What can start migraines ?

Answer 1

The cause of migraine is unknown. The condition may result from a series of reactions in the central nervous system caused by changes in the body or in the environment. There is often a family history of the disorder, suggesting that migraine sufferers may inherit sensitivity to triggers that produce inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves around the brain, causing pain.

Triggers

A trigger is any stimulus that initiates a process or reaction. Commonly identified migraine triggers include the following:

*Alcohol (e.g., red wine)
*Environmental factors (e.g., weather, altitude, time zone changes)
*Foods that contain caffeine (e.g., coffee, chocolate), monosodium glutamate (MSG; found in Chinese food), and nitrates (e.g., processed foods, hot dogs)
*Glare
*Hormonal changes in women
*Hunger
*Lack of sleep
*Medications (over-the-counter and prescription)
*Perfume
*Stress

Avoiding triggers, managing stress, and taking prophylactic medications can help prevent migraines. Keeping a migraine journal can help identify triggers and gauge the effectiveness of preventive measures. Patients should monitor the following:

*Activities
*Emotional factors (e.g. stressful situations)
*Environmental factors (e.g., weather, altitude changes)
*Foods and beverages
*Medications (over-the-counter and prescription)
*Migraine characteristics (e.g., severity, length)
*Physical factors (e.g., illness, fatigue)
*Sleep patterns

Stress management techniques (e.g., biofeedback, hypnosis) and stress-reducing activities (e.g., meditation, yoga, exercise) may help prevent migraines.

Answer 2

You are having a migraine or just a headache? I find when I am having one of my migraine coffee does not do it! It hurts to much to drink anything! It has been my experience that coffee does not help a migrain but does help a headache..... BTW Reading others responses it is obvious there is no one here yet who have migrains...if you are having a migrain go to the doctors get some REAL drugs, otherwise you are either not having a migrain headache or you are wasting your money on the over the counter meds.....who can eat anything, or drink anything when a migrain has hit?? Oh and who can excises while having one?? People must not have a clue....

Answer 3

Almost anything can trigger a migraine. Each person has their own unique chemistry and sensitivities.

The best way to figure out what is causing your migraines is to keep a migraine journal. Write down time of day, where you are, what you are doing, the lighting and what you are watching or looking at. Also keep track of your emotional state - stressed, upset,etc. Keep track of what you ate shortly before the migraine started. Keep track of medications and times you take them. All the details of just prior to the migraine. If you keep it for a bit, you may start to see a pattern emerge show what your trigger is.

The minute you feel one, take the medication first - the earlier, the better. The worse it gets, the harder it is for medication to help. Then, note your journal and retreat into a quiet, dark, cool room to rest and recover.

Be Well

Answer 4

When you suffer from migraines almost anything can trigger one. Mostly it is stress, anxiety, emotions, and anger. And more. The key to migraines is that the minute you know you are getting one you need to take medication right then. Because if you wait too long no amount of medication will help.

I suffer from migraines. I started having them when I was in the Army. Stress causes mine. If I have had a really hard day at work, argument with my parents, or boyfriend problems, they all can trigger a migraine episode.

Medications that work well to alieve migraines are Imitrex which comes in the pill and shot form. And the other that works great is Zomig. It is a pill you put under your tongue and disolves immediately and works within minutes.

Answer 5

Here is a link to what can start migraines. Because there is too many to list that is why I like to give links:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-headache/DS00120/DSECTION=3

Answer 6

Lots of things, hormonal changes caused by menstration, wine, cheese, excessive chocolate, stress, lots of things thats the hardest part about treating migranes you need to figure out what your specific trigger is, like if you get them around the same time as your period you have a hormonal imbalance and this can usually be corrected by birth control.

Answer 7

I get them from sunlight glinting off any shiny surface, lowering barometric pressure and God alone knows the other reasons. If you have the genes, you get the pain & other symtpoms.

Answer 8

-flash of bright light that catches you the wrong way
-skipping meals
-perfume
-not getting enough sleep and being overtired
-stressful situations

Answer 9

if you don't drink lot of water, you would get bad headache.

I warned the kids, but they are not mine. I told them do not drink soda too much... please drink water because soda has lot of sodium which can cause bad headache.

in few hours later few kids started complaining about headaches. and they said "how do you know" I told them, and too late for them to get bad headache.

Answer 10

http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr_feb04_foramen.html