Doctors Explain 5 Things That Cause Migraines
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Did you know that the third commonest illness of the world are migraines? It is preceded by dental caries, which holds the top spot, and tension-type headache, which comes in second (1). 14.7% of the global population suffers from migraines, which means you’ll find every 1 in 7 people complaining of this disease.
Despite its commonality, many people who suffer from migraines do not know what’s causing these head-splitting headaches. We just rely on medicines to manage it, not realizing that knowing the exact cause can make the symptoms of a migraine much milder.
If you’re in the same boat, you really need to know what’s causing your migraine, so you can come up with an effective plan to deal with it. Here are 5 causes of migraines as explained by doctors:
1. Medications
Even though the purpose of medicines is to help you recover, sometimes they can lead to nasty side effects. One of these side effects is a migraine. According to Dr. Helen Webberley, women who are on regular birth control pills can develop migraines as a side effect of these pills (2). Sleeping pills and hormone replacement therapy medications can also have the same effect.
2. Stress
Stress is deadly for the body. Of the many horrible things it can cause, stress headaches are one of them. Hence, it should come as no surprise that stress can also lead to migraines. Stress causes hormonal imbalances, drops in our blood sugar levels and also tensed muscles, which can lead to a migraine.
3. Poor Health
Poor physical health to be precise. Your body has been engineered to work smoothly. However, sometimes its mechanisms can awry, which can give rise to migraine headaches. Physical health issues that can possibly cause a migraine include a bad posture and an awful sleeping schedule (3).
4. Gluten Intolerance
Now you have one more reason to hate the inclusion of gluten in your food! Unfortunately, gluten is in almost every food, so escaping it might seem a little difficult. That said, studies have shown that people who suffer from gluten sensitivity or intolerance have a higher chance of getting migraines. This is because those who have a gluten intolerance (for example, Celiac disease) cannot absorb gluten, which leads to health problems such as migraines.
5. Sensory Stimuli
Environmental stimuli are one of the central causes of migraines (4). These stimuli include things like bright lights, strong smells, loud sounds, and extreme temperature changes, which can cause a reaction in your central nervous system in the form of migraines.
Now that you are aware of the causes, the next step for you should be to figure out ways to avoiding migraines. Here are 5 doctor-recommended ways that can not only help you prevent migraines but even heal them!
1. Change Your Diet
As we mentioned before, a gluten intolerance could be a potential reason behind migraines. So, the first thing you need to do is check if you have a gluten intolerance. This easy to do with the help of a two-week special diet. For 2 weeks, make sure you do not have gluten-rich foods or any dairy products and analyze how you feel. Then add them back to your diet slowly and see if there’s any difference. If you find gluten is the cause, cut it off from your diet with your doctor’s help.
2. Alter Your Medications
Going off medication all of a sudden is not a good idea as it can really throw your body out of whack. Instead of doing that, check with your doctor if you could switch to alternative medicines – one that does not cause the side effect of migraines. One disease can be cured by several different medicines, so your doctor really wouldn’t mind suggesting an alternative.
3. Reduce Stress Levels
Stress is the trigger of many a health issues, so getting rid of it is not only going to help your migraine but also prevent the onset of several other maladies. Find out what’s causing you to be stressed out and come up with effective strategies to manage and release your stress. Yoga and meditation can help.
4. Sleep Well And Exercise
One of the simplest ways to deal with a migraine is to just sleep it off. If you get enough sleep, the intensity as well as the frequency of your migraines can reduce dramatically, offering you some much-needed relief. Exercising can also help as it keeps you in top physical health.
5. Know What Triggers Your Migraine
If a sensory stimulus is the cause of your migraine, you need to find out its identity. Is it a deafening sound or a blinding light? Once you figure it out, try avoiding this trigger to the best of your ability. Apart from this, your migraine might also have other underlying causes, so check with your doctor.
Migraines can be very destabilizing, but as long as you know the causes and the ways to manage it, you can lead a normal life.
