A new article from Headache about migraine triggers that is an interesting read. They evaluated 200 new migraine patients referred to their clinic.
Not surprisingly stress came out on the top of the pile and was consistent with previous work done where 1200 migraineurs were surveyed.
[size=120]Conclusion[/size]
A large majority of migraineurs report migraine attack triggers, and the triggers most commonly reported include emotional stress, a disrupted sleep pattern, and various odors. These findings do not appear to vary according to geographic region or race/ethnicity. Among the triggers, menstrual migraine appears inclined to provoke headache that is more severe, less amenable to treatment, or longer in duration than headaches that occur at other times during the cycle.
Thanks for posting this article. Interesting to note that caffeine is so low on the list. It is rather high on mine. There is also no reference to msg. Stress is interesting. As a retired person my stressors are quite reduced but I cannot help but wonder about a migraine being being a stressor in and of itself. I know that when I wake up in the morning dizzy I am in for a bad day and that is stress, how do you deal with that?
At least some medical professionals are making an effort to understand, beyond medicating.
I agree with Kenny, this is very interesting that major triggers cited by migraine sufferers or other sources aren’t even listed. I often feel like I gave up my caffeine/coffee for nothing since it really has not made any difference whatsoever. I may try decaf in a month or so because I don’t really miss caffeine, I just want something to drink in the morning as my ritual, darn it! Hot water, etc. just does not cut it. I can’t drink tea, either, and I tried Teeccino coffee substitute but it made me dizzy (has ramon nuts and coffee flavor in it). Kenny - I read your success story and admire you for hanging in there. Keep up the great work; it’s inspiring. I even discovered this morning that I don’t tolerate rice in additon to just about any other grain. BUMMER.
If you are using enriched white rice it may contain gluten (it may be sprayed on during processing), the same gluten that is in white flour. Try some organic or Asian rice that has not been processed. The only other thing these two foods have in common is starch, though of a different variety. May explain your problem.
Kenny
Oh, my gosh you are right!! I usually eat brown rice products. However, I had to stop eating the brown rice bread by Food for Life because it made me dizzy (maybe because it has pineapple juice and yeast in it??). I got lazy and ate white rice earlier today but it made me ill. I just checked the box label and it said that it is “enriched”. I DID NOT know that it was sprayed on gluten… what the heck do they need to do that for??? That is why I love this forum. Thank you soooo much for that factoid. I also found online tonite some info. on wild rice for people who have problems with white rice… apparently wild rice is actually a grass instead of a grain. Maybe I’ll try that. AAAACK!! The diet aspects of all this are much more daunting for me than the medication side of it all.
P.S. Does anyone out there tolerate decaf coffee??? Pleeeze tell me I can have just a leetle bit some day…
I’m having decaf coffee - but to be honest I really haven’t noticed a remarkable difference since stopping the caffeinated version 3-4 weeks ago. But I did only have one caffeinated drink per day and no other dietary caffeine
I can’t even drink decaf. This migraine brain I inherited even spits the dummie with that! So I’m down to drinking “dande lattes” which is this mixture of chickory and dandelion root. Sounds disgusting I know but it’s actually really good and looks like a cappuccino. One downside though – too much of it and the IBS starts. If my body had its own way I’d be living on water crackers and Perrier living in a cell at Guantanamo.
Scott…i purchase the Folger’s…Half the Caffeine. I only drink about 1/3 to 1/2 cup 2-3 days a week. I have no problem with that. Sorry you can’t even have decaf…that really sucks!
I can certainly identify with too little sleep or Emotional Stress. Odors bother me but it’s not on the very top of my list. I’m surprised caffeine was not up there in the top 5.
Scott
OMG, you’re making my day. I was able to drink decaf up until a few weeks ago. Is there some magical laser beam cut off point in time or portal that we go into where we no longer function right??? I can’t freaking eat anything but bland chicken, beef, pork, veggies, some fruit, vanilla coconut ice cream, not even rice or water crackers. Maybe I’ll look into the chickory dandelion thing. What brand is that?? Is it a tea or something?? Hope it’s not chai. I can’t even drink herbal tea. Blah. I’m in migraine food prison, too.
BTW - has anyone seen those “natural” websites for funtional medicine, etc. where they tell people “just adjust your diet, take probiotics,take feverfew/butterbur/loads of magnesium until you get diarrhea and your migraines will go away” ?? I just saw one…again, and it infuriated me because I’ve already tried ALL that.
