Preventing Migraine Headaches By Avoiding Known Triggers
If you were to ask anyone who suffers from migraine headaches what they are looking for, most would tell you they want a way of preventing migraine headaches from occurring rather than a cure for after they start. While there is some disagreement over what causes a migraine, there are known triggers that bring them on. Avoiding these triggers is usually the best way of preventing migraine headaches, but taking this proactive step may cause a lot of suffering until the triggers have been identified.
Migraine headaches are also classified differently, most common are migraines with aura, with which the sufferer may see a dim glowing light around objects from 10 to 30 minutes before the headache begins and, migraines without aura, during which there is no light prior to the onset of the headache. Understanding these can help preventing migraine headaches by identifying the triggers. It has also been experienced where the patient will visualize an aura and have no subsequent headache pain.
In a few migraine patients, preventing migraine headaches may be as simple as a change in diet. Some of the known triggers in many patients include alcohol, most often red wine, caffeine such as found in coffee, tea and chocolate, monosodium glutamate most often found in Chinese food and nitrates that are usually concentrated in processed foods.
Environment Holds Many Migraine Triggers
Individual surroundings have also been linked to migraine headaches such as a change in weather when the air pressure has a sudden drop or increase, often misunderstood as a sinus headache, as well as airline passengers suffering from a change in altitude as well as lack of sleep due to time zone changes. Rearranging schedules around a person's internal clock may help in preventing migraine headaches.
Some over the counter and prescription medications as well as some perfumes have been known to trigger migraine headaches and patients who keep a log about when the headache begins can often identify their individual triggers. Avoiding them is the best way of preventing migraine headaches. Hormone changes have also been linked to migraines and preventive medication may be an option, used under a health care professional's guidance.
Light glare, stress and frequent hunger have also been linked as triggers to migraine headaches and avoiding these aspect of daily life can help in preventing migraine headaches. In more severe cases medication may be needed to help the body adjust to certain changes as a means of preventing migraine headaches.
