Trigger Points That Lead to Migraine Headaches

Living with migraine headaches can be inconvenient at best or extremely debilitating. Many women suffer for decades with monthly migraines associated with their menstrual cycle. There are ongoing studies and continuing research into the causes of migraines; but so far, there is no conclusive answer to the question' "why do migraines occur?" What we do know is that the pain is vascular (relating to blood flow in specific blood vessels).

There are certain triggers that begin the process of a migraine. Unfortunately, there is no single trigger for everyone. Most regular migraine sufferers can identify their triggers with a bit of coaching and careful review of their particular symptoms. Identifying your triggers is the beginning of effective treatment and prevention of future attacks.

Food allergies as a trigger for migraines.
Many people have experienced a predictable rise in migraines after eating certain foods. My wife cannot drink champagne without having a migraine the very next day. Food allergies are on the rise, due to over processing of our food as well as the introduction of new food additives that may be synthetic or derived from foreign plants.




Muscle tension as a trigger point indicator.
Do you have muscles in your neck and back that feel like knots when you are stresses or depressed? Trigger points form in sections of muscle cells; restricting blood flow and as well as the flow of nutrients and oxygen. The collection of affected cells cause muscle strain and tension. These trigger points can directly or indirectly affect the muscles that result in a migraine headache. Pain located in your back can affect you neck; which in turn can trigger a migraine incident.

Emotional stress can be a trigger point.
Depression and emotional tension can lead to physical stress. These intense feelings can trigger migraines. Several women identify prolonged and intense crying as a trigger.
If you are one of the people who get tension headaches which lead to migraines, you know how important it is to reduce stress in your life. Many people miss this trigger because they don't recognize the transition between tension headaches and migraine. Remember that migraines occur on one side of the head only. Tension headaches occur on both sides.

Hormonal changes as a trigger and how to overcome them.
Some women who experience regular menstrual migraines will resort to hormonal therapy such as prescribed birth control pills to regulate the hormone levels in order to relieve the incidence of migraines triggered by a drop in hormone levels.

Fitness as a factor of for evaluating triggers.
My wife fondly remembers her year in New Zealand during college for several reasons; she was regularly exercising, was at her ideal weight and suffered very few migraines during that time.
She attributes her lack of migraines on daily exercise, low processed foods and far less stress than when she was back in the United States.

Evaluate your fitness level and stress level to see if these factors can be triggers. Many people find that regular exercise reduces their stress level. This in turn reduces the incidences of migraines.
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) as a migraine factor.

This very long disease is the name for a group of conditions relating to the jaw. Orofacial pain is a trigger for some migraine sufferers in the same way that tension headaches might result in triggering migraines. Oral surgeons and dental specialists work with orofacial pain sufferers to relieve the root causes which will reduce the incidences of chronic migraines.

Dealing with triggers on an ongoing basis.
It is important for the migraine sufferer to understand that migraines are going to be with them until a definitive cure is found.

The best strategy is to remove the triggers that cause the onset of migraine. If you can identify your triggers and prevent them from getting to the next step, you can beat the pain.
Trigger points can be difficult to identify initially. Once you take the time to research your body mechanics, diet, past injuries, psychological state and health status, you will begin to see a pattern. That pattern will lead to the appropriate treatment and therapy. You don't have to suffer chronic migraines anymore.

Dennis Francis is the publisher of Natural Solutions, Your Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness, a guide to Natural and Alternative Remedies for health and fitness. Get it at http://www.lulu.com/content/2291179
Get a free report on treating migraines at [http://migraines.wellnesspromoter.com]

This post was written by: Franklin Manuel

Franklin Manuel is a professional blogger, web designer and front end web developer. Follow him on Twitter