Why do I get migraines?

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Migraines are complex- there isn’t one single cause, just like there is no one single type of person that suffers from them.

At essence, migraines result from a loss of tolerance to our external environment, whether it’s too much heat, too much light, or they can also be triggered by our inner environment- a change in hormones, or an overload of inflammation produced in response to what we are experiencing.

When we look to support individuals with migraines, the aim is always to increase that person’s resilience - effectively increasing the threshold of what you can tolerate before the overwhelm sets in, and a migraine occurs.

This will always lead to a decrease in frequency and/or intensity of the migraine attacks, and in best case scenarios, a near complete elimination of attacks, with migraines occurring only under the most extreme circumstances.

In this article we outline the major drivers of migraines, with a checklist below to help you

understand which are most pertinent to you.

Common triggers of migraines:

External stressors

• Exposure to bright light (sunlight and/or fluorescent light)

• Exposure to extreme heat

  • Both indicative of an easily overwhelmed nervous system

Certain foods (typically alcohol, aged cheese, chocolate, ultra-processed foods, high sugar foods)

• Often due to a sluggish liver or poor histamine clearance.

• Frequently combined with hives, itchy skin, persistent dry cough, insomnia and anxiety

Hormonal triggers

• Migraine attacks that occur: mid-cycle around ovulation pre-menstruation in perimenopause

‘Weekend’ migraines

• Migraine attacks that occur at the weekend or on holiday, caused by a sudden decrease in cortisol (the ‘stress’ hormone)

‘Screen time’ migraines

• These occur at the end of the working day, and are caused by a combination of poor posture restricting blood flow to the brain, neurostimulation and eye strain from rapid light exposure of the screen, and insufficient cellular energy to cope with the additional load on the brain

Musculoskeletal

• Due to tension in the neck or upper back, commonly starting as tension headaches and then progressing into migraine attacks

Electrolyte imbalance

• Typical signs include migraines preceded by:

  • a high carbohydrate or sugar meal

  • a high stress situation (weather change, emotional trigger, a sudden spike in oestrogen)

  • low blood pressure

Nutrient deficiencies

• Research shows that migraine sufferers typically have an overactive nervous system, which causes them to ‘burn’ through supportive nutrients at a higher rate. One of these nutrients is magnesium, which is why high dose magnesium can be an effective long-term treatment for migraine sufferers

Low blood sugar

• This disturbs the electrolyte balance in the brain, and simultaneously deprives the brain of glucose. It stimulates adrenaline production as the brain detects ‘stress’, causing rapid dilation and restriction of blood vessels in the brain. All of this triggers inflammation and irritation of the trigeminal nerves, which stimulates the migraine attack

• Often seen with prodromal ‘aura’ or visual disturbances

The list above is to help you identify which systems are likely to be the ones most in need of support when working to decrease migraine frequency and intensity. \

A naturopathic practitioner will always take it several stages deeper to bring every system back into balance, working on gut health, liver health and mitochondrial function to address the missing pieces of the puzzle that contribute to the hypersensitivity to our environment.

If you suffer from migraines, reach out to us at Remedy Clinic so we can work through your underlying drivers and get you the support you need to find relief from migraines,