Could These Be Your Migraine Triggers?

Knowing what trigger your migraine headache will definitely help you to control your migraine attack or even get rid of it for good.

Typically, Migraine triggers can be classified into the following factors:

1) Lifestyle Factors
i) Depression
ii) Stress
iii) Anxiety

2) Environmental Factors
i) Loud noise
ii) Strong odors
iii) Air Pollution
iv) Weather changes
v) High altitude and air travel
vi) Bright or flickering lights

3) Social Habits
i) Alcohol
ii) Secondhand Smoke
iii) Smoking

4) Nutritional Deficiencies
i) Low blood sugar (hypoglycemina)
ii) Vitamin/mineral deficiency

5) Medications and Recreational Drugs
i) Recreational drugs
ii) Cardiovascular drugs
iii) Decongestants
iv) Diet Pills
v) Painkillers

6) Physiological Factors
i) Hormonal Changes

7) Foods and Food Additives
i) Chocolate
ii) Nuts
iii) Beans
iv) Onions
v) Artificial Sweeteners
vi) Salt
vii) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
viii) Citrus fruits
ix) Tyramine
x) Sulfites
xi) Nitrites and nitrates
xii) Amines
xiii) Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
xiv) Caffeine
xv) Ice Cream

It was found that stress and dietary triggers have been the major trigger in many cases.

Exactly how these factors activate the migraine headaches has been a mystery. However, the common speculation amongs scientist was that the triggers actually causes an irregular pattern of electrical activity in the cortex (the outer layer of the brain).

Different migraine sufferer are found to be sensitive to different triggers and many of the sufferers are not even bothered by any triggers at all. One of the best way to find out what actually trigger your migraine headache is to keep a diary to jot down when the migraine headache occur and what circumstances under which it occurred.

What Are Not Migraines

Sometimes it was kind of hard to diagnose migraines as other main types of headaches have symptoms that overlap with those of migraines. The following are some signs that indicate your headache isn't a migraines.

1) Headache that could be described as dull ache.

2) Shoulder and neck muscles feel knotted up.

3) Headaches only happen after sex or physical exertion.

4) Headaches are getting worse steadily.

But, no mater what, if you still aren't sure whether your headache is migraine, the best advice for you is to look up a doctor and let him diagnose it for you. I'll write more on that (how to get a good migraine doctor) in my future post.

Symptoms of Migraine Headaches

If you are not sure whether you're suffering from migraine just because you got these headaches more often these days. Then the following are some of the symptoms that might help you to decide.

1) Throbbing or hammering pain on one or both sides of your head.

2) Intensity of the headache ranges from moderate to severe to almost intolerable.

3) Might experience an aura though it's more common that migraine sufferers don't experience auras.

4) Might feel lethargic and sad when you have the migraine attack.

5) Might experience loss of appetite, nausea, extreme sensitivity to light, smells and/or sounds during the migraine attack.

It's widely agreed that the symptoms of migraines can be different for each individual, so don't diagnose your headaches as non-migraine just becuase you did not have some of the symptoms listed above. The best thing to do is get a professional advise. Tell your doctor about your symptoms, and let him be the one to identify the kind of headaches you're suffering from and determine what can be done to wipe out the pain.

What are Migraines Headaches?

Migraines headaches seems to discriminate against no one. It can happen to poor as well as rich.

If you're one of the millions who suffer from migraine headache, I will like to welcome you to the club. I said this with the best intention as you have come to the right place to tackle your migraine problem.

There seem to be a common misunderstand about migraines headaches. First of all, it does not have to be very intense, throbing headaches. Some migraines are actually mild to moderate which might not be intense enough to be classified by migraine sufferer as migraine headaches.

The symptoms of migraine headaches come in many forms. It is this reason that many migraine sufferers have been living with it for years without any effective medication to stop it as they do not realize that they are sufferring from migraines headaches.

Migraine Headaches -- Friends or Foe?

Migraine headaches bugging you lately?

If so, you're not alone. In fact, during the past year in the United States alone, between 90% of men and 95% of women have suffered at least one headache attack, with 40 to 50 million Americans' headaches being chronic in nature; 88 percent of women and 68% of men have suffered tension-type headache, the most common category, while migraines affect 26 to 30 million Americans, or 1 in every 9 adults.

Would the world be an ideal place to live in if we can experience no pain at all? At least, it would mean no more migraine headache which is definitely a reason for migraine sufferer to celebrate all day long. But, on the other hand, pain has one crucial function: to warn us that something harmful has occurred to our body. Pains warns us of danger if ignored can lead to physical harm or even death. For example, if we touch a hot kettle unknowingly with our hand without the ability to experience pain, our hand will be burned and finally cooked. So pain is definitely a good thing. But what if the pain happen in your head and it comes and go anytime it likes without any schedule or apparent reason, then it might not be that good any more.

So what is migrained Headaches? Before I answer it, you may already know that headaches can be serious, disabling illness, a life-altering condition causing helplessness and misery, disrupting families, interfering with career, school, lifestyle, and qualtiy of life. Nor is any age group immune; children are afflicted, even babies. For some, headaches can lead to depression and suicide.

Migraine headaches are the number-one complaint in doctors' offices, with 10 million Americans a year visiting a physician specifically for the problem while a uncountable millions more not even bothering to ask for medical advice, because they ignorantly don't think anything can be done to help them. This website is created to help migraine sufferers out there with FREE advice on migraines treatment and cure.

Migraine headaches are the major reason for adult missing from work and kids from school. In the United States alone, lost work time is estimated to be 150,000,000 days per year resulting $17.2 billion being spent in medical treatment and billions in lost dollars to business; lost school days due to migraine headaches are guessed to be at 329,000 days per month nationwide. Add to this headache sufferers who, despite pain and affliction, still maintain attendance at jobs and school, but function at 50 percent capacity.

So let's look at our question again: What is migrained Headaches? They are often experienced as intense, recurring headaches on pretty regular interval. The good news are they are manageable - if you make an effort to sort out the things that trigger your migraines, and the sorts of medications and lifestyle changes needed to stop your migraine headache.