As a former migraine sufferer my heart goes out to anyone who gets any type of regular headache. Migraines can be so debilitating - an attack can last between 4 and 72 hours and sufferers experience an average of 13 attacks each year. It's not clear what causes migraines but it has been discovered that they start in the brain with misfiring of neurotransmitters which set in place a chain reaction effecting how sensory information such as pain, light or sound is dealt with by the brain. Migraine symptoms include: throbbing pain usually on one side of the head; visual disturbances; nausea and vomiting; sensitivity to light, noise and smells.
They are many factors which can trigger an attack and for most sufferers it takes a combination of 6 or so to push you over the threshold. Triggers can precede an attack by as much as 6 to 8 hours. Examples of triggers, as identified by Migraine Action, are:
Emotional stress - anger; worry; tension; excitement; shock depression; the end of a stressful or busy time.
Physical Stress - over-exertion/tiredness; change in sleep patterns; bending or stooping; changes in routine; travelling; tension in the neck and/or shoulders.
Diet/food - lack of food or infrequent meals; dehydration; hypoglycemia; foods containing mono-sodium glutamate caffeine and tyramine; specific foods such as chocolate, citrus fruits and cheese; alcohol.
Environmental - bright, flickering or flashing lights; loud noise; intense or penetrating smells; change of climate or weather; smoking; stuffy atmosphere.
Hormones - menstruation and pre-menstrual period; puberty; menopause; contraceptive pill; hormone replacement therapy; pregnancy (although 75% of mothers find their migraines cease in the later stages of pregnancy owing to the stability of hormone levels at this time)
Other triggers - use of sleeping tablets; high blood pressure; dental problems; eye strain; sinus problems; anything that causes pain or discomfort to the face, neck or head.
Figuring out what triggers your migraines can be so frustrating - you could have 3 or 4 triggers present all the time and then it will only take something else to come along and you may have an attack. Keeping a migraine diary is a really useful tool for working out what your triggers are.
Trigger points (knots in a muscle that refer pain to other parts of the body) in several of the different neck muscles can cause pain in the head and when palpated can reproduce the pain or sensation felt during a headache or migraine. It's well worth having an assessment by a health care professional to see if the muscles and tissue around the head, neck and shoulders may be one of your triggers (they were for me). A clinical/remedial massage therapist will be able to assess the soft tissue, treat it and provide relaxation and stress relief which could really make inroads into those migraine triggers. This is why I love massage!
The following websites provide excellent information on Migraines:
The Migraine Trust
Migraine Action
NHS Choices
Good luck in finding those triggers and zapping them!
Alice x
