Migraines can and do cause devastation in the sufferers life. I've had migraines since my early twenties. I will never forget when the first one hit. I woke up around four in the morning with a throbbing pain on the left side of my head. The pain was unbearable. I could not stop vomiting. I had to have my father drive me to the doctor. I was diagnosed with my first migraine. At that time they gave me my first injection of Imitrex. From that day forward life was never the same. My migraines would come and go. Sometimes I would go six months without an attack and at other times I would have a migraine that could last three days every month for several months. Those migraines always corresponded with my menstrual cycle. But then they would mysteriously go away and I would not have another attack for months. I learned that some things besides my period triggered an attack. One of them seemed to be if I slept too much. I can not exceed eight hours of sleep in a night or I will be struck with a migraine. Another big trigger seems to be my sinus's. If I have a cold for any length of time then the stuffiness in my head can trigger a migraine. Of course, with my migraines a snuffed nose on the side of the headache is just part of suffering a migraine attack.

Migraine is a headache that is still being studied because no one seems to know the exact cause it. There are many theories, however, that are under investigation. One of belief is that the migraine is triggered when serotonin levels drop in the brain which effect nerve pathways and cause irritation.

Serotonin dropping dramatically in the brain seems to have a relationship with hormones. Many women report suffering from severe migraines right before or during their periods. Some women suffer more during menopause. And many women cannot even take birth control pills because they will trigger a migraine dramatically. This all seems to show a correspondance between serotonin and estrogen in women. This might explain why the vast majority of migraine suffers seem to be female.

Many people cannot drink alcohol or even indulge in cheese. These all seem to trigger migraines by reducing serotonin, as well.

Sleep seems to be a major trigger too. Which goes hand in hand with stress. If you are missing too much sleep or sleeping too much then this can bring on a migraine. Some of this might reflect stress in your day to day life which is another trigger for many people.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Causes of migraines and headaches?
We want to hear your view. Write now!