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5 Things You Never Knew Were Triggering Your Migraines

African American woman with headache

Dealing with another migraine? Wondering what caused it this time and what you avoid to prevent the next one? The average individual would be quick to attribute his/her migraine to stress or lack of sleep. But the triggers could be something you never expected. 

 

Your hair accessories can be responsible for your migraine

A smashing ponytail hairdo doesn’t stop at just fetching you a bunch of Instagram likes; it can still fetch you a migraine. Well, the blacklist isn’t just exclusive to ponytails; tight braids, headbands, or hats that fit your head tightly can introduce substantial strain to your scalp connective tissue.

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The end product is a nagging headache. This condition is generally termed the cutaneous allodyniaThis is pain emerging from a non-painful stimulus to your scalp. This pain can be triggered just when you brush your hair, shower, or even ear earrings.

Should you remove your ponytails, the compression headache would typically disappear within 60 minutes. If such a headache persists, you can resort to OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen. 

 

Strong scents can trigger migraine

Migraine experience is commonly associated with osmophobia. The latter is a condition where there is significantly reduced tolerance (or amplified sensitivity) to odors. 

In these situations, these unique odors can trigger a migraine attack. Some of the most prevalent migraine-inducing scents include chemical fumes like gasoline, car exhaust, cigarette, pesticide, or nail polish.

There is yet to be a definitive scientific explanation for the relatively decreased tolerance to odors in particular individuals. In most cases, such odor-induced migraine is closely followed by a nauseous sensation in the individual. 

Reducing the frequency of this migraine attack variant is essentially decreasing your exposure to such odors. Self-awareness can be beneficial here in identifying the specific scents that trigger your migraine and avoiding them diligently.  

Your weight could be behind your migraine

While not conclusive at the stage, research associating migraine with one’s body mass index (BMI) is fast consolidating. Studies are pointing at a stronger connection between obesity and severe headaches. 

Specifically, these findings have shown an increased prevalence of chronic headaches occurring every day in morbidly obese (or outrightly obese) individuals.

Another study revealed that obese people experiencing migraines experienced a reasonable decline in migraine attacks when they dropped weight. Such weight loss simultaneously triggered a slash in the severity of such migraine attacks.

It could be that amazing sex you had last night.

Feel free to nominate this as the craziest migraine trigger on the list. It is not uncommon to feel a pang of headache after orgasm. 

This headache can immediately precede or come after a sexual climax. In other cases, you would sense a latent pang forming in your neck with the hikes in the sexual thrill. 

Well, there is little to be disturbed over regarding these sex-triggered migraines. Some tend to stop very quickly within minutes, while other types of this migraine variant can stretch into 72 hours. 

Make sure to consult a medical practitioner if such migraines prevail too long. That may be suggestive of a far-reaching biological malfunction.

 

Exercises could cause migraines, too!

With social media dripping with 6-pack abs and taut stomachs, many are increasingly resorting to high-intensity exercises. Unfortunately, some of these exercises come with a pronounced stress coefficient, often leading to headaches. 

Strenuous exercises like jogging, weightlifting, and rowing can trigger migraines. It is crucial to reach out for professional medical attention if you experience other symptoms like double vision, vomiting, or stiffness in the neck.

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