What are triggers?
Triggers are simply conditions that can drive a person on the verge of a headache or migraine into a full blown attack. Triggers themselves do not cause headaches or migraines, but instead are like a match that lights the kindling. If the conditions in your body are already ripe for a headache or migraine, then a trigger is going to push you over the edge!
Does everyone have the same set of headache or migraine triggers?
No. Triggers appear to vary greatly from person to person. No two people have the same triggers. For this reason, if someone tells you that you are not experiencing migraines because a certain trigger does not cause an attack - this is wrong.
Is it easy to determine your headache triggers?
Not always. Sometimes the effect of a migraine trigger will not be felt for 24 hours. If this is the case, it can be difficult to remember everything that one came into contact with over the course of an entire day. For this reason it is recommended that headache and migraine sufferers keep a "headache diary." A headache diary is simply a document where you detail factors that might affect your headaches and migraines such as how much or how little you slept, what you ate, skipped meals, if you came into contact with fragrances or chemicals, the type of weather, stress levels, etc.
What are common triggers?
Stress
Stress appears to make it easier for people to develop headaches and migraines. If you know that you are going to be under stress, this is the time to make the effort of either reduce the effects of stress (by making an effort to continue to do activities that you enjoy, exercising to increase relaxation, etc) and avoid any other factor that you know will aggravate your headaches.
Changes in the weather
It may seem crazy, but changes in the weather really do seem to trigger headaches and migraines in many people. Why is this? Most likely this is due to changes in barometric pressure or sensitivity to light.
Strong Scents/Chemicals
Many people get headaches in response to the odor from chemicals, pollution, or strong fragrances. Most people assume this is due to allergy, when in fact these substances are actually migraine triggers. The best course of action is to avoid exposing oneself to strong chemicals or fragrances - lots of newer natural/organic cleaning products have significantly less odor.
Foods
Certain foods like red wine, alcohol, preserved meats, aged cheeses, nuts, etc can trigger migraines in some people. Not everyone appears to be affected by food triggers but it is worthwhile to keep a migraine diary so that these triggers can be effectively ruled out.
Sleep
Anything from sleeping too little to sleeping too much can trigger a migraine.
HeadacheLana Howard is a life long migraine sufferer. Lana currently lives in Seattle, Washington where she enjoys researching the latest headache and migraine treatments. For more great information on headache trigger visit Real Headache Help for more information and don't forget to sign up for their free headache and migraine treatment mini-course!