“A migraine is like a tornado; it attacks fast without any warning and wreaks havoc.”
Migraines usually start during the teenage years or early in adult life,Guest Posting affecting more women than men with a ratio of three to one. Migraines are caused from constricted (tightening) arteries that supply blood flow to the brain. When the arteries constrict, blood flow to the brain is reduced as well as the brains oxygen supply. The brain reacts by dilating (enlarging) arteries to meet the brain’s need for energy. The dilation spreads to the arteries in the neck and scalp and is the culprit of the pain in migraines.
If you live with migraines, make sure to have your Doctor rule out an underlying illness or other medical conditions that mimic migraines with the appropriate tests: for example, x-rays determining sinus infection, EEG for seizure activity or a CAT scan to detect blood clots or a brain tumor. Your Dr. may determine a drug to help ease your pain.
Eight Migraine Triggers
1. Cerviogentic Headache:
Some people who have a tender neck and suffer from sore bone and joint problems are diagnosed with this type
2. Temporomandibular Migraine:
Triggered by teeth grinding
3. Sinus Migraine:
Triggered by allergies and caused by excessive mucous and often accompanied by a fever. If you have this type of migraine, you may experience pain around both eyes and also may feel nauseated and sensitive to light.
4. Genetic Migraines:
Studies have lined a gene to people affected with migraines. Often when the gene for migraines is passed on to the next generation, the recipient will also experience headaches around the same age as the person who passed on the migraine.
5. Stress Migraine:
Stress can be a major contributing factor to the onset of a migraine. Type A personalities are more likely to experience migraines. Type A is ambitious, bright, perfectionist, emotionally repressed, cautious and has a decreased ability to manage stress. However, this is the easiest type of migraine to treat because a type A personality can acquire the skills necessary to manage stress.
6. Hormonal Migraine:
Fluctuating hormones in women are often the cause of migraines and can happen during menstrual cycles.
7. Cigarette Migraine
An equal opportunity source of migraines is because the nicotine alters blood vessels. High carbon monoxide levels in a person who smokes or even inhales second hand smoke can lead to a migraine.
8. Food Migraines Food allergies are another factor that leads to migraines. However, migraine sufferers are able to eat chocolate without falling prey to a migraine. Some patients actually report relief from eating chocolate.
Foods that Can Cause Migraines
1. Aged cheese such as Roquefort, Stilton and Sharp Cheddar
2. Fermented Dairy such as Sour Cream, Buttermilk and Yogurt
3. Citrus: Oranges or Grapefruit, including juice
4. Nuts: Peanuts, Walnuts or Pecans
5. Legumes: Peas, Beans and Soy product 6. Onions and Garlic
7. Bananas
8. Pickled foods: picked herring is the most common instigator
9. MSG found in Chinese food
10. Alcohol
Now that you know the common triggers, also note that skipping meals also causes migraines. Skipping meals causes your blood sugar to drop, which in turn causes a migraine.
Eight Ways to Kiss Your Migraine Goodbye
1. Medicine
Medicines have been used for centuries to treat migraines. Today Dr’s prescribe Beta Blockers to treat migraines by maintaining adequate dilation of blood vessels. Antidepressants: The brain chemical ‘serotonin’ plays a role in migraine attacks because the levels of serotonin may cause or relieve migraine and that’s why Drs sometimes prescribe antidepressants for migraines. Antidepressants reduce migraine frequency by regulating serotonin levels in the brain. Other drugs are triptans available as an injection or nasal spray. T