Can A Dehumidifier Cause Headaches? (Solved!)

If you’ve ever wondered, ” can a dehumidifier cause headaches?” then this post is for you.

Dehumidifiers can give you headaches, especially if the environment around you is already ripe for one. If you live in an arid environment, the dehumidifier may simply be too much. If a dehumidifier is a critical aid for your sinuses, you’ll need to find a happy medium with how you operate it. 

Below, we’ll go over every aspect of dehumidifiers and if they can cause you any health problems.

We’ll also answer, humidity headache symptoms, What does a humidity headache feels like, and how to get rid of humidity headaches quickly.

Can Dehumidifiers Cause Health Problems?

Dehumidifiers have the potential to cause health problems but usually only if there is an existing, underlying issue. In fact, dehumidifiers are known for their ability to improve local, environmental health conditions. 

If you find yourself ejecting dried-out snot rockets, especially if they’re bloody, there is reason to assume that the dehumidifier is doing its job a little too well. However, if you’re leaking like a sieve, then the dehumidifier isn’t working enough.

It tends to only be problematic for certain conditions and in those who are sensitive to moisture changes in the air.

• Eczema
• Hydration
• Dry, bloody sinuses
• Dry eyes

Someone with eczema (a dry skin condition) has cause to be alarmed when being around a dehumidifier. Their condition could get worse and flare-ups will probably occur with more frequency.

Hydration is also a problem.

In a dry, arid environment, you’ll want to stay more hydrated than usual.

An overly dehumidified home can expect to be more open to viruses and bacteria. Of course, you can also get dry eyes, which is extremely aggravating as well. 

Dehumidifier and Sinus Problems

Dry and bloody sinuses are also common since your body has trouble producing the necessary mucus when the air around you is primed to suck the moisture right out of it.

This is also a problem when it comes to the common cold or the flu.

Without a proper amount of snot running up and down your sinus cavities, your body has very little in the way of pushing unwanted bacteria and viruses back out of your system and onto a tissue.

An overly dehumidified home can expect to be more open to viruses and bacteria. 

This is where the headache comes in. When your sinuses stay dried out for a long period of time, the capillaries shrink down to the point that blood flow is severely restricted.

Without a decent amount of blood flow in your nasal cavity, you’ve opened the door to a screaming headache.

The inflamed and dried-out husks that you would call nasal membranes only make the problem worse. 

Can Dehumidifiers Cause Headaches and Dizziness?

While it doesn’t directly cause headaches and dizziness, a dehumidifier can cause through a series of chain events, one linked to the other, all the way to the end. 

Headaches, dried-out sinuses, and dehydration are major contributors to sleeplessness and a lack of sleep can definitely cause dizziness. It’s a domino effect where literally nothing good comes out at the end.

Sleeplessness is also caused by forcing you in and out of the covers all night. The humidity generated from your body makes you feel icky, so you toss back the covers.

When the dehumidified air wicks the little moisture you managed to produce right back off, you grow cold.

After a night of playing volleyball with your comforter set, you’re not likely to feel sharp and alert the next day—not to mention the bloody boogers and the headache.

Can Low Humidity In The House Cause Headaches?

It depends on how low it is and how humid the outside air is.

If you live in Florida for instance, you may get enough humidity throughout the day to keep your sinuses balanced, even when it’s drier inside. 

If you live in Arizona, you should buy stock in Dasani water because you’re going to need it badly. Investing in a dehumidifier in an already dry climate should be done on a very small scale.

This includes homes that use propane as a heat source in the winter, simply because that heating method already draws moisture out of the air. On top of that, winter is usually a much more arid climate than summertime. 

What Does A Humidity Headache Feel Like?

Jam your skull full of screeching chihuahuas, blindfold them and give them sledgehammers. That should give you an idea of how a humidity headache feels.

Its often described as a pounding, screeching feeling, and it’s probably not something that you would want to endure, especially in the long term.

Usually, humidity headaches resolve themselves when the offending environment is changed to something more agreeable. 

Otherwise, it’s liable to linger for quite a while, which is, of course, the exact opposite of what you want. 

Humidity Headache Symptoms

Humidity headaches can present themselves with a lot of different symptoms.

They’re often associated with drops in barometric pressure, so it’s difficult to say if humidity is alone responsible for the symptoms but they are as follows:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light
• Pain in the left or right side of your head
• Numb feeling in the face or neck

If that doesn’t sound too glorious, it’s because there’s nothing glorious about it. Having a humidity headache isn’t on the level of a migraine, but it’s probably the next worst thing.

How Do You Get Rid Of Humidity Headaches

First, take care of the immediate problem, which is the headache.

You’ll want to take some pain meds and really pile it on with the water consumption. Hydration is crucial when dealing with a humidity headache.

Stay indoors and away from bright lights.

Second, get rid of the source. If the source is a dehumidifier, you’ll either need to get rid of it or tone it down a great deal. There’s no sense in solving the problem with water and aspirin just for it to come right back.

Bottom Line – Can A Dehumidifier Cause Headaches?

Devices that are capable of reducing the humidity in the air are called dehumidifiers and they’re one of those neat devices that only do exactly what they’re supposed to.

Dehumidifiers can cause headaches. The problem is, so can humidifiers and now you have yourself the above-mentioned, catch-22. Fortunately, dehumidifiers aren’t as good at causing headaches as their opposite. 

I hope this post was helpful. If you are wanting to learn more about dehumidifiers then consider checking out our dehumidifier section. All the information you’ll ever need is there.

Looking For Dehumidifer Guides?

If you’re looking for more dehumidifier resources, consider checking out our other posts on dehumidifiers.

• Top 5 Dehumidifiers For Wood Floors Review
• Top 5 Best Dehumidifiers For Cars
• Do Dehumidifiers Cause Carbon Monoxide?