Migraine Headache Causes

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• QWhat are some triggers for migraine headaches?

  4 Answers

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  A Dr. Mark W. Green, MD , Neurology, answered on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System

  

  Various triggers can trigger a headache in an individual who is predisposed to migraine. Actually the triggers would likely trigger a headache in anyone under extreme circumstances. But migraineurs get headaches that are easily triggered. The large variety of triggers often involve a CHANGE is a normal routine, such as change in stress, change in weather, change in hormones, and change in diet. If one can identify treatable triggers, they would be minimized and would expect some reduction in the number of attacks.
  
  In this video, Mark Green, MD, discusses triggers for migraines and how they can be controlled.

  

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  What Triggers Migraines and How Can They Be Controlled?
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• QCan certain food cause migraines?

  2 Answers

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  A Dr. Mark W. Green, MD , Neurology, answered on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System

  

  Chocolate doesn’t trigger migraines, says Mark Green, MD, director of the Center for Headache and Pain Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. There may be a link to migraine prodomes. In this video, he explains.

  

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  Can Chocolate Trigger Migraine?
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• QWho is most at risk for migraine headaches?

  1 Answer

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  A Sigma Nursing answered

  Migraine headaches tend to be hereditary; more than half of migraine sufferers have a close family member who also has migraines. Therefore, your risks are based upon certain hereditary factors. The disorder affects females three times more often than males, and symptoms appear as early as puberty or early adulthood. Many women are at higher risk just before, during or just after a menstrual period because of hormone fluctuations. People who are between the age of 25 and 55 are at risk more than any other age group. Migraines may be more common among people with certain other conditions like epilepsy. However, people with easily-affected nervous systems are also the most at risk for the disorder.

• QWhen during the month do menstrual migraines usually happen?

  1 Answer

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  A MediGuard answered

  One of the things that is very important in understanding migraine is that 75% of migrainers are women. There is definitely a tie between hormonal changes and migraines. Generally speaking, migraines start at menarche and end at menopause. When women become pregnant, they usually have no migraines during second and third trimester. Hormonally related migraine headaches are related to the fall in estrogen at the time of menstrual flow. No one has a solid answer to this problem. Adjusting birth control pills or going on continuous birth control pills may be a possibility. All a matter of trial and error. Mentioned Frovatriptan before which has a 26 hour half life. You can use it in a prophylactic manner before the menstrual flow. Take 1 pill twice a day, two days prior to your flow provided that you are regular with your menses. 1 pill 2 days in to the flow. This can be modified to 1 pill a day for 4 days and should be based on results that you get.

• QWhat effect does menopause have on migraine headaches?

  2 Answers

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  A Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine answered

  Some migraines can be related to your menstrual cycle caused by an increase in hormones. If you have this type of migraine related to your menstrual cycle, a decrease in this hormone during menopause can make your migraines better. However, for some women, menopause actually worsens or can cause migraines to start. There is a possibility that hormone replacement therapy used during some women in menopause can be linked to this increase in migraines. However, the exact cause is not known, but usually these migraines go away when menopause resolves.

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• QDo genetics play a role in migraines?

  1 Answer

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  A Dr. Mark W. Green, MD , Neurology, answered on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System

  

  What role does family history play in migraines? In this video, Mark Green, MD, director of the Center for Headache and Pain Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, talks about the influence of genetics in migraine headaches.
   

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  Are Migraine Headaches Genetic?
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• QDoes long length of migraine increase the risk of stroke?

  1 Answer

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  A MediGuard answered

  There is the possibility that persistent and frequent migraine headache with aura (black dots, bright spots, wavy lines) may be a warning of possible migraines stroke. There are certain markers that should be evaluated in knowing if you are predisposed to having a stroke. If you smoke, are overweight, diabetic, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you are more prone to having a stroke with migraine headache. With good care, most of this can be avoided.
• QHow can alcohol affect migraines?

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  A Dr. Steven A. Meyers, MD , Diagnostic Radiology, answered on behalf of NorthShore University HealthSystem

  Alcohol is a common trigger of migraine. Beer and red wine are the most commonly identified triggers. Clear alcohols such as vodka and gin seem less likely to trigger attacks but can still do so.

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• QCan use of birth control pills make my migraines worse?

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  A Riverside Center for Neurosciences answered

  In some women, birth control pills improve migraine. The pills may help reduce the number of attacks and their attacks may become less severe. But in other women, the pills may worsen their migraines. In still other women, taking birth control pills has no effect on their migraines.
  
  The reason for these different responses is not well understood. For women whose migraines get worse when they take birth control pills, their attacks seem to occur during the last week of the cycle. This is because the last seven pills in most monthly pill packs don't have hormones; they are there to keep you in the habit of taking your birth control daily. Without the hormones, your body's estrogen levels drop sharply. This may trigger migraine in some women.
  
  Talk with your doctor if you think birth control pills are making your migraines worse. Switching to a pill pack in which all the pills for the entire month contain hormones and using that for three months in a row can improve headaches. Lifestyle changes, such as getting on a regular sleep pattern and eating healthy foods, can help too.
  This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.