Ever feel like your brain’s got a personal vendetta against you? Like it’s just waiting for the perfect moment to unleash a throbbing, pulsating storm inside your skull? If you’re one of the millions of people who deal with migraines, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
But here’s the thing: Migraines aren’t just random acts of brain cruelty. There are often hidden triggers lurking in the shadows, just waiting to set off that dreaded migraine sequence. And today, we’re shining a spotlight on a specific group of culprits: excitatory triggers.
Think of these triggers as the overenthusiastic party guests in your brain. They’re the ones who crank up the music too loud, flip on all the strobe lights, and generally get a little too excited, leaving you with a pounding headache and a desperate need for peace and quiet.
Let’s dive into some common examples of these excitatory triggers, so you can start to identify the troublemakers in your life:
** Sound Overload:**
- Loud concerts or events: That awesome rock concert might be awesome for your ears, but not so much for your head.
- Barking dogs: Fido might be the goodest boy, but his enthusiastic barking can be a migraine trigger for some.
- Construction noise: Jackhammers, drills, and other loud construction sounds can easily set off a migraine attack.
- Even everyday noises: Sometimes, even the sound of the TV, a loud conversation, or the clatter of dishes can be enough to trigger a migraine.
** Too Much Screen Time:**
- Computer screens: Staring at your computer for hours on end can strain your eyes and trigger a migraine.
- Phone screens: Same goes for scrolling through social media or texting on your phone.
- TV screens: Binge-watching your favorite shows might be fun, but it could also lead to a migraine.
- Bright lights: Whether it’s the sun’s glare, fluorescent lights, or headlights at night, bright lights can be a major migraine trigger.
** Stress Overload:**
- Work stress: Deadlines, demanding bosses, and office drama can all contribute to migraine attacks.
- Family stress: Dealing with kids, relationships, or caring for elderly parents can also trigger migraines.
- Financial stress: Worrying about money can be a major stressor and migraine trigger.
- Even positive stress: Exciting events like weddings, holidays, or new job opportunities can sometimes trigger migraines, too.
** Sleep Disruptions:**
- Not enough sleep: When you’re sleep-deprived, your brain is more susceptible to migraine attacks.
- Too much sleep: Oversleeping can also mess with your brain’s delicate balance and trigger a migraine.
- Jet lag: Traveling across time zones can disrupt your sleep patterns and lead to migraines. ✈️
- Shift work: Working irregular hours can make it hard to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, which can also trigger migraines.
** Food and Drink Triggers:**
- Caffeine: While caffeine can sometimes help with migraines, it can also trigger them in some people. ☕️
- Alcohol: Red wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages are common migraine triggers.
- Chocolate: Sorry, chocoholics! Chocolate is another common migraine trigger.
- Processed foods: Foods high in nitrates, MSG, and artificial sweeteners can also trigger migraines.
** Sensory Overload:**
- Strong smells: Perfumes, cleaning products, and even certain flowers can trigger migraines in some people.
- Weather changes: Barometric pressure changes, storms, and even hot or cold weather can trigger migraines. ️
- Physical exertion: Strenuous exercise can trigger migraines in some people. ♀️
Hormonal Changes:
- Menstruation: Many women experience migraines around the time of their period due to fluctuating hormone levels.
- Menopause: Hormonal shifts during menopause can also trigger migraines.
- Birth control pills: Hormonal birth control can also be a migraine trigger for some women.
Medications:
Certain prescription drugs: Some medications, such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and even some pain relievers, can trigger migraines as a side effect.
Environmental Factors:
- Strong odors: Gasoline, paint fumes, cleaning products, and even certain perfumes or colognes can trigger migraines in some people.
- Secondhand smoke: Exposure to secondhand smoke can also be a migraine trigger.
- Air pollution: High levels of air pollution can also trigger migraines.
Lifestyle Factors:
- Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, which is a common migraine trigger.
- Skipping meals: Going too long without eating can cause blood sugar levels to drop, which can also trigger a migraine.
- Excessive caffeine intake: While caffeine can sometimes help with migraines, consuming too much caffeine can also trigger them.
- Changes in routine: Disruptions to your normal routine, such as traveling or working late nights, can also trigger migraines.
Underlying Medical Conditions:
- Sleep disorders: Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders can increase the risk of migraines.
- Anxiety and depression: Anxiety and depression are often linked to migraines, and they can also be triggers.
- Thyroid problems: Thyroid disorders can also trigger migraines.
Visual Stimuli:
- Patterns and textures: Busy patterns, stripes, or repetitive textures, such as those found on carpets, wallpaper, or certain clothing, can trigger migraines in some people.
- Flickering lights: Fluorescent lights, strobe lights, or even the flickering of a TV screen can be migraine triggers.
