The exact reason for migraine isn’t completely understood. The majority of researchers believe that migraine is a result of abnormal changes in levels of substances which are naturally produced in the brain. If the levels of these substances increase, they might cause inflammation. This inflammation then triggers blood vessels inside the brain to swell and produce pressure on nearby nerves, causing pain.
Genes also have been connected to migraine headaches. People that get migraines might have abnormal genes that handle the functions of certain brain cells.
Experts can say for certain that people with migraines respond to a number of factors and events, called triggers. These triggers can differ for every person and don’t always result in migraine. A mix of triggers – not a single thing or event – is more likely to set off an attack. A person’s reaction to triggers may also change from migraine to migraine. A lot of women with migraine generally have attacks triggered by:
- Insufficient or too much sleep
- Skipped meals
- Bright lights, exposure to noise, or strong odors
- Hormone changes during the menstrual cycle
- Stress and anxiety, or rest after stress
- Weather conditions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Caffeine intake
- Foods which contain nitrates or MSG
To determine your migraine triggers, keep a headache journal. Each day you have a migraine headache, put that in your log. Additionally write down the:
- The actual time of day your headache began
- Where you have been and what you were doing when the migraine started
- Precisely what you ate or drank twenty-four hours before the attack
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