Generally, a migraine headache can be recognized through severe throbbing pains within a specific area of the head, usually towards the front or sides. This pain is regularly joined by a range of other symptoms, such as extreme sensitivity to sounds and bright light, nausea and vomiting. For most people, migraine attacks can cause significant amounts of pain, leading them to search for dark quiet places to rest, and the symptoms can last from hours to days. If you think that you may have a predisposition towards migraine headaches, the chances are you will want to educate yourself about migraine headache risk factors.
Some migraines are accompanied or preceded by warning symptoms known as an ‘aura,’ which include blind spots, tingling in your legs or arms, and flashes of light. Medication can be used to help manage the symptoms and severity of migraines, but knowing migraine headache risk factors can help you to make lifestyle changes that could also make a big difference.
The Causes of Migraines
The first step in understanding migraine headache risk factors is knowing what causes a migraine. Today, much about migraines is not yet understood, although environmental factors and genetics appear to play an important role. Migraines can be caused by changes in the brain-stem and imbalances in certain chemicals, such as serotonin. A number of things can also help to trigger migraine headaches, from salty and processed foods, to alcoholic drinks, stress at home or at work, food additives such as sweetener, and sensory stimuli like bright lights and glare.
Some people find that they suffer from migraines as a result of changing their sleeping pattern. Getting too much sleep or missing periods of sleep can trigger migraine headaches in people, similar to jet lag. Physical factors such as intense physical exertion can also provoke migraines, as well as certain medications and changes in the environment.
Migraine Risk Factors
There are several migraine headache risk factors that can make you more prone to suffering from this condition. For example, about 90% of people who suffer from migraines will have some manner of family history associated to migraine attacks. If one or both of your parents have experienced migraines themselves, then the chances are you will also have them.
Migraines can happen at any age, although most people will experience their first sometime during adolescence. By the age of 40, most people who suffer from migraines will have had their first attack. Gender also plays a part, as women are three times as likely to have migraines as men. Headaches generally affect boys more than girls in childhood, but after puberty, girls suffer more often than boys.
Finally, hormonal changes can be an important risk factor in association with migraines. If a woman experiences migraines, she may find that the problem starts shortly after she begins menstruation. Migraine symptoms may also appear or change during menopause or pregnancy, though most people report that their migraines improve after menopause.
Some women have reported that their migraine attacks start during their pregnancy, or begin to grow worse. However, for many, the attacks would improve throughout the final stages of pregnancy.
