The Facts
In North America, more than one in ten people have migraine headaches. Most
migraine sufferers are women. Migraines usually appear between the ages of 10
and 40. After the age of 50, they tend to disappear, especially among women
after menopause.
Causes
Migraine is a complex disorder involving the brain and the blood vessels
around the brain and head. The brain may become hyperactive in response
to certain environmental triggers such as light or smells for reasons that are
not known. This starts a series of chemical changes that irritate the pain sensing
nerves around the head and cause blood vessels to expand and leak chemicals
which further irritate the nerves.
While migraine does seem to run in families, a clear genetic cause has only
been nailed down for one rare type of the disease called familial hemiplegic
migraine.
Although we don't know the precise causes of migraine, we are aware of potential
triggers - habits and circumstances that are associated with the onset
of a migraine headache.
The number one trigger is hormonal changes - two-thirds of women sufferers
only get their headaches around the time of their period. Migraines in women
are usually worse around puberty and they tend to disappear around menopause.
Another common migraine trigger involves food. The most common culprits
are:
- alcohol, especially red wine and beer
- tobacco
- aged cheeses
- chocolate
- fermented, pickled or marinated foods
- monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- aspartame
- caffeine
Other triggers include:
- stress
- hunger
- changes in sleeping patterns
- changes in barometric pressure
