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.
Migraine Headache Causes
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Sigma Nursing answeredMigraine 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.
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See All 5 AnswersVarious 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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MediGuard answeredOne 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.
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See All 2 AnswersSome 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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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.
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Dr. Steven A. Meyers, MD , Diagnostic Radiology, answered on behalf of NorthShore University HealthSystemSee All 2 AnswersIt is important to remember that most patients never identify a specific trigger. Also, if you find a trigger, it may not always be consistent. A particular food may only trigger an attack once in awhile, which can make it even more difficult to manage. Common triggers include alcohol, aged cheeses, sausage meats, organ meats, heavily processed foods containing MSG, chocolate, and NutraSweet. Other triggers include stress, weather changes, alteration in sleep patterns, missing meals, and the menstrual cycle.
Keep a diary. Every time you have a headache, record it on a calendar. Think back over the past 24 hours and record what you ate or anything that stands out as unusual. Over time you may find a pattern. -
1 AnswerA
MediGuard answeredOne 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.
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MediGuard answeredThere 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.
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Dr. Steven A. Meyers, MD , Diagnostic Radiology, answered on behalf of NorthShore University HealthSystemSee All 2 AnswersAlcohol 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.