Why Do I Have a Migraine Headache: Understanding the Underlying Causes

Migraine affects the brain and neurological system and causes severe, throbbing, one-sided headaches that keep you in bed for days. The condition typically develops between 10 and 45 and is more common in women. Though the exact cause of migraines is still unknown, various factors, including anxiety, foods and beverages, and bad postures, can be the triggers.

Physical exercise and exposure to intense light worsen the condition. In extreme cases, migraines can significantly impact an individual's daily activities, such as their capacity to work or learn. Keep reading if you still want to know about migraines, their causes, and available treatment options!

Why Do I Have a Migraine Headache?

Migraine is a common condition, and almost the majority of people experience it. The exact cause of it is unclear, but some environmental factors and health conditions are responsible for why you have it. Some of its root causes have been mentioned below:

Anxiety

The relationship between migraine and anxiety is complicated and reversible, which means that the majority of individuals who struggle with migraines also experience anxiety. Likewise, persons with anxiety problems may be more susceptible to migraines. Anxiety may differ from minor anxiety to severe anxiety disorder. When a person feels anxious, their body produces stress hormones, including serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, pain, and other activities. As the amount of this hormone rises in the body, it results in the development of migraines and anxiety in the affected person.

Besides that, anxiety can have an impact on an individual's way of life, resulting in a lack of sleep and unhealthy food choices, all of which are major migraine triggers. It can also have an impact on a person's emotional well-being. The stress of managing persistent pain, as well as the unpredictability of when another migraine episode will happen, can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Psychological therapy, methods for dealing with stress, medications, and lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms.

Foods And Drinks

Common foods and drinks trigger migraine, including artificial sweeteners, MSG, preserved meat, aged cheeses, pickled and fermented meals, and frozen foods. The intake of caffeine (coffee, tea, and soda) can cause severe migraine. While an appropriate quantity of caffeine can help with headaches, excessive consumption can have an adverse effect and cause migraines. So, restrict your intake of caffeinated drinks. Also, artificial sweeteners not only affect your blood sugar but can cause migraines. Thus, it is preferable to stay away from foods that are loaded with artificial sweeteners. Cheese has tyramine, a chemical that leads to migraines.

MSG is a high-sodium flavor in many packaged goods, including frozen and canned products, soups, stews, and snacks. Although research confirms that MSG does not induce headaches or migraines, many migraine patients claim it does. Fermented meats, such as hams, hot dogs, and bacon, are rich in nitrates, an agent of preservation that helps the meat retain its taste and color. These chemicals can widen blood arteries in the brain, resulting in migraine. Aside from these, consumption of icy food quickly can result in a migraine. When enjoying ice cream or drinking chilled beverages, you must be careful to eat and drink them gently to avoid migraines.

Body Posture

The modern way of life might result in more sitting than ever, as we spend plenty of time on our chairs, automobiles, and offices. Many people's jobs don't require them to get around throughout the day, which gradually causes their muscles and tendons to lose courage and structure. The absence of mobility may increase signs of migraine because improper sitting position produces tension in your upper back, neck, and shoulders, which affects neurological signals. As a result, this might cause painful headaches or severe migraines. If you suspect that bad posture is triggering migraines, you can change your position to reduce the frequency of additional occurrences. You should sit with your backside raised and as straight as possible. A physiotherapist can also help you with posture adjustment.

How Can I Treat Migraine Headache?

Migraine can cause hunger pangs, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, swelling, chills, frequent urination, tiredness, excessive sweating, neck pain, and head congestion. Also, migraine could be the culprit if you face trouble while communicating, confusion, intolerance to light, sound, odor, motion, and temperature. Aside from these, migraine can also cause sensations of warmth or numbness on a particular side of the body, weakness, breathing difficulty, difficulty maintaining posture, fainting, loss of consciousness, and impaired vision.

If you are suffering from any of these conditions and want to avoid them, some lifestyle changes and medications help to alleviate the symptoms. If you suffer from migraines regularly, your doctor may recommend medication to help you manage them. Medicines may include antidepressants, propranolol (Inderal) for high blood pressure, anti-seizure medication, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) substances. Certain individuals get alleviation from minerals and vitamins. It may require some time to notice any improvements.

Conclusion:

Migraine is a medical disorder that causes headaches and various other signs. It may occur quickly and unexpectedly. They can destroy your day—or perhaps multiple days at once. They can cause you to be absent from your job, important occasions, and social events. Understanding and preventing triggers can often help minimize the incidence or intensity of migraine, although they cannot always be avoided. It helps determine which treatments will be beneficial in reducing migraines or halting them once they occur. Some medications also help to reduce the intensity of the disease.