Factors Involved In Migraine
Migraines, those who suffer them often know their complex reality and their suffering. That dull and intense pain on one side of the head, which can reach one eye, even reaching the neck … what can we do? Is there any way to control them, to alleviate them at least? We explain what the experts tell us.
Migraine affects mainly women, and usually appears between the ages of 15 and 45. According to dr. K. Michael Welch of the University of Kansas Medical Center, this reality can reduce the quality of life of people, hence his career focused exclusively on the research center on headaches at the National Institutes of Health.
His research provides us with results where it is determined that migraines have their origin in certain nerve cells in the brain, which are excited by certain elements, then producing discharges similar to “the waves of a lake”. There are therefore a series of tips that we can take into account to face them.
1. First trigger: your diet
The enzyme DAO and Histamine
People with migraines have a disturbance in a digestive enzyme called DAO. Thus, this enzyme is responsible for degrading all those foods that contain histamine. What happens then? As we do not have this enzyme, histamine accumulates in our body, then directly affecting these nerve terminals in our brain, causing migraines.
What foods should I avoid?
- Alcoholic drinks
- Cheeses and any dairy.
- Any processed, fermented, marinated, or marinated food
- Baked goods
- Chocolate
- Smoked fish
- Avocado, bananas, citrus
- Lentils, chickpeas and beans.
- Soy derivatives
- Sausages
- Walnuts
2 Second trigger: external stimuli
Obviously we cannot control these stimuli, but at least they keep you alert that it is very possible that soon, you may suffer a new migraine.According to experts, these stimuli affect the nervous circuits of the brain that cause us the well-known pain, which usually begins with an “aura”.
- Sudden changes in temperature
- High temperatures coupled with high humidity
- The bright lights
- Loud sounds
- The sudden increase or decrease in environmental pressure (for example in an airplane)
- Certain smells and perfumes, sometimes too intense
3. Third trigger: the physiological
In addition to what has already been mentioned above regarding food, you must also take into account the following aspects that can cause the appearance of migraines.
- First of all, bad sleep
- Stay up late
- Physical effort, such as walking a lot during a day, carrying a lot of weight.
- Very hot showers or baths
- Also certain drugs, including oral contraceptives.
- Hormonal changes, such as menstruation.
4 Fourth trigger: emotional states
It is obvious. Our outer world always thus has a correlation with our psychic health. So, problems are those double-edged weapons that always end up being reflected in a migraine. And people who suffer from them, according to Dr. Welch, thus have a special sensitivity in certain brain structures where blood vessels dilate and pain appears.
- Concern
- Stress
- The anxiety
- Depressive states
5. Protect yourself against migraines: remedies
There is something that we must be clear about: migraine, for the moment, cannot be cured. However, it can be treated. Sometimes it is hereditary, and so we have to learn to live with it, knowing its indicators to alleviate its appearance, thus knowing what will cause it to trigger it (as we have indicated). It is best to go to the doctor and follow his instructions. Meanwhile, for our part we can follow the following tips:
- Magnesium: It is a very suitable mineral to prevent migraines thanks to its relaxing power, and its ability to relieve overexcitation of the nerves. Consult with your doctor what is the dose indicated in your case.
- B12 vitamin. Experts have also concluded that taking Vitamin B12 could help relieve migraines. The best thing is to consult with your doctor or neurologist the indicated dose.
- Omega 3: The role of this fatty acid has been investigated and, although it is not clear, it seems that it could be beneficial in the treatment of migraine headaches. It is best to consult a specialist and follow their instructions.
