Migraine trigger how long

It is thought that if people with coeliac disease and migraine follow a gluten-free diet, this may help with both of their conditions. Gluten sensitivity is when a person has a bad reaction if they eat gluten. They may have similar symptoms to coeliac disease, but there is no damage to the lining of their gut or the risk of serious complications that can happen with coeliac disease.

Gluten is found in foods that contain wheat, barley or rye. These include pasta, bread, cakes, some sauces and most ready meals. One of the symptoms of gluten sensitivity is headache. But there is no evidence that gluten sensitivity causes migraine. However, if you are sensitive to gluten, you may find that if you eat food containing gluten, it makes migraine attacks more likely or the symptoms more painful.

This can impact people with migraine. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. This is on top of any other drinks you may have. Taking cocaine can trigger a migraine attack.

If you regularly take cocaine and are trying to stop, this can also trigger migraine attacks. Using cannabis can make it more difficult for your migraine attacks to be treated. Taking regular exercise can help to prevent migraine attacks as it stimulates the body the release natural painkillers. It also improves your general health, which means you may be more able to cope with migraine attacks.

For some people, sudden vigorous exercise can trigger a migraine attack. Some people grind their teeth when they are asleep and find they wake with head pain. If this happens to you, you can see a dentist who may be able to advise on whether you could have a special mouth plate called occlusal splints , which can reduce the teeth grinding. Having tense muscles in your neck and shoulder can cause headaches and may be a sign that a migraine attack is starting.

Our monthly ebulletin is the best way to find out about the latest migraine treatments, migraine events in your area, get help in managing your condition and learn about getting involved in our work. Search Please enter your search term. Your search term. Try Calm mode. Home » Living with migraine » « Managing your migraine » Migraine attack triggers.

Migraine attack triggers Factors that can be involved in triggering migraine attacks. What's on this page? What is a trigger? How to identify triggers. Is it a trigger or a warning? Keeping a diary. Avoiding triggers. Common triggers.

The migraine attack may start anywhere between six hours and two days after the trigger happens. How to identify triggers If you have migraine, almost anything can be a trigger. Keeping a diary Keeping a migraine diary may help you to find out what might be triggering your migraine attacks, or may make you more alert to warning signs.

You should try to keep a record of things like: what time you wake up and what time you go to sleep the things you do going to work, watching TV where you are the environment around you may contain triggers such as lighting or the temperature of a room what you eat and drink when you eat and drink when you have bowel movements what exercise or travel you do what your mood is like what the weather is like your menstrual cycle for women when a migraine attack or other headache starts, how painful it is and what other symptoms you have what medicines you take to try and ease the pain, and how much you take anything else you can think of that might be a change to your lifestyle The timing of when you have migraine attacks may help you to identify your triggers.

Avoiding triggers If the trigger of your migraine attacks is a single thing, it can be simple to avoid. This is because: routines can be hard to break other people may be involved, so changes are more difficult to make major changes may be needed, which take time, effort and support it may have a negative impact on other parts of your life.

Common triggers Common triggers of migraine attacks include being hungry or thirsty, feeling stressed or changes to your usual routine. Migraine is linked with female hormones.

This may be why more women than men have migraine. Try not to use the maximum dosage of painkillers on a regular or frequent basis as this could make it harder to treat headaches over time.

You should also make an appointment to see a GP if you have frequent migraines on more than 5 days a month , even if they can be controlled with medicines, as you may benefit from preventative treatment.

You should call for an ambulance immediately if you or someone you're with experiences:. These symptoms may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a stroke or meningitis , and should be assessed by a doctor as soon as possible.

The exact cause of migraines is unknown, although they're thought to be the result of temporary changes in the chemicals, nerves and blood vessels in the brain. Around half of all people who experience migraines also have a close relative with the condition, suggesting that genes may play a role. Some people find migraine attacks are associated with certain triggers, which can include:.

There's no cure for migraines, but a number of treatments are available to help reduce the symptoms. During an attack, many people find that sleeping or lying in a darkened room can also help. Some odors may activate certain nerve receptors in the nasal passages that may trigger a migraine attack or make worse one that already started. Osmophobia aversion to odors is a common symptom of migraine. How to cope: Avoid perfumes, strong food smells, chemicals or gasoline. Ironically, if you have regular migraine headaches and take acute medication prescribed by your doctor more than 10 days out of a month, it can in itself cause more migraine attacks—a phenomenon known as Medication Overuse Headache MOH.

How to cope: If you have MOH, you must first stop taking the medication and clear it out of your system before you can stop the cycle of pain. You should work with your doctor to learn how to come off certain medications, such as opioids or butalbital-containing medications, safely.

For more information on the various migraine triggers and how to manage them, visit the American Migraine Foundation resource library , or contact us directly. Skip to content. Tips for managing the 10 most common migraine triggers 1. Changes in or an irregular sleep schedule The connection between migraine and sleep is undeniable.

Caffeine and Alcohol Many people find their migraine symptoms are heightened after consuming caffeine or alcohol. Changes in the weather Storms, excessive heat and changes in barometric pressure are common weather-related migraine triggers that can lead to a migraine attack.

Light For many migraine patients, natural light is the enemy. Smell Some odors may activate certain nerve receptors in the nasal passages that may trigger a migraine attack or make worse one that already started. McGraw Hill; Ha H, et al. Migraine headache prophylaxis. American Family Physician. Kissoon NR expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. March 16, Preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults.

Kleinman K, et al. In: Harriet Lane Handbook. Elsevier; Taylor FR. ABC's of headache trigger management. American Migraine Foundation. Migraine adult adjunctive therapy adult. Mayo Clinic; Integrative and complementary migraine treatments. Riggin EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

March 1, FDA approves new treatment for patients with migraine.