Migraine triggers are not the reason you get migraines, although it may seem like it.
Emotional Stress
Dailystresscaused by working long hours, paying bills, caring for children, etc.
can trigger migraine attacks and contribute tochronic migraine(15 or more migraine attacks per month).
Migraine attacks are also stressors themselves, creating a vicious cycle of pain and stress.
Some studies suggest that this is due tocentral sensitization, also known asnociplastic pain.
This is a condition in which thecentral nervous systemis overreactive to stimuli that generally do not cause pain.
With emotional stress, the brain releases a hormone calledcortisolthat helps your body cope with stress.
Physical Stress
Physical stress can also trigger migraines in the absence of emotional stress.
Studies suggest that up to 38% of people with migraines may experience an attack during vigorous exercise.
This is especially true if the body is severely overheated.
The causes of this are many.
In people with migraine, high lactic acid levels may serve as a trigger for an attack.
Up to one-third of people with chronic migraines report a worsening of symptoms during sex.
Menstruation and Hormones
Migraines are three timesmore common in females than males.
The disparity is mainly attributed to natural fluctuations of the sex hormoneestrogenduring themenstrual cycleorpregnancy.
It’s unclear exactlyhow estrogen levels provoke a migraine attack.
The dysregulation of serotonin is regarded as a major contributing factor to migraine attacks.
Birth control pillsandhormone replacement therapy (HRT)also influence estrogen levels and inadvertently trigger a migraine attack.
Food and Beverages
Severaltypes of food and drinkmay provoke a migraine attack.
The risk may be influenced as much byhow muchyou eat as what you specifically eat or drink.
When gum chewing was restarted, 100% reported symptoms returning within days.
Sleep Disturbances
Nearly 75% of people with migraines identifysleep deprivationas a trigger.
Similarly,malnutritionincreases the risk ofchronic migrainesby up to fivefold compared to optimal nutrition.
Hypocretin is thought to play a central role.
Dehydration
Dehydrationcauses migraine for reasons unrelated to hunger.
This can lead to a throw in of headache known as anorthostatic headache.
Maintaining ample hydration has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines in some people.
Drinking water may also help ease symptoms during an active migraine attack.
Overuse of Pain Medications
The excessive use of pain-relieving medications is another common trigger for migraine attacks.
This usually pops up if you take painkillers for 10 or more days per month for over three months.
The good news is that migraines generally improve after a person stops pain medications.
The responsiveness topreventive migraine drugsalso tends to improve.
Sensory Overload
Strong smellscan also trigger a migraine, typically within minutes.
Sensory overload from bright lights and loud sounds can also aggravate an existing attack.
Even excessive chewing and sex can occasionally trigger migraine.
By identifying your triggers and avoiding them, you may be able to reduce the frequency of these attacks.
Current evidence and implications for management.J Headache Pain.
2015;2(1):22-28. doi:10.1002/acn3.139
