What Triggers Your Migraine?

The causes of migraine headache are still unknown. Some think that heightened sensitivity of nerve pathways in the brain that relay pain may play a role. Others think changes within the brain itself may also be involved in migraine headaches. The actual mechanism of the migraine is still under investigation. However, there are things that can aggravate the body to produce the migraine. Here are some surprising migraine triggers that you may have never thought of before.

Your Boss

Yes, your boss can be a migraine trigger. Anything or anyone that boosts your stress level can make you more vulnerable to migraines.

Weather

The likelihood of developing a migraine changes when the temperature does. Whether it’s a heat wave or a cold snap, the change can trigger a headache. Sunny, hot days are also another common trigger. Rain or changes in barometric pressure may lead to migraines. While you can’t change the weather, you can wear sunglasses on a bright day, minimize dehydration, and avoid midday sun.

Smells

Strong odors, even very nice ones, can trigger migraines in some people. It is unclear why this happens; the odors may stimulate the nervous system. The most common culprits are paint, perfume, and certain types of flowers.

Hair Accessories

How you wear your hair can take a toll on your head. A tight ponytail may strain the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to a hairdo headache. Headbands, braids, and tight-fitting hats can create the same effect. These can sometimes lead to migraines in individuals prone to such headaches. If this is a headache trigger for you, keep your hair loose or in a loose ponytail.

Strenuous Exercise

Overexertion can lead to migraines. Even sex can sometimes cause a migraine. Examples of this type of headache include jogger’s headache and sex headache. These types of headaches are most common in people who are susceptible to migraines.

Poor Posture

Slouching at your desk can also give a migraine headache. Common forms of poor posture include hunching your shoulders, using a chair with no lower-back support, staring at a monitor that is too low or too high, and cradling a phone between your ear and shoulder. If you have frequent headaches, take a good look at your workspace.

Cheese

A migraine trigger for some people is aged cheese, including blue cheese, cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss. The culprit may be a substance called tyramine. The longer a food ages, the more tyramine it contains. If you like cheese, try to consume milder forms like mozzarella, cottage cheese, or provolone.

Red Wine

Tyramine is also found in red wine and other alcoholic drinks, like beer. Other ingredients, like sulfites, in wine may also contribute to headaches as well. Because alcohol increases blood flow to the brain, the effects may be even more intense. If red wine is a trigger for you, but you’d like to enjoy a glass on special occasions, ask your doctor about taking a preventive dose of medication.

Processed Foods

Processed meats, such as cold cuts, have two strikes against them. They often contain tyramine, as well as food additives such as nitrites, which may trigger headaches in some people. Headaches caused by food additives are usually felt on both sides of the head (in contrast to a classic migraine, which strikes one side at a time). They also tend to leave after a time once you stop ingesting them.

Skipped Meals

Hunger headaches aren’t always obvious. If you skip a meal, your head could start to ache before you realize you’re hungry. The trouble is a dip in blood sugar. But don’t try to cure a hunger headache with a candy bar. Sweets cause blood sugar to spike and then drop even lower. If you are going to be on the go, try to keep a snack and some bottled water handy. A good example of a good protein/carb snack combo is an apple and some nuts or some mild cheese.

Smoking

Smoking is a known trigger for migraine headaches, and not just to the person who is doing the smoking. Secondhand smoke contains nicotine, which causes blood vessels in the brain to narrow. Giving up cigarettes or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke appears especially helpful to patients with cluster headaches. These are extremely painful one-sided headaches that can also cause eye and nose symptoms.

Caffeine

In moderation, caffeine is often beneficial — in fact, it’s found in many headache medications. But chain-chugging coffee can be a cause of migraines. If you’re hooked on caffeine, cutting back abruptly may only make things worse. Caffeine withdrawal is another migraine trigger.

Finding out what triggers your migraines is a vital part of migraine managing techniques. To find your triggers, keep a journal where you list everything you eat, what activities you do, and when you get a migraine. For several weeks, write in it every day and after a while you will begin to notice patterns between your migraines and certain foods, activities, or other lifestyle factors. Once you find your migraine triggers, you will be on your way to controlling your migraine headaches.

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