Topic: MigraineIs There a Migrain Type ?
It has been proven that there is no "migraine type" and sufferers are not, as is sometimes suggested,
neurotic, perfectionist hypochondriacs who bring all their problems on themselves nor even, as has also
been suggested, that they are super intelligent or extra sensitive. Although twice as many women as men
suffer from migraine because of the involvement of hormonal factors, migraineurs come from all walks of
life, all areas of the world and ethnic groups, and all social classes.
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What Causes Migraine
Migraine is believed to be caused by changes in the neurotransmitters and blood vessels in the brain
but exactly what causes these changes is still a subject for research and debate. However certain
factors have been identified which can trigger attacks in susceptible sufferers people:
- Stress (or sometimes the relief of stress).
- Lack of food or infrequent meals.
- Certain foods including products containing monosodium glutamate, caffeine, tyramine or alcohol.
- Overtiredness (physical or mental).
- Changing sleep patterns (e.g. weekend lie ins, sleeplessness or shift work).
- Hormonal factors (e.g. monthly periods, the contraceptive pill, HRT or the menopause).
- Extreme emotions (e.g. anger, grief etc.).
- Physical activity.
- Environmental factors (e.g. loud noise, bright or flickering lights, strong perfumes, hot stuffy atmosphere, VDUs etc.).
- Climatic conditions (e.g. strong winds, extreme heat or cold).
For most sufferers people there is not just one trigger but a combination of factors which individually can be tolerated but
when several occur together a threshold is passed and an attack is triggered.
Although it can be helpful to identify and avoid your own personal trigger factors
it is important not to become too obsessive.
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