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What causes migraines is still
somewhat of a mystery. Doctors believe that it has to do
with the blood vessels in the head contracting and then
expanding. This happens from time to time to most people,
but with migraineurs this tends to be more intense and
painful. The exact cycle of events taking place in our
brains during a migraine attack is still not fully
understood.
Why You Should Know Your
Triggers
Knowing what triggers
attacks is a major step towards preventing them. If you
can avoid the triggers, then you can avoid the pain and
suffering of the attacks, right? Well, not quite. There
are many possible triggers for migraines and they differ
from one migraine sufferer to another. Sometimes you're
not dealing with one single trigger at a time, but with a
combination of potential triggers, which makes it all the
more difficult to determine what exactly it is that you
need to avoid.
Of course, knowing that
something may trigger your migraine doesn't always mean
you can avoid it. Some possible triggers, such as certain
weather conditions, or certain times of the month for us
ladies, may be unavoidable.
However, preventing even
some of your potential migraine episodes can be a
blessing. Every migraine avoided means less suffering and
an enhanced quality of life. It won't mean that your
migraines are cured, but that your condition becomes more
manageable.
Possible Triggers of
Migraine
The list is very long and
if you're serious about identifying your own migraine
triggers, you need to look at ideas from more than one
website, as well as do some thinking of your own… I will
try and list a few common triggers to get you going.
Food-Related Triggers
First of all, for many
people, going without food can trigger a migraine. For
some migraineurs skipping a meal is all it takes.
Cheese (especially the old
smelly type), alcohol, nuts and alas, chocolate are the
prime suspects in the food department. Also, anything that
contains nitrates (such as sausage and hot dogs),
Monosodium Glutamate and certain artificial sweeteners.
The Menstrual Cycle
Many female migraineurs
report a correlation between their menstrual cycle and
migraine episodes, often with migraines coming prior to,
or during menstruation. Another fact that links migraines
and female hormones is that many women no longer suffer
from migraines once they reach menopause. For some
migraine sufferers, though not all, pregnancy can bring
about a change in the frequency and intensity of
migraines.
Environmental Triggers
You may find it hard to
avoid them, but for some people, environmental changes can
trigger a migraine. Changes in temperature, humidity and
barometric pressure are all potential migraine triggers. A
change in altitude is also a possible trigger.
Stress and Depression
Blaming your mental state
for migraines is a wee bit problematic. You see, for
centuries, female migraineurs have been looked upon as
sensitive, or even hysterical, women with a bad headache.
Today, migraine is acknowledged as a serious neurological
condition and patients are no longer "blamed"
for their condition. The national Migraine Awareness Group
(MAGNUM), takes special care in their website to stress
that migraine is a purely physiological disorder and not a
psychological one.
However, many other
resources include stress and depression on the list of
possible triggers. Some even go to say that a migraine
maybe triggered by the end of a stressful situation, so
that when it's time to relax – your body lets go… and
gets hit with a migraine.
Keeping a Good Record
You may find it easy enough
to identify what triggers a migraine for you. Maybe it's
as simple as the date of the month, eating lots of
chocolate, a spell of dry weather or skipping a meal. Or
maybe that explains only some of your migraines, but not
all of them.
If you're not sure what
triggers your migraines, you may want to start keeping a
record. Like a little migraine diary. Following a
migraine, you will have to write down what happened during
the 24 hours previous to the attack. Make sure you note
your schedule for that day, what you had to eat, how much
sleep you got, environmental conditions and your general
state of mind.
A final note: Please
remember that a good doctor is your best ally when it
comes to diagnosing, preventing and treating migraines.
The information contained in this article is for
educational and entertainment purposes only. In no way is
the author of this article engaged in providing medical
advice via this article and she will not be liable for any
damages of any kind arising from the use of this article.
Copyright © Migraine-Notes.com
– All Rights Reserved
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About
The Author
Anne
Moss is a web developer and a freelance
writer. She is also a migraine sufferer
and the owner of Migraine-Notes.com.
Visit Migraine-Notes.com
for more articles about Migraines, Anne's
migraines blog and personal stories by
fellow migraineurs. This article may be
reproduced on your website, provided that
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link to http://www.migraine-notes.com. |
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