Could The Weather Be A Trigger Factor For Migraines? - By: Don Saunders

The hunt for things that could trigger a migraine headache is a continuing quest for those of us who are hard to steer clear of the often unbearable pain that follows in the wake of a migraine attack. Stress is perhaps the most famous of all migraine headache triggers and sufferers from this neurological condition work hard at either avoiding stress altogether or mitigating the effects as far as they can. Other triggers to stay away from are chocolate, nicotine, alcohol, and nuts.

There is however some folklore which holds that the weather may trigger migraine headaches, so is this true?

Arthritis and chronic back pains sufferers acknowledge that the their pain is greatly affected by the weather and this lends some belief to the view of chronic migraine sufferers that the weather also adversely influences their ability to avoid migraines.

The announcement of a forthcoming pressure system could herald the arrival of a storm to most people but for the migraine sufferer it usually spells trouble. The change in the weight of the air affects the ease with which we breathe and with which oxygen is moved through the body in the blood vessels. Capillaries may for instance constrict more because of the alteration in pressure and this may be the trigger event of a migraine. Counteracting this effect using caffeine is normally one of the quickest and best solutions.

Wind too is another feature of the weather that has migraine sufferers on edge. Even when the associated pressure changes of windy conditions are insignificant the mere fact that airborne pollutants which may be triggers to the migraine sufferer are swirling all around makes this another distinct migraine trigger.

In a few cases a migraine headache might be the secondary effect of a different sort of headache like a sinus headache. This may appear with difficulty breathing, a fever, and a variety of aches and pains. If taken alongside the increasing pain of a migraine the effect can be not only very painful but also debilitating.

If allergens are the root cause of the sinus headache there could also be a subsequent infection that the body will seek to fight off. During that period there is a fair chance that migraines are triggered by the weakened body and its heightened susceptibility to stress.

A change in weather not only proclaims the possibility of one migraine trigger, but it also acts as a jumping off point for a variety of trigger events that may cause numerous migraine attacks. Unfortunately, weather triggers cannot be avoided and even remaining indoors has only a partial effect on the overall avoidance of a migraine trigger event.

As a substitute therefore, it makes sense to use various preventive measures to avoid trigger events. In some cases this will involve medication while at other times you can turn to holistic solutions to avoid migraine triggers. These could include relaxation techniques, cardiovascular exercise, stress relief, massage therapy, biofeedback, aromatherapy and also acupressure.

About the Author

TheMigraineHeadacheCentre.com provides information on a range of headaches including tension headaches, sinus headaches, cluster headaches, ocular migraines and migraine headaches.

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