The A to Z of Headaches

You are here:
Directory | Headaches | Headache Trigger

More Factors That May Trigger A Headache
By Wendy Simons

Psychological factors play a crucial role as a trigger of individual migraine attacks. Studies have shown that points to prolonged stress is a contributor to the frequency of migraine attacks. Therefore, figuring out any personal problems that you may have is crucial in reducing the frequency as well as duration of your headache.

Try to recall when your headaches were first developed. For some people, their headaches started after a long period of emotional conflict, a perceived loss, bereavement, physical illness, or disruption of their social support systems, including divorce, loss of job, etc. For some, counseling is necessary in order to help cope with these different emotional events.

You must realize and identify stressful triggers; try not to take on too many chores or challenges as this will only add to your migraine problem. Learning to identify the triggers
and cope with stress is very important in the total treatment regimen.

When Food Is A Culprit

About 45% of the time, migraine attacks are triggered from eating certain foods. Therefore, knowing what not to eat is effective in reducing the frequency, severity, and duration of your acute headaches.

Studies have shown that the results of a process of elimination diet have been reported as positive by some and negative by others. Some headache sufferers will comment that at one time a food will cause a reaction while at another time the same food will not cause a headache. In other cases, a trigger factor may only have the potential to cause a headache if combined with another trigger factor, such as eating chocolate when under stress.

The mechanism by which diet provokes headaches is obscure but probably not an allergic phenomenon. Many of the foods commonly cited as triggering migraine attacks contain what we call vasoactive amines. Vasoactive amines earned their name because they influence the blood vessels. These amines, or monoamines, are constantly identified as migraine triggers; even small amounts of these chemicals can cause an attack in someone who is susceptible.

Chocolate is considered by most headache experts to be a major cause of migraine attacks. These attacks may take as long as 24 hours to develop. The vasoactive substance in chocolate is phenylethylamine.

Between 40 and 60% of migraine sufferers believe that drinking alcoholic beverages is a definite cause of their migraines. It is believed that the alcohol itself may not be a factor, but the impurities in major alcohol beverages cause the problem. Wines, vodka, light scotches, and whiskeys have a lower impurity content and therefore can be tolerated by some migraine patients when ingested in small amounts.

Author Details:
Wendy Simons, writes for various websites, mainly about skin care, microdermabrasion and other health matters. If you are looking for further information try these migraine articles from Simply Top

Source: The A to Z of Headaches

NOTE: This article may be reproduced ONLY if this note, the article source, the author details with all links remaining active and in place.

Related Headache Articles:

Straight to the point short articles about the headache:

Older Articles About Headaches:

You are here:
Directory | Headaches |