Migraine triggers can range from changes to your routine to overuse of over-the-counter pain relievers. Your healthcare provider may suggest keeping a migraine journal to identify potential triggers.
There are various strategies available to you for avoiding triggers of allergies, such as engaging in stress-relieving activities and physical exercise; getting enough rest; and adhering to a set eating schedule.
1. Stress
Stress is an often-cited trigger of migraine attacks, particularly long-term stress. Stress causes your body to activate its “fight or flight” response which releases adrenaline and may contribute to headaches. Stressful events may also prevent sleep which is another common trigger of migraine attacks.
An eating schedule with regular meals that avoid foods high in histamine and monosodium glutamate (MSG), chocolate, cheese and cured meats may help reduce migraine triggers. Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated as dehydration is another known trigger of migraine attacks.
Keep a diary to track your triggers can be very beneficial in understanding migraine attacks. Triggers tend to work together, making it easy for multiple factors to contribute. For instance, being under intense work-related stress could trigger “weekend let down” headaches;
2. Food
Food can be an influential trigger of migraine attacks. Some headache sufferers have identified specific foods as culprits; however, most of these observations are self-reports rather than well-supported studies. Tyramine-rich cheeses and aged meats are particularly frequently reported food triggers – an anti-tyramine diet has even proven successful at decreasing migraine attacks in certain patients.
Finding out whether a food triggers an attack can be challenging; oftentimes its precursor symptoms – cravings and other physical indicators – are hard to recognize as potential triggers. Therefore, keeping a headache diary and noting all possible sources may help immensely in pinpointing triggers that may contribute to attacks. Eating meals on a consistent schedule to reduce hunger or blood sugar fluctuations that might contribute to an attack.
3. Light
Migraine sufferers may find light to be the source or aggravator of headaches. While its cause remains elusive, some forms of lighting could change brain’s pain pathways and trigger or worsen existing headaches.
Flickering or pulsing lights, screens and even certain colours may trigger migraine attacks or worsen existing ones, known as photophobia, which affects up to 80% of migraine sufferers.
Fluorescent lighting can be an extremely irritating source of headaches; sometimes even severe enough to be classified as fluorescent light headaches. If this type of migraine trigger is an issue for you, consider working under desktop lamps rather than overhead fluorescents and wearing glasses with filters that filter out blue light to alleviate eye strain and prevent headaches caused by fluorescents and computer screens.
4. Changes in the weather
Weather changes can trigger an imbalance of brain chemicals and bring on migraine-inducing headaches for migraine sufferers. Bright sunlight, temperature extremes, wind gusts, or changes in barometric pressure have all been known to be triggers for some individuals suffering from migraines.
Spring brings warmer temperatures and rain that can change sinus pressure and trigger headaches, while allergies might cause sneezing, runny nose and tears in the eyes. Meanwhile, humid summer days can change sleep patterns, further aggravating migraine symptoms.
An effective way of monitoring triggers is keeping a headache or migraine diary. Doing this will enable you to identify personal triggers and plan accordingly.
5. Hormones
People living with migraine can often be affected by multiple triggers for their headaches, including meals skipped, not enough sleep, stress levels rising rapidly and caffeine intake fluctuations as well as hormone fluctuations (such as those experienced during menstruation or puberty) can be contributing factors.
Migraine can strike suddenly, making it hard to pinpoint its cause. Your healthcare provider may suggest keeping a diary to identify any triggers.
Utilizing a diary to keep an accurate record of your symptoms can reveal patterns that could help create an effective treatment plan. A diet which excludes foods known as triggers could prove effective; while over-the-counter pain relievers could reduce or eliminate dependence issues.
