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Migraine Headache Triggers: What’s starting your migraines?

June 22nd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

In America alone, over twenty-eight million people suffer from migraine headaches. Migraine headaches are more common in women; for every one man who suffers from a migraine headache, there are three women.

If you’ve ever suffered from a migraine, you know how disabling they are: it’s impossible to move, even to open your eyes - you just pray for the pain to stop. Migraines and migraine headache triggers have become somewhat easier to manage than they used to be.

Migraines are triggered. Once you know what causes your migraines, you may not always be able to prevent an attack, but sometimes you can.

What Are the Most Common Migraine Headache Triggers?

Of all the migraine headache triggers, the most common one is stress. Another common trigger of migraines is certain foods, such as alcohol, aged cheeses, chocolate, aspartame, caffeine, msg, seasonings, and some canned or processed foods. Migraines can also be caused by fasting or skipping meals.

Physical factors such as increased sexual activity, intense exercise, or a change in sleep patterns are also migraine headache triggers. Changes in the environment and certain medications often act as triggers of migraine headaches, as do sun glare and bright lights. Hormonal changes can also cause migraines, and this may be why a significantly greater number of women than men are affected by migraines. Some women experience migraines during pregnancy or menopause.

Are You at Risk?

There are several risk factors that make someone more prone to migraine headaches. Migraine headaches most commonly occur in girls that have already passed through puberty. Women who experience migraines find that their likelihood of experiencing one increases during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. Migraine headaches also run in families; if even one of your parents’ experiences migraines then you are much more likely to develop them yourself.

Treating Migraine Headaches

Although previously, the only way to treat migraine headaches was to take aspirin, this is no longer the case. Now, there are both preventative medications and pain-relieving medications that are intended specifically for migraine treatment. There are also other alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, massage, vitamins, herbs, minerals, and biofeedback. Migraine headaches can be prevented by maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Migraines do seem to hit people at certain stages in their life. As you get older, you may find that you get migraines much less often.

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Pain relief is essential for migraines

March 12th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

If you suffer from migraines, you know how disruptive they can be - they can make it impossible to care for your family, and to keep a job. Pain relief is essential, and if you’re suffering from migraine headaches several times a month, you need to investigate all the triggers in your current lifestyle.

Migraine Pain Relief – Symptoms and Treatment

For those who have suffered from migraine headaches you know how debilitating they can be. A migraine headache can keep you in a dark room for days. Over the counter drugs seem to offer little in the way of migraine pain relief. Often the patient has to seek the help of their doctor because they cannot deal with the acute pain. Migraine pain relief is best achieved before the headache starts. Modern medicines are geared at preventing the headache. Most over the counter medications are not strong enough to provide migraine pain relief and some of them may actually make the headache worse. Prescription medicines used to treat the pain typically work by constricting blood vessels located in the brain. These medicines work best when taken as soon as the pain begins. Full blown migraine pain is often difficult to successfully treat.

How Migraines Are Different From Other Headaches

A migraine sufferer will usually suffer migraines on a continued and repeated basis. Some people have them as many as three times per week. It is not uncommon for an untreated migraine to last two to three days. Other symptoms associated with migraines are nausea and light sensitivity. The pain is usually a throbbing pain and can often be associated with blurred vision. While most migraine sufferers do not have a warning there are a few people who will know when a migraine is coming on. Some people have visual disturbances known as auras which will preclude migraine pain. There are medications on the market which will provide migraine pain relief if taken when these disturbances first happen. If this describes you it would be wise to discuss this with your doctor.

Migraine Triggers

Migraine headaches are present in the female population more than the male. There are still many things about migraines that are not understood. Usually they are hereditary and involve a chemical reaction in the brain. Some people have been successful at achieving migraine pain relief by determining what triggers their headache. It may take some time but keeping a journal of your daily activities and food intake may hold the key. You may be able to determine a certain food or activity which brings on the pain. Often stress or lack of sleep is the culprit. If you are female you might notice the headaches occur at certain times of the month which could indicate a hormonal change.

Keeping up with your food intake can tell you if there is a correlation between your headaches and certain foods. Dairy products, processed meats containing nitrates, and foods containing MSG have all been linked to migraines. If you can determine which foods trigger your pain you might be able to prevent the headache by avoiding those foods. There will probably be times when you will get a migraine despite all of your good efforts. When this happens it is best if you try to relax. Try lying down in a dark room away from loud noise. You make get some degree of migraine pain relief with a cold compress to the forehead and breathing deeply.

You can find migraine pain relief - don’t give up

If you’re suffering in silence - don’t. get help. It’s out there. If you feel that your lifestyle and stress are causing your migraines, try relaxation training and other coping techniques.