More than 4.9 million Australians suffer from migraine, 71% of which are women and 86% are of working age.
With migraine’s exact cause not being fully understood yet, treating those suffering from migraine has been a huge challenge for medical professionals.
But what doctors and healthcare providers know is that there are factors that can trigger a migraine headache based on studies conducted over the years:
Lack of sleep
Many studies have linked lack of sleep or sleep disturbance as one of the most common migraine triggers. Most patients who suffer from insomnia also report experiencing chronic migraine, which increases their risk for anxiety or depression.
However, some studies have also revealed that excessive sleep may cause an insomnia attack.
Hormonal changes
Women experience more migraine attacks than men mostly because of hormonal changes. Estrogen fluctuations before or during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause have been reported to trigger migraine headaches in women, and the use of oral contraceptives can also make migraines worse.
Stress
According to a study conducted by Danish researchers, most people who suffer from migraine reported that their attacks are related to stress. Another study also revealed that 50-80% of people with migraine said headaches were triggered by stress, with some experiencing them in the middle or right after a stressful event.
Beverages
Certain beverages like wine, alcoholic drinks, and too much caffeine have also been reported to trigger a migraine attack, especially if taken in excess.
According to a 2008 Brazilian study, one-third of all people who regularly consume alcoholic beverages have reported having migraine attacks while intoxicated. This is why patients suffering from migraines are advised against consuming excessive alcohol, coffee and soda.
Hunger
Anyone suffering from migraine should never skip meals or go without drinking sufficient fluids in a day. According to research, people who skip meals are more likely to experience attacks as compared to those who eat their meals regularly. This is mostly related to a sudden dip in glucose levels due to hunger, which triggers the migraine attack.
Dehydration has also been linked to migraine attacks because insufficient fluid intake can lead to the onset of headaches that eventually turns into a full-blown migraine attack.
Medication abuse
Some people tend to overuse medications such as painkillers, analgesics, and opioids, not knowing that they can trigger a migraine attack. Medication overuse can make headaches progress from acute migraines to chronic migraines that are more debilitating and harder to treat.
Pain relievers such as NSAIDs have also been reported to cause more frequent and more painful headaches because they tend to be abused by people who suffer from migraine but don’t want to get themselves checked by a doctor.
The conclusion
Migraines can be extremely painful and debilitating. So, if you suffer from frequent migraines, you should start avoiding these triggers to make sure that you don’t get as many headaches. It’s also very useful to have some migraine tablets Australia at home since they are proven safe and effective.