What Triggers Your Migraine?

Headache is a very common complaint and it is often difficult to evaluate your headache.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a headache that occurs as an intense, throbbing pain in one of the temples, forehead, around the eye or even at the back of the head.

What causes migraine?

Migraine is caused due to release of chemical messengers (serotonin) in the brain. The blood capillaries in the brain expand and the stretched nerve fibers surrounding these arteries release neurotransmitters (chemical messengers). These chemicals cause inflammation, pain and enlargement of arteries. The increased enlargement causes all the more pain in the head.

The attack of migraine commonly activates the sympathetic nervous system and a lot of symptoms owe their occurrence to this.

How can you identify your migraine

The tell-tale signs of a migraine are;

   

1.    Headache usually pulsating in nature; the pain is either on one side of the head or on both sides of  the head.
2.      Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
3.      Photophobia (it is a pain in the eye that occurs due to the effect of bright light)
4.       Photopsia (it is luminous visual hallucinations, such as stars, sparks or unformed light flashes)
5.       Scintillating scotomas (geometric patterns or zigzags of light and visual hallucinations)
6.       Phonophobia (auditory hallucinations)
7.       Sleepiness, fatigue
8.       Irritability
9.       Depression or euphoria
10.      Cold feet and hands
11.       Pallor of face
12.        Increased sensitivity towards light and sound
13.        An ineffectiveness of medicines; migraine slows down the stomach emptying into the intestine and hence delayed absorption from the intestine and hence slow absorption of medicines.

What triggers your migraine?

There are some common and some individual triggers that precipitate your migraine. The common triggers are;

•          Emotional or physical stress: Stress is a major trigger for many, as stress levels can build up in no time. 
•       Heavy strenuous exercise, causing a physical stress can also trigger your migraine headache.
•          Lack or excess of sleep: Maintaining a healthy routine of sleep is very important to avoid episodes of migraine.
•         Missed meals: Irregular eating habits, missing specific meals or an imbalance in diet may cause an episode of migraine attack. A missed meal or fasting causes changes in the blood glucose levels and cause headaches. 
•       Dehydration also causes migraine.
•          Specific foods: Some foods such as chocolates are known to trigger headaches, though migraine can also be identified by a craving for sweets or chocolates. Certain common foods known to bring on an episode of headache are cheese, caffeine, citrus fruits, garlic, milk, nuts, onion, pickled foods and wheat etc.
•          Alcoholic beverages
•         Menstruation: Hormonal changes in female before, after and during a menstrual period are also known to cause migraine. Sometimes menopausal women also face intense attacks of migraine.
•        Oral contraceptives: use of oral contraceptives also brings about changes in body’s hormone levels, and precipitate migraine.
•         Environmental: Some environmental factors, such as heavy weather, bright lights or pollution can also       bring about migraine attacks.

 Flashing lights or prolonged exposure to computer screens acts as individual trigger for some people.

Check this website for  a plethora of information on Ayurveda, Siddha traditional medicine and other home remedies Spice flair

Up next in this space  is “ Treatment of Migraine.”