By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

April 19, 2013

• Do you REALLY know the source of your migraines?
• Five head-pounding triggers you should know about
• What you should do now…

Today, I thought about a study I read a few months ago. It was an interesting bit of research. Basically, it revealed people aren’t always right about what they believe triggers their migraine headaches.

The reason this study popped into my head is because a patient came in today who was convinced the fluorescent lights in his office were the culprit behind his migraines. He told me the light never seems to remain consistent. Instead, it seems to “flicker” every few minutes. And it gives him a blinding headache.

Worse, he can tell exactly when he’s going to get one. About 20 minutes before the migraine attacks he starts seeing flashes of light and blind spots. It’s called an “aura,” and only about a third of migraine sufferers experience it.

People frequently name bright and flickering lights as the cause of their migraines. But the study I’m talking about showed that migraine triggers don’t always match patient reports.

The researchers recruited 27 patients who said bright or flickering light triggered a migraine attack. Some of them also said exercise sparked their head-pounding response.

So do you know what the researchers did? They placed the participant right on the firing line!

Participants were exposed to bright, flashing or flickering lights for 30 to 40 minutes. They also exercised for an hour.

I thought the results were somewhat surprising.

Only six patients (22%) reported a migraine attack. Three of the patients had regular migraines. The other 3 developed a migraine with aura after being exposed to both light and exercise. However, none of them developed a migraine with aura after light exposure alone.

This research suggests migraines may not always be caused by the triggers people most often associate with them.

And that has to make you wonder. What REALLY activates a migraine response?

Migraines affect about 10% of the population. While no one really knows the biological cause of migraines, many scientists believe it might be a result of chemical changes in the brain that affects your blood vessels. It’s suspected that altered levels of brain neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and stress hormones are involved. And certain events may effect the action of these chemicals.

Here are five things that appear to be at the top of the list…

Stress is the most commonly reported migraine trigger of all. There have been multiple studies showing that stress and daily hassles are often increased in the days before a migraine headache. Research suggests stress generates changes in brain chemicals which may help initiate the process. And since a migraine itself is considered a stressor, this could lead to even more frequent migraines.

Hormonal fluctuations in women appear to be a strong migraine trigger. Women often report migraines before or after their monthly cycle, while pregnant and during menopause. The use of contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy may worsen migraines.

Sleep disturbances are also high on the list. People who have migraine headaches are much more likely to report sleep abnormalities like night sweats, jerking awake, and not feeling rested after sleeping. This means they aren’t getting enough deep sleep, which is required for the production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. This variation in brain chemicals may be what triggers the migraine response.

Missing meals is another big reason people get migraines. It’s the low blood sugar that sets off the reaction. Plus, regularly eating sugars and processed carbs can have the same results. They boost you up for a short while. But then your blood sugar drops and you crash. This leaves you wide open for a migraine.

Certain foods may contain ingredients that can cause a migraine attack. While food-related migraines aren’t at the top of the list, they can be a “hidden” problem. The nitrates in hotdogs, deli meats, bacon and ham are common triggers. Histamines in beer and wine can be a problem too. And let’s not forget about fermented foods, cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, foods laced with MSG and one in our diets almost every single day…gluten.

One of the first things I recommend is to start a migraine diary. Here’s what you should keep track of…

• When your migraine started and when it ended
• Any medications taken before onset
• What foods and drinks you’ve had in the last 24 hours
• Amount and quality of sleep the previous night
• Stressful events in the past 48 hours
• Activities preceding headache
• And for women, when your last menses started and ended

This can help establish a pattern behind your migraine headaches. And when you know the pattern, you’ll know what to avoid.

In the meantime, there are also some natural supplements that can help.

Feverfew is at the top of my list. It can reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines. Research also indicates feverfew can prevent about two-thirds of migraines in people who have them. Take 250 to 325 mg of a feverfew supplement that is standardized to contain 0.2 – 0.4% parthenolides 4 times per day.

Magnesium is also a winner. It’s known as the “relaxation” mineral and helps increase your brain’s blood flow. If you don’t have enough magnesium, you might be more prone to migraines. However 250 to 400 mg of magnesium citrate or glycinate daily in a divided dose can help you avoid these brain-clobbering headaches.

I’ve found that combining CoQ10 with feverfew and magnesium is a “magic” combination. CoQ10 helps reduce frequency, number of headache days and severity in studies. Just add 100 mg daily.

While you may need to experiment to see what works for you, I’ve found that these natural remedies are a good starting point.

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Resources:
American Academy of Neurology (AAN) (2013, January 23). Migraine triggers may not be as strong as you think. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2013/01/130123164856.htm

Andress-Rothrock D, King W, Rothrock J. An analysis of migraine triggers in a clinic-based population. Headache. 2010 Sep;50(8):1366-70.

Kelman L. The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalalgia. 2007 May;27(5):394-402. Epub 2007 Mar 30.

Sauro KM, Becker WJ. The stress and migraine interaction. Headache. 2009 Oct;49(9):1378-86. Epub 2009 Jul 8.

Hashizume M, Yamada U, Sato A, et al. Stress and psychological factors before a migraine attack: a time-based analysis. Biopsychosoc Med. 2008 Sep 18;2:14. doi: 10.1186/1751-0759-2-14.

Karthik N, Kulkarni GB, Taly AB, Rao S, Sinha S. Sleep disturbances in ‘migraine without aura’–a questionnaire based study. J Neurol Sci. 2012 Oct 15;321(1-2):73-6. Epub 2012 Aug 9.