Migraine Triggers

[Retired]

The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack
L Kelman
Article first published online: 30 MAR 2007

The aim of this study was to evaluate and define the triggers of the acute migraine attack. Patients rated triggers on a 0–3 scale for the average headache. Demographics, prodrome, aura, headache characteristics, postdrome, medication responsiveness, acute and chronic disability, sleep characteristics and social and personal characteristics were also recorded. One thousand two hundred and seven International

Classification of Headache Disorders-2 (1.1–1.2, and 1.5.1) patients were evaluated, of whom 75.9% reported triggers (40.4% infrequently, 26.7% frequently and 8.8% very frequently). The trigger frequencies were stress (79.7%), hormones in women (65.1%), not eating (57.3%), weather (53.2%), sleep disturbance (49.8%), perfume or odour (43.7%), neck pain (38.4%), light(s) (38.1%), alcohol (37.8%), smoke (35.7%), sleeping late (32.0%), heat (30.3%), food (26.9%), exercise (22.1%) and sexual activity (5.2%).

Triggers were more likely to be associated with a more florid acute migraine attack. Differences were seen between women and men, aura and no aura, episodic and chronic migraine, and between migraine and probable migraine.

Take a moment to respond to the attached poll to see how Psychlinks members compare to the study.

Do you have specific triggers that cause you a particular problem?

 

[Parafluie]

I only get a migraine (and a killer) as a drug withdrawal from my caffeine addiction. I MUST have caffeine or I will go into hours of pain where I must go into a darkened room. Because of this, I keep no-doz by my bed to take on awakening.

 

[Retired]

drug withdrawal from my caffeine addiction

Why don't you address the root of the problem by getting help to overcome your addiction to caffeine?

 

[Parafluie]

Because it's not worth it to me. I either drink one cup of coffee or take 1/2 no-doz. That isn't a major inconvenience and it's one that I'm willing to put up with. I have tried a few times, basically, because I don't like the thought of being controlled by a substance, but the pain has lasted for more than six weeks, and I have missed the coffee.

 

[Retired]

Caffeine is certainly your choice.

You may be interested in this article on Medicine-net

And these from the Mayo Clinic:

Caffeine- MayoClinic.com

Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more - MayoClinic.com

 

[GDPR]

I was starting to get a migraine earlier today and I started craving chocolate.I ate 1/3 of a bag of Hershey's Kisses and now not only do I have a full blown migraine,but I feel sick from eating so much chocolate.

I want to say the chocolate caused the migraine,but I was already getting one before I ate it. Would the migraine have been this bad if I hadn't eaten the chocolate?

And,I have never been able to figure out if neck pain and stiffness is causing migraines or a result of them.How do I know the difference?

 

[Retired]

LIT,

Have you been diagnosed as having migraine, or are you referring to having had a bad headache. Migraine is a very specific neurological disorder and not just a bad headache, as the makers of some OTC medications would have us believe.

The hallmark symptoms of migraine include being sensitive to light, being incapacitated and nausea. Migraine is often described as a one sided headache, or severe pain in one eye.

 

[GDPR]

Yes.I was told the migraines are part of my dissociative disorder.

 

[Retired]

LIT,

You may find this Forum post of interest, as it addresses what you're asking about triggers:

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/headache...-triggers-may-not-be-so-potent-after-all.html

 

[forgetmenot]

I don't get them often but stress yes
lights sometimes especially if i watch 3D movie i get so sick never again will i go there
some chocolate i think causes it
I was just given prescription never had one before take from my doctor 3 dissolved aspirins in warm water or tea followed by maxeran and it worked thank god

 

[Budoaiki]

I soul like to mention something that would fall under the other category, sound. When I was younger I used to get severe migraines in music class while practicing the recorder. I was under a lot of stress at the time so and i was put through a battery of test until they found I had a sensitivity to high pitch sound and I was taught some meditation methods for relaxation as my blood pressure seemed to spike when the margin came on. It helped me In a lot of ways although I am still sensitive to those kind of sounds I don't get migraines from it anymore. Just thought I'd share that invade it can help someone. They do simple auditory test for this but it was done by a specialist.

 

[MHealthJo]

I started digging after experiencing frequent migraines (including abdominal migraines) and found a connection with neurotransmitters and minerals associated with neurotransmitters. I found some sort of link with magnesium.

Since I've been taking a large daily dose of well-absorbed forms of magnesium such as chelate, citrate, orotate or carbonate, I no longer get migraines or migraine-related symptoms. If I forget one day, I'll get a migraine without fail or get certain related symptoms, even if it's just the crazy neck and shoulders.

Since then I've started to believe there are a good variety of health problems that might be related to modern food and people not being taught the importance of certain nutrients. Eating large amounts of whole grains fell out of favour at some point, but when you process the grain and take away the bran and other parts, you lose most or all of the magnesium, and this used to be a huge dietary source. Growing up I was taught nonstop about the importance of iron, but I'm convinced now that tons of other minerals that aren't talked about much are extremely essential to health, and many people may have unknowingly all but lost certain nutrients from their modern diet. Hope this isn't too off-track but it has helped me so, so much and I don't know if it could help others.

 

[Retired]

I never heard of abdominal migraines, and found this article among others describing the condition.