Is your ponytail giving you a headache?

Beauty truly is pain when it comes to wearing a sleek, high ponytail or bun. If you’ve ever felt pain from wearing one of these hairstyles, you may have experienced an external traction headache, commonly referred to as a ‘ponytail headache.’

“The tightly pulled-back hair irritates the sensory fibers and nerves in the scalp, resulting in a phenomenon called allodynia,” explains Dr. Ashley Holdridge, a neurologist at Aurora Health Care. “Allodynia is when things that should not be painful become painful, such as brushing your hair, wearing a ponytail or wearing a hat.”

To stop this painful sensation, the simple answer is to remove the source of traction/compression. One may also consider choosing other hairstyles. Dr. Holdridge notes that since this pain is temporary, most cases do not require a neurology consult.

Although, Dr. Holdridge says external traction headaches are a concern when:

• Pain does not resolve within an hour of the traction/compression being removed. This may indicate another underlying issue.
• You are experiencing light and smell sensitivities or have nausea and vomiting associated with the head pain. This is more consistent with a migraine.
• The pain is associated with any new neurological symptom, such as tingling, weakness, vision changes or speech difficulties, or is “the worst headache of your life.” This is considered a medical emergency.

While some people never will experience an external traction headache, some are more prone to developing one.

“People who experience migraines are more susceptible to external traction headaches,” says Dr. Holdridge. “They typically tend to be more hypersensitive to sounds, lights and smells. So, something as simple as wearing their hair in a ponytail may be enough to trigger a migraine.”

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