Migraines are more than just headaches—they’re intense, often debilitating neurological events that can disrupt your day, your plans, and even your life. While many people associate migraines with stress or lack of sleep, the reality is that a wide range of factors can set off these painful episodes. Understanding these triggers can help you take control and reduce the frequency of your migraines.
Did you know these triggers of migraines?
- Hormonal changes in women: Fluctuations in oestrogen, such as those occurring before or during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause, can trigger headaches in many women.
- Drinks: Alcohol, particularly wine, and excessive caffeine can trigger migraines.
- Stress: Stress at work or home can lead to migraines.
- Sensory stimuli: Bright or flashing lights, loud sounds, and strong smells such as perfume, paint thinner, or second-hand smoke can induce migraines in some people.
- Medications: Oral contraceptives and vasodilators like nitroglycerin can exacerbate migraines.
Dr. Michael Huth, Specialist Neurologist and President of the South Africa Headache Society, underscores the profound impact of migraines, noting that over 10% of the population suffers from this condition. He emphasises that migraines can incapacitate individuals, hindering their ability to work, fulfill family responsibilities, and engage in self-care.
What exactly is a migraine?
A migraine is a type of headache that can cause intense throbbing or a pulsating sensation, typically on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine episodes can last from hours to days, and the pain can be severe enough to disrupt daily activities. Some individuals experience an aura, which is a warning sign that may occur before or during the headache. An aura can involve visual disturbances like flashes of light or blind spots, as well as other symptoms such as tingling on one side of the face or in an arm or leg, and difficulty speaking.
What causes a migraine?
While the exact causes of migraines are not fully understood, both genetics and environmental factors seem to contribute. Imbalances in brain chemicals, such as serotonin, which helps regulate pain, and other neurotransmitters like calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), also play a role in migraine pain.
Frequent use of painkillers can lead to severe medication-overuse headaches, particularly with codeine, paracetamol, and caffeine combinations. These headaches can occur if you take over-the-counter pain relievers prescribed acute medication for migraine more than 10 times per month. Medication-overuse headaches happen when the medications stop alleviating pain and start causing headaches, leading to a cycle of increasing medication use.
Dr. Rashem Mothilal, Country Head at a leading pharmaceutical company, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories which recently launched a migraine management drug-free wearable device, Nerivio®, highlights that: “Understanding and tracking migraine phases are the first steps to finding the best treatment plan. Keeping a headache diary can also help identify patterns and effective treatments. If headaches persist or worsen, see your doctor who can help identify the cause and provide prescription treatments if needed.”
While many treatment options are available to treat migraine, there is no perfect solution. Dr Huth highlighted the challenges faced by those living with migraine: “Patients are faced with choosing between expensive treatments that are more migraine specific but not readily available in South Africa or more affordable older medications that may cause adverse effects or drug interactions. This makes a non- pharmacological device an exciting and advantageous option that adds significant value to the migraine treatment landscape. Easy to administer, without significant side effects or drug interactions the device provides a significant step forward in the Migraine treatment landscape in South Africa.”