Migraine triggers can range from food and caffeine intake, weather changes or stress to anything that is physically painful or mentally taxing. Many individuals with migraine use a headache diary in order to identify and monitor their triggers.
Tracking what works and doesn’t work can help reduce migraine attacks by half, often without daily preventive medication.
1. Stress
Many people report that their migraines manifest when under excessive strain or pressure, so if stress is an underlying factor it’s essential to find ways to relax and alleviate tension in life.
Changes in hormone levels are another frequent trigger, particularly among women. Women suffering from premenstrual migraine are three times more likely to experience these headaches compared to those without it.
Maintaining a headache diary or smartphone app can be one of the best ways to identify migraine triggers. Recording details such as when migraine symptoms began, whether or not you slept well that night and what food was consumed can provide important clues as to which triggers are responsible. Avoiding multiple triggers at once can significantly lower migraine attacks.
2. Changes in weather
Migraineurs often cite weather as a trigger for their attacks, even though evidence does not point directly towards one factor being solely responsible. Instead, environmental changes (such as temperature, humidity or wind speed changes) appear to alter brain activity causing migraine attacks in individuals susceptible.
Heat can dehydrate us quickly and become an automatic trigger of migraine, so it is crucial to increase fluid intake on hot days. Hunger is another trigger; therefore, to help avoid triggers it’s also wise to make sure meals and snacks are eaten on schedule, don’t skip meals altogether and get enough restorative sleep.
Dramatic weather changes can alter barometric pressure and trigger headaches for some individuals, so keeping a headache diary and noting all factors which appear to exacerbate migraine symptoms is recommended for optimal care. You should share these notes with your physician.
3. Food
Foods linked with migraine have included cheese, chocolate, soy isoflavones and citrus fruits; however, most have been identified by people experiencing migraine rather than through high quality research studies. Maintaining a food and symptom diary could be useful in pinpointing potential triggers.
If a particular food or drink seems to trigger your migraine headaches, try to steer clear. Keep in mind, however, that triggers are highly personal and complex – often it takes multiple factors together for an attack to occur. For instance, skipping meals or eating too late at night might not be what’s triggering them but other aspects. Eating smaller meals throughout the day may prevent hunger-induced headaches.
4. Caffeine
Many migraine sufferers find that drinking caffeine can either trigger or prevent attacks of migraine. Caffeine may increase pain threshold by raising blood pressure.
Keep a headache diary to monitor symptoms, triggers and warning signs associated with impending migraine attacks. This may include food cravings, yawning, changes in mood or emotions, light or smell sensitivity as well as changes during exercise.
Many experts suggest avoiding triggers can reduce migraine attacks, although this isn’t always feasible. For instance, suddenly cutting back caffeine intake can result in what’s known as medication overuse headache. Therefore, gradual reduction is best; this includes both eating less caffeine as well as forgoing over-the-counter medicines containing it.
5. Medication
Medication used to treat migraines may trigger or exacerbate existing headaches, including overuse of over-the-counter pain relievers and certain prescription medicines. This includes any overdosage.
Identification of migraine triggers can be challenging. According to The Migraine Trust, individuals can often have multiple factors contributing to an attack – for instance, women may find their migraines worsen when stressed, missing meals or just before her period starts.
Of course, migraine triggers can often be easily identified: bright lights, loud noises or strong odors. A health care provider may recommend ways to manage these triggers more effectively, including keeping a headache diary which may help identify similarities between migraine attacks and pinpoint their sources. A doctor can also prescribe acute and preventative medications to lessen frequency and severity.
