What Causes Migraines?

Imagine you’re having a normal day, and then all of a sudden you feel an intense headache creeping up on the sides of your head. If you suffer from migraines, you know what’s coming next: aches and pains, extreme sensitivity to noise and light, and dizziness that can last for hours or even days. The more you know about migraines, the better you can avoid these unpleasant occurrences. So what causes migraines?

What Causes Migraines?

Migraines are one of the most frustrating medical conditions for a patient to have to deal with. They seemingly come out of nowhere, and they can take you out of commission for days at a time. Having a migraine is extremely unpleasant, and chronic migraine sufferers can find themselves missing work and social events with troubling regularity. If you’re a migraine sufferer who wants your life back, what can you do?

When it comes to migraines, unfortunately, there isn’t a good generalizable answer as to where they come from. It varies depending on the person and their circumstances. While there isn’t a medical consensus on how to treat migraines effectively, there are steps migraine sufferers can take to identify where their migraines are coming from and to get assistance with them.

Common Migraine Triggers

While we don’t have a great understanding of what causes every migraine, there are some common triggers that migraine sufferers should be aware of:

• Stress and emotional discomfort
• Certain drinks, like coffee and alcohol
• Changes in barometric pressure or adverse weather conditions
• Hormonal fluctuations, especially in women
• Strong sensory stimuli, like loud noises and harsh smells
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Certain foods and food additives, like preservatives

If any of these triggers sound familiar, they may be a part of what’s causing your migraines. 

Keeping a Migraine Journal

In order to determine what is causing your specific migraines, the best thing to do is to keep a migraine journal. This will allow you to identify what might be causing your migraines and help you avoid them. You also may have some issues that you don’t necessarily identify as migraines but are still symptoms of migraine issues. For example, vestibular migraine sufferers rarely have headaches but still experience symptoms like visual auras and nausea. A migraine journal can help you identify those issues as well, and provide more clues on how to prevent them. 

In order to keep a migraine journal, you will want to keep detailed notes on all of your migraine occurrences. Migraine journal entries should include the following:

• The time and date of the migraine
• Weather conditions at the time of the migraine
• Any migraine symptoms experienced
• The duration of the migraine
• Any identified triggers
• Anything else you believe a doctor should know about the event

Keep your migraine journal until you have some instances to compare, then bring it with you to an appointment with a migraine specialist. They’ll be able to help you explore treatment options. There are certain medications that can give chronic migraine sufferers relief. There are also lifestyle changes that can help, like cutting out caffeine or alcohol. Your doctor will be able to help you make a plan that works for you.

It’s also important to note that there are some migraines that you won’t want to wait to discuss with a specialist. If you experience a migraine accompanied by neck pain, numbness, or weakness in the body, you should seek medical attention immediately in case you are experiencing a cardiac event. Likewise, any increase in headache intensity or frequency should be discussed with a medical professional sooner rather than later. This can indicate high blood pressure or other issues.

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What causes migraines? The answer depends on the person. If you’re trying to get to the bottom of your migraine issues, give us a call. We’re here to help.

Reach out to the professionals at the National Dizzy & Balance Center. We specialize in diagnosing and treating migraine issues, including vestibular migraines, head pain, and ongoing dizziness. To learn more about our approach, please contact us online or by phone. Or if you’re ready to get started, schedule your free medical consultation today.