Migraines: What Causes Them?

Pulsating, throbbing, excruciating pain are not adjectives you want to use when describing your day, however if you are suffering from migraines they could be a regular part of your life.  Migraines can often come out of nowhere and leave you feeling sidelined until the pain is resolved.  How do you prepare for these aches and pains and what is causing them?

Causes

At this time, doctors don’t know the exact cause of migraine headaches, over a traditional tension headache, but they believe that genetics and environmental factors play important roles in their development.  If an immediate family member is diagnosed with migraines, you are three times as likely to develop them yourself.  Another thought is that migraines are set-off by an imbalance of brain chemicals, such as serotonin.  During a migraine attack, serotonin levels drop really low, so an imbalance of this particular chemical could be a culprit in the appearance of this discomfort.  A final thought on what causes migraines is the brain stem.  The brain stem carries on a regular interaction with a pathway in the body lined with nerves responsible for registering major pain.  Should this interaction change or somehow become disturbed, the body’s pain level could change.

Triggers

Even though the exact cause of a migraine is not known, doctors do know that there are many environmental factors that could trigger an episode.   Those triggers include:

• Hormonal Changes in women, fluctuation in estrogen levels, seems to be a common trigger for migraines.  Whether on the high or low side, the level of estrogen in the body plays a role in these attacks and identifying its impact on your episodes may help with treatment.  Some women experience their worse headaches before or during their menstrual cycle when there is a sudden drop in estrogen, while others indicate an increased tendency for migraines during pregnancy or menopause.  Knowing how your hormones play a role in your migraines can help with medication needs.  Keep in mind that many oral contraceptives or hormone replacements involve estrogen too.
• Stress has long been linked to many different health-related issues.  When it comes to migraines, stress causes a buildup of tension in the body that can increase migraine symptoms.  Home or work stress can cause tension.  Even just being too busy with birthday party plans, which should be a happy activity, can create higher stress levels.  Don’t be afraid to say no and do your best to keep from overcrowding your schedule.  Avoid other stressors, whether they are people, places or things, as much as possible.
• Sleep Issues greatly impact the body’s ability to function.  Getting too little or even too much sleep can make it difficult to perform your daily routines and trigger those nagging migraines.  One suggestion for migraine sufferers is to maintain the same sleep/wake schedule to keep your sleep cycle consistent.  This means even on the weekends or days you have off of work, strive to go to bed and wake at the same time every day.
• Weather can be a major trigger for migraines.  Changes in the barometric pressure, high humidity levels or elevated temperatures may be your culprit.  Sadly, you cannot change the weather, but if you know this is a trigger, you can avoid activities that may expose you to those elements.  Stay informed of local weather and changes you may experience when traveling.
• Food Additives such as article sweeteners and some preservatives have been linked to migraine pain.  Be a smart shopper and read food labels.  These additives are commonly found in restaurant food, so consider healthier alternatives when eating out.
• Drinks containing high levels of caffeine or alcohol should be avoided or significantly limited if you struggle with migraines.  Caffeine can over stimulate the body or cause withdraws if consumed on a regular basis.  Simply skipping your normal “cup of joe” in the morning could trigger a migraine, as your body is withdrawing, but sadly having too much coffee with breakfast can have the same impact.  It is best to avoid caffeine or at least limit to only a few times a week and not on a regular basis.  As for alcoholic beverages, wine tends to be the most common trigger for migraines.

Tags: aura, cause of migraines, enlarged blood vessels, genetics, Hormonal, menstration, migraine, migraine triggers, stress, Weather