Triggers of headache. Although many
sufferers have a family history of migraine, the
exact hereditary nature of this condition is still
unknown. People who get migraines are thought to
have an inherited abnormality in the regulation of
blood vessels.
"It's like a cocked gun with a hair trigger,"
explains one specialist. "A person is born with a
potential for migraine and the headache is triggered
by things that are really not so terrible."
These triggers include stress and other normal
emotions, as well as biological and environmental
conditions. Fatigue, glaring or flickering lights,
changes in the weather, and certain foods can set
off migraine. It may seem hard to believe that
eating such seemingly harmless foods as yogurt,
nuts, and lima beans can result in a painful
migraine headache. However, some scientists believe
that these foods and several others contain chemical
substances, such as tyramine, which constrict
arteries - the first step of the migraine process.
Other scientists believe that foods cause headaches
by setting off an allergic reaction in susceptible
people.
While a food-triggered migraine usually occurs
soon after eating, other triggers may not cause
immediate pain. Scientists report that people can
develop migraine not only during a period of stress
but also afterwards when their vascular systems are
still reacting. For example, migraines that wake
people up in the middle of the night are believed to
result from a delayed reaction to stress.
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