I Eat A Small Amount Of Chocolate & Still Get Migraines

Migraine headaches affect many people. In 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Survey, 10 percent of men and more than 20 percent of women in the study said they had experienced migraines or severe headaches in the preceding 3 months. Migraines can be triggered by certain substances such as food, and chocolate is thought to be one of those triggers.

About Migraines

Migraines may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and photosensitivity -- a sensitivity to light. It is common for migraines to occur on one side of the head. A migraine may also be preceded by an "aura" -- seeing flashing lights, blind spots or having other symptoms, such as tingling in the arms and legs. Migraines can cause such severe pain that sufferers are incapacitated. Hormonal changes such as menstrual periods or pregnancy can make migraines worse.

Chocolate and Migraines

Chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine, which is known to be a potential trigger for migraines. The triggers do not actually cause the migraine, but may increase the risk of a migraine attack. According to the American Council for Headache Education, triggers are thought to activate certain processes that cause migraines if a person is prone to them in the first place. The Council notes that a trigger may not cause a headache each time, nor will every person with a migraine react to the same trigger in the same way. Chocolate is one of the potential triggers neurologist David Buchholz of Johns Hopkins University recommends removing from the diet if you have migraines. Buchholz, author of "Heal Your Headache: the 1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Pain," recommends migraine sufferers completely eliminate caffeine in all forms.

Trigger Sensitivitiy

Reducing your chocolate intake may not be effective in stopping migraines if you are a person who is sensitive to that particular trigger. And if it's the caffeine in the chocolate that's causing the problem, be aware that even 1 oz. of 90 percent dark chocolate can have the same amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee. The University Health Services at the University of California-Berkeley notes that chocolate, cocoa and caffeine, even in small amounts, can be migraine triggers. It recommends keeping a headache diary to see if specific foods seem related to the appearance of migraines.

Abstention

To sum up, for some people, there is no such thing as being able to eat a small amount of chocolate when it comes to migraines. This may be a case where complete abstention is the way to remain headache-free.