What Triggers Migraine Headaches, And How They Can Be Avoided
Without a doubt, migraine headaches are debilitating. When a headache strikes, migraine sufferers are out of it anywhere from half a day to three days. While the headache is happening, sufferers feel nauseous and may have vomiting and diarrhea. They are extremely sensitive to light and sound. Most migraine headache sufferers spend the duration of their headaches lying in a dark, quiet room, waiting for the pain to subside.
Migraine Triggers
Experts think some migraines can be avoided by avoiding the things that trigger migraine headaches. Avoiding migraine triggers will not keep sufferers from ever having another migraine headache, but avoiding triggers can help reduce the frequency of migraine headaches in most migraine patients.
Triggers vary from patient to patient. Generally speaking, a migraine trigger is any factor or behavior that causes a headache.
Behavioral Triggers
Certain behaviors can act as triggers for migraine headaches. Not getting enough sleep can cause migraines to occur more frequently. Patients who are sleep-deprived and stressed out are at risk for migraine headaches.
Environmental Triggers
Environmental factors also play a role in triggering headaches. Bright lights or lights that flicker can trigger a migraine, and so can cigarette smoke or other peculiar odors. Females sometimes get migraines during menstruation because of changes in the level of the hormone estrogen in the blood.
Dietary Triggers
Certain foods have been shown to trigger migraine headaches. Some of the foods that trigger migraines are alcohol - especially red wine - and hard cheese. MSG, and nitrates or nitrates found in sausages, bacon, hot dogs, and ham, aspartame, caffeine, and chocolate are also thought to act as triggers, causing migraine patients to experience symptoms. A headache may not occur until one or two days after exposure to a dietary trigger.
Menstrual Triggers
It has been reported that female migraine sufferers get migraines 17% more often than male sufferers. One reason females suffer more frequent migraines than men is because hormonal changes as women approach their menstrual periods can act to trigger a migraine headache. Women who take birth control pills can trigger migraines during the week of the menstrual cycle when they are not taking estrogen. The phenomenon is so common that doctors have coined a term, "menstrual migraine" to describe it.
Migraine headache sufferers who are aware of potential migraine triggers may be able to prevent headaches from coming on by avoiding or eliminating the behavior or substances that trigger migraine headache symptoms.
