10 Most Common Migraine Triggers

Is there anyone who has not suffered from a headache throughout the life? No one, of course. Whether you are suffering from fever or hectic routine is taking its toll on you, you suffer from headache. Migraine is a severe yet very common headache, with a significant percentage of the world’s population suffering from it. It is a throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head. Each person who suffers from migraine attack has different triggers. Knowing triggers and avoiding them to prevent a migraine attack is a healthy and inexpensive solution.

Here are some common triggers that you should avoid to prevent migraine aches.

Stress

Your body becomes alert because of any impending physical danger. With stress, the danger is not always physical but the body responds in the same way. Worry, repressed feelings, tiredness and anxiety lead to increased muscle tension in and around the head, neck, temples and eyes, causing migraine ache.

Sleeplessness

Sleep allows body to shut down non-vital systems and begin repairing. When you shorten your sleep cycle, your body gets less time to rest. This restlessness may trigger migraine headaches.

Hormones

Women suffer from migraines more than their male counterparts. The main factor that may trigger severe migraine headache is hormonal changes. Studies have shown that women experience migraine attacks more during puberty, pregnancy and menstrual cycle.

Hunger and Dehydration

Hunger and dehydration are also among the most common triggers of migraine headache. So, don’t skip meals and keep yourself adequately hydrated by drinking plenty of water to avoid migraine attack.

Caffeine

Most of us need a dose of caffeine to remain active and keep going. However, for migraine sufferers caffeine may act as a trigger. If you are used to consuming large amount of caffeinated drinks, cutting down on caffeine consumption can cause migraine aches. On the other hand, for those who take less amount of caffeine, increasing its amount may trigger migraine.

Chocolate

Chocolate is among the main triggers of migraine headaches. For most of the migraine sufferers, it is the culprit for causing pain while for others it’s perfectly ok. Caffeine found in the chocolate may be the reason behind migraine headache.

Alcohol

Sulfites used as preservatives in red wine have been linked with migraine headache. Alcohol is one of the most commonly reported triggers for migraine. Alcohol in any drink causes increased blood flow to the brain and may also cause dehydration. Both are the causes of migraine headache.

Cheese

Aged cheese is also considered as one of the triggers of migraines. The real culprit may be the substance known as tyramine that is formed when proteins in cheese break down. You may need to skip blue cheese, cheddar, parmesan, gouda and Swiss cheese to avoid migraine headaches.

Ice

Cold foods like ice cream may act as a trigger for migraine sufferers but usually the pain goes away quickly. An ice cream headache mostly occurs, if you are overheated. You can prevent migraine headache by eating ice cream or anything cold slowly.

Banana

Banana usually doesn’t appear on the list of foods that trigger headache but they can trigger migraine for those who are sensitive to tyramine.

All of the above stated factors and food items are, to some extent, linked with migraine headaches. However, it is important that you monitor your condition and try to figure out what is causing migraine episodes in your case.

Free consultation

Avoiding triggers is no doubt helpful in preventing migraines. But if you are suffering from severe migraine headaches and seeking an effective treatment, book a free consultation with our experts to get migraine treated. We have highly experienced and internationally recognized cosmetic surgeons, who treat chronic migraines with Botox. Visit our clinic today or fill the online consultation form below to book a consultation.