What causes chronic migraine?
Medically reviewed by
Dr.Ritu Gupta
MD.General Medicine
Migraine is often a term used to describe any severe headache lasting 4 to 72 hours due to specific physiologic changes occurring within the brain. Migraines may be preceded by an aura, a change occurring 15-20 minutes prior to the headache; which may be a visual change like partial blindness or seeing spots or blind spots. Alterations in hearing or smell can also signify an aura. Signs of aura may be hallucinations, feelings of prickly skin or numbness or weakness involving one side of body.
Patients often have pain described as throbbing, pulsating or pounding and made worse with physical exertion (for example, walking or climbing stairs). The migraine is associated with sensitivity to sound, light and smells accompanied by nausea or vomiting.
Triggers of migraine:
The exact trigger of migraine is unclear but certain factors which trigger a migraine have been identified. The best way to prevent migraine episodes is to avoid triggers which can vary from person to person.
● Dietary triggers
: Missing, irregular or delayed meals can cause a migraine attack. For some people, even the slightest dehydration can cause a migraine attack. Drinking alcohol; caffeine products (such as tea and coffee); eating chocolate and citrus fruit; foods containing the substance tyramine (which includes cured meats, yeast extracts, pickled herrings, smoked fish like smoked salmon and certain cheeses such as cheddar, stilton and camembert) etc. can trigger an attack.● Physical triggers:
An intense workout session causing tiredness may trigger a migraine episode. Poor-quality sleep; shift work; poor posture; neck or shoulder tension; jet lag; low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) or strenuous exercise can trigger migraine.●Environmental triggers
: Unusually bright lights like sun, flickering screens (such as a television or computer screen); loud noises or strong smells of cigarette or perfume may set off a migraine episode. Changes in climate such as changes in humidity, storm, intense heat wave or very cold temperatures can also cause migraine.● Hormonal triggers
Up to 75 percent of women report migraine attacks around the time of their periods, possibly because of fluctuations in the levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Others report migraine during pregnancy or menopause. This is called menstrual-related migraine which usually occurs between 2 days before the start of your period. Many women find their migraines improve after the menopause, although even the menopause can trigger migraines or make them worse in some women.● Medication triggers
the addictive chemical in cigarettes and other tobacco products can raise your blood pressure and speeds up your heart rate. Palpitations can also be a symptom of nicotine and other drug withdrawal but these stop within 3 to 4 weeks after you quit.Vasodilators such as nitroglycerin which are used to treat conditions like high blood pressure or heart failure can trigger migraine episodes. Some sleeping tablets also trigger an attack.When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with a doctor to confirm the diagnosis of migraine and to determine what triggers your migraine so that it can be treated. Most people with migraines usually are able to manage their headaches with a combination of medications and lifestyle changes like yoga to relax and behavior therapy.