Dealing with MIGRAINES

What is Migraine?   Migraine is caused by fluctuations in brain chemicals and abnormal electrical activity in specific brain regions. Migraine can be crippling, can wreck havoc on your ability to function and enjoy your life each day. Specialized brain scans of patients having migraine attacks show waves of abnormal activity that spread across the surface of the brain (the cortex), as well as excitation of nerve centers deep within the brain (the brainstem).   What causes Migraine? Migraine triggers include: Food such as:cheese, alcohol, yeast (pizza crust, pretzels), sour cream, chocolate, caffeine,vinegar, MSG, Sweetners etc.   Weather conditions:changes in weather or barometric pressure, change in temperature, humidity brings on migraine in some people.   Hormonal fluctuations: fluctuations related to a woman's menstral cycle, pregnancy, memopause can be strong migraine triggers, reproductive hormones are not the only ones that are likely involved in migraine, thyroid problems often act as a trigger as well.   Skipped meals or Irregular meal pattern: skipping or not eating meals could trigger migraines.   Bright or flickering lights:bright light, fluorescent lighting, strobe lighting, older computer monitor that have a flicker rate, sun flickering through trees along the road can all serve as migraine triggers. Wearing sunglasses, cap or sun visor to block light that comes in can help.   Sleep issues. Too much sleep, too little sleep, interrupted sleep, irregular sleep schedules, and otherwise poor quality sleep can all be very strong Migraine triggers. Waking with a Migraine is often an indication that a sleep issue is the trigger. It's recommended that you get up and go to bed at the same time every day, including weekends and holidays if you are prone to migraines. Stress exacerbates migraines rather than cause it.   Heat: hot days, hot rooms and becoming overheated can trigger migraines   Dehydration: often times this is overlooked as a trigger for migraines, for those who drink alcohol and caffeine can be dehydrating, so we need to be careful to consume enough liquids that don't contain them.   Fragrances, chemical fumes,odors Perfumes, room fresheners, fumes from cleaning products, and odors can trigger Migraines, more so if you encounter it in a small space.   Physical exertion including orgasm. Exercise, sports, orgasm, and other physical exertion can be Migraine triggers. It's important that Migraine triggered by physical exertion be checked out by a doctor when they first occur to be sure that they are Migraine and not a physical issue such as aneurysm. Depending on how frequently you participate in exertional activities, doctors can usually prescribe a medication to prevent these Migraines, either on days you exert yourself or every day. Avoiding this triggers would help to avert the crippling effect migraine has on our ability to function.   Treatment and Management Consult your medical doctor for advice on prescription or over the counter medications, avoid self medication.   Reference: Health Central http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/triggers.html?ic=4019