Identifying Migraine Triggers

A migraine is an extremely painful headache that is characterized by a number of symptoms. Those symptoms can include an excruciating pounding within the head. In addition the sufferer experiences nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, no desire to eat and exhaustion. In addition, the individual suffering from a migraine may experience a lack of sensation or a tingling sensation.

Migraines often reoccur, are experienced by women more than men and may be part of our heredity. Often a migraine is triggered by something that happens to that particular individual. The migraine trigger may be a particular outside influence, food, or event that affects the body. These migraine triggers can be identified and avoided so as to prevent future painful episodes.

Outside Influences

An outside influence that may bring on a migraine can be best defined as that influence that occurs outside the parameters of the physical body. These particular migraine triggers could be the scents of various perfumes, lights that are extremely intense or loud sounds, or other odors. Some of these odors could include paint or the smell of cigarette or cigar smoke. A migraine trigger that causes a migraine in one individual may not necessarily be the same trigger that brings about these debilitating headaches to another sufferer

Another outside influence that can serve as a migraine trigger is weather conditions. This particular trigger is especially influential when there is a rapid change in barometric pressure. This barometric pressure can either decrease or increase. Also, a migraine may be experienced when there is a significant change in the temperature or humidity.

Food

Another migraine trigger can be food. The eating of certain foods, combination of foods or foods that contain other ingredients may be the catalyst that brings on a migraine episode.

For some migraine sufferers, these foods include the use of luncheon meats, cheese that has been aged, caffeine, chocolate, and certain fruits such as citrus fruits and bananas. In addition foods that contain MSG, such as stews that are packaged in cans and soy sauce have been linked to the occurrences of migraines. Other foods that may bring about a migraine may include peanut butter, the eating of avocados, nuts or food products that contain nitrates.

Nitrates are a preservative that prevents food from spoiling. Some of these foods include hot dogs or other processed meats.

Often, for the migraine sufferer, keeping a food log is a beneficial way of identifying these migraine triggers. By recording the foods that you eat you will have a clear record of your dietary intake. This record can be examined in an effort to find a correlation between foods that are eaten and any migraine episodes experienced.

Changes In The Body

Other migraine triggers that can bring on a migraine could include changes that are experienced within the body. These changes could be as simple as skipping a meal, or any changes in a woman's menstrual cycle.

Another migraine trigger is the experiencing of changes in daily living patterns. These changes could include your daily sleeping habits. A lack of sleep or too much sleep may cause the onset of a migraine. Also, if you come under stress this may bring on migraine headache.