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One
of the best-known, most used strategies in dealing with migraines
is learning what triggers it in the first place, so that the migraine
sufferer can take medication or other relief measures before the
worst of the attack strikes. Failure to do so often
results in the person spending the entire in bed, writing in absolute
misery, including pain, nausea and even vomiting. Before examining
the subject of controlling triggers, let's get a better understanding
of migraine headaches.
Migraines
tend to be hereditary. Several studies have discovered evidence
that they run in families, because of genetics and similar environments. The actual cause of the migraine is a tightening of the person's
blood vessels which reside in his brain. This tightening causes
an expansion in other vessels to compensate. The blood-vessels'
swelling causes extreme pain that is the familiar result of migraines.
In the vast majority of instances, a migraine affects just a single
side of the person's brain, causing a throbbing sensation of that
side of the head. Usually this pain is felt mos acutely around
the temple or on one side of the forehead.
One
likely cause of migraines is an imbalance of certain chemicals in
the person's brain. Research has shown a connection
between migraines and the level of serotonin in the brain (serotonin
is one of the brain's neurotransmitters). Specifically, during
a migraine, serotonin levels appear to drop.
Most typically,
a migraine causes throbbing pain one one side of the person's brain.The area of the pain is usually at the forehead or temple area.While some people refer to simple tension headaches as migraines,
in truth they're completely different phenomena.A migraine headache
has more intensity to it and is caused by the expanding blood vessels
mentioned earlier--not just tension.
Another likely
cause of migraine is the imbalance of chemicals in the brain.According
to recent research, serotonin levels, which tend to drop during
a migraine attack, are a strong factor in persons who have migraines.
Another
trigger for migraines, and one which we have more control over is
food. Certain foods appear to bring on an attack more so in
some people than in others. The specific types of food are
hazy, and vary from patient to patient. According to one survey,
only around 10 to 20 percent of migraine sufferers know what food
triggers an attack. Having said that, it's helpful to know
that the most common culprits appear to be coffee, chocolate, monosodium
glutamate, beer, red wine, pickles and fermented foods.Paradoxically,
lack of sufficient food might also bring on an attack.
The way to handle
the food factor in migraines is to compile a list of possible culprits. Any time you experience a migraine, jot down in a diary what
you've had to eat over the past week. Do the same for future
attacks. If you start to see common food items popping up,
then try eliminating these from your diet and see if it helps.
The
environment sometimes brings on a migraine as well. This especially
applies to extreme changes in temperature. Some other environmental
factors include strong odors or changes in lighting. Again,
note what might be a factor in your migraines and try changing the
environment. With time, you might be able to eliminate several
triggers and make the migraine attacks come less often, and with
less severity.
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