- Bright lights: Sudden exposure to bright lights, such as sunlight or camera flashes, can also trigger migraines.
- 3D movies: The visual effects in 3D movies can overload the visual system and trigger migraines in some people.
Physical Activity:
- Intense exercise: While exercise is generally beneficial, strenuous or prolonged physical activity can trigger migraines in some people.
- Specific movements: Certain head movements, such as bending over or turning your head quickly, can also trigger migraines.
- Sexual activity: Sexual activity can trigger migraines in some people, likely due to a combination of physical exertion, increased heart rate, and hormonal changes.
Sensory Sensitivity:
- Loud noises: Even everyday noises, such as traffic, loud music, or the sound of appliances, can trigger migraines in people with heightened sound sensitivity.
- Strong smells: Sensitivity to odors, such as perfumes, cleaning products, or food smells, can also be a migraine trigger.
- Touch sensitivity: Some people with migraines experience heightened sensitivity to touch, making even light pressure on the scalp or face a potential trigger.
Weather Changes:
- Barometric pressure changes: Shifts in barometric pressure, often associated with storms or changes in altitude, can trigger migraines in some people.
- Humidity: High humidity levels can also be a migraine trigger.
- Wind: Strong winds can trigger migraines in some people, possibly due to changes in air pressure or the stimulation of sensory nerves in the face and head.
Dietary Factors:
- Food additives: Artificial sweeteners, preservatives like nitrates and sulfites, and flavor enhancers like MSG can trigger migraines in some people.
- Tyramine-rich foods: Foods that are naturally high in tyramine, such as aged cheeses, cured meats, and certain fermented foods, can also be migraine triggers.
- Histamine-rich foods: Some foods that contain high levels of histamine, such as tomatoes, spinach, and eggplant, can trigger migraines in people with histamine intolerance.
Mental Activity:
- Intense concentration: Focusing intently on a task for a prolonged period, such as studying, working on a computer, or reading, can trigger migraines in some people.
- Decision fatigue: Making many decisions throughout the day can also lead to mental fatigue and trigger migraines.
- Mental stress: Worrying, overthinking, or feeling overwhelmed can trigger migraines in some people.
Neck and Shoulder Tension:
- Muscle tension: Tightness in the neck and shoulder muscles can sometimes trigger migraines.
- Poor posture: Slouching or having incorrect posture can contribute to muscle tension and trigger migraines.
- Whiplash: Injuries to the neck, such as whiplash, can also trigger migraines.
Jaw Clenching:
- Bruxism: Clenching or grinding teeth, especially at night, can trigger migraines due to the strain it puts on the jaw muscles and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
- Chewing gum: Excessive gum chewing can also lead to jaw clenching and trigger migraines.
Eye Strain:
- Eye fatigue: Straining your eyes from prolonged screen time, reading in poor lighting, or driving for long periods can trigger migraines.
- Vision problems: Uncorrected vision problems, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, can also contribute to eye strain and trigger migraines.
Sleep Disturbances:
- Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep can trigger migraines.
- Sleep apnea: This sleep disorder, which causes pauses in breathing during sleep, can also trigger migraines.
- Oversleeping: Sleeping for too long or napping excessively can also trigger migraines in some people.
Medication Overuse:
Rebound headaches: Overusing pain relievers, especially those containing caffeine or barbiturates, can lead to rebound headaches, which can become chronic and difficult to treat.
Top Google-ranked reading links on triggers of migraine attacks:
- American Migraine Foundation: Top 10 Migraine Triggers and How to Deal with Them:
- Description: This comprehensive article details the ten most common migraine triggers, including stress, diet, weather, sleep changes, and sensory sensitivities. It offers practical tips for identifying and managing your personal triggers.
- Link: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/
- Mayo Clinic: Migraine – Symptoms and causes:
- Description: This authoritative source provides a clear and concise overview of migraine triggers, covering hormonal changes, medications, sensory stimuli, sleep patterns, dietary factors, and physical strain.
- Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201
- National Headache Foundation: Migraine Triggers:
- Description: This website delves deeper into specific dietary triggers, highlighting common culprits like aged cheese, processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine. It also explores environmental triggers like weather changes and bright lights.
- Link: https://headaches.org/environmental-factors/
- Migraine Trust: Migraine attack triggers:
- Description: This UK-based resource focuses on identifying and avoiding your personal triggers. It emphasizes the importance of keeping a migraine diary and provides tips for managing common triggers like stress, sleep, and medication overuse.
- Link: https://migrainetrust.org/
- Cleveland Clinic: Migraine Headaches: Causes, Treatment & Symptoms:
- Description: This informative article outlines various triggers alongside detailed explanations of their potential mechanisms. It covers emotional stress, food sensitivities, hormonal fluctuations, and sleep changes.
- Link: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/top-10-migraine-triggers/