Migraines - Causes & Triggers

Hi Everyone!

So this post is going to focus on the causes and triggers of migraines. Let me begin by defining these two terms. Causes refers to the physical process that takes place in the body. Triggers meanwhile, referes to influences outside of the body that can result in (or cause) a migraine.

Lets begin with the causes of migraines. It is strongly believed that changes in the chemical serotonin (or 5HT) in the bloodstream may be to blame for producing migraines. When this happens, the neurotransmitters and blood vessels in the brain change and begin to mis-fire. Unfortunately, the reason for the change in serotonin levels is not yet certain.

Migraine triggers vary from person to person. Most migraineurs will not have a single trigger and will be able to cope with individual triggers in isolation. However, they will reach a point when their triggers have overloaded their brain, causing a migraine. 

As I am writing this, a black spot is appearing over the screen - indicating that a migraine attack is imminent, and making it difficult to continue this post!

There are a number of triggers. Migraineurs may be affected by any number of these, with varying severity. These triggers include, but are not limited to:

Emotional stress

Changes in sleep pattern

Tension in neck and/or shoulder(s)

Lack of food

Alcohol (especially red wine)

Food (chocolate, cheese, caffein)

Dehydration

Bright light

Flickering or flashing light

Certain smells (especially potent ones)

Loud noise

Certain sounds (usually high pitches)

Menstruation

Puberty

Menopause

HRT and the contraception pill

Eye strain

High blood pressure

Toothache

Viral infection

This list is by no means comprehensive. Additional triggers can be found at www.migraine.org.uk.

Tania Xx