehydration headache feel like?

Because headaches are a common symptom of many different conditions, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out whether the pain in your head is being caused by dehydration or by something else. Pinpointing the location of your headache pain may offer some clues.

Dehydration headaches may cause pain on all sides of your head, while a migraine may only cause intense pain on one side of the head and will often be accompanied by symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or light and sound sensitivity.5 Dehydration headaches will also feel different from a sinus headache, as dehydration headaches do not cause pressure or pain in the face,6

Another simple way to identify a dehydration headache is to check for other common dehydration symptoms. If you suspect that you have a dehydration headache, you will likely also experience some or all of these symptoms in addition to your headache:2

  • Increased thirst
  • A dry mouth
  • Dark, yellow-colored urine or decreased urination
  • Fatigue or lethargy
  • Dizziness (particularly after standing up)
  • Irritability
  • Loss of elasticity in the skin
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How to help get rid of a dehydration headache

You probably already know the laundry list of reasons why drinking water is essential for our everyday health: it helps flush out toxins, regulates our body temperature, protects important tissues and joints in the body, and much more.7 But keeping your water bottle topped off also helps to manage and prevent dehydration headaches.2

Yes, the first thing to do if you feel dehydration pain sweeping across your forehead is to reach for some water to help replace those lost fluids and balance electrolytes.2 While you may be tempted by a sports drink instead, don’t use these as a replacement for water. Many sports drinks are high in sugar or salt and will not adequately restore your electrolyte balance. In fact, some of these drinks may actually increase your dehydration.2

But how much water should you actually be drinking each day?

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. According to Harvard Medical School, most healthy adults need to drink roughly eight glasses of water per day (a common number you’ve probably heard before). However, this may change depending on your body size, environment or the amount that you exercise daily.8 For the best guidance on how much water a day is right for you, speak to your doctor.

Learn more about headache prevention techniques.

Easing dehydration headache pain – How Excedrin can help

Of course, the first step to getting rid of your dehydration headache is drinking water. However, if you want some quick pain relief, try an over-the-counter pain relief medication like Excedrin Extra Strength.

Excedrin combines three active ingredients to form a strong and effective headache medicine. For some, headache relief starts in 15 minutes – so you can get back to your day fast. Always use medication as directed.

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