Migraine is a debilitating neurologic disorder that affects almost 20 percent of women and 6 percent of men in the United States. About one-third of migraine sufferers experience an aura – flashing lights, visual loss, numbness or weakness in some area of their body, prickling sensations, speech disturbances or unexplained odors – prior to the onset of their headache. In some cases, auras can occur without an accompanying headache. Although auras and migraines frequently occur spontaneously and without warning, many patients can identify specific “triggers” that consistently cause their symptoms. The same factors that provoke a migraine will often initiate a migraine aura.
Physiology Poorly Understood
The underlying cause of migraine headaches is unknown. Likewise, the cause of the aura that precedes or accompanies a migraine is unclear. However, the aura may represent your sensory response to a transient decrease in blood flow to your brain. A study published in the July 2011 issue of “Headache” demonstrated reduced brain circulation in two patients with hemiplegic migraine, a type of migraine in which the aura causes temporary weakness on one side of your body. The researchers suggest that all migraine auras probably result from a similar mechanism. Presumably, as blood flow to a specific region of your brain declines, the electrical activity in that area is altered, leading to the generation of “false messages” that you perceive as an aura.
Exercise
Physical exertion is a well-known precipitant of migraine headaches. According to scientists at the University of Perugia in Perugia, Italy, exercise can also trigger migraine auras. In the August 2011 issue of “The Journal of Headache and Pain,” these researchers cited the cases of three young male athletes whose auras – and subsequent migraines – were triggered by exercise alone. This study’s authors suggested that auras and migraines triggered exclusively by exercise represent a relatively common subclass of migraine.
Foods and Beverages
Foods are among the most commonly cited triggers for migraines and their associated auras. Cured meats, aged cheeses, alcohol, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, chocolate, nuts, garlic, onions and pickled foods are frequently implicated as triggers for migraines. Strangely, caffeine, which some migraine sufferers consume during their auras to abort a migraine attack, can actually trigger your migraine if it is consumed in excess. Skipping meals can precipitate an aura or a migraine, possibly because a fall in your blood sugar level affects blood flow and energy production in your brain.
Additional Triggers
Hormones have been implicated as triggers for migraine auras and headaches. Many women experience more frequent migraines at certain times during their menstrual cycles, and migraines are a relatively common side effect of birth control pills. Bright lights, loud noises, strong smells, changes in weather patterns and sleep deprivation – all of which are commonly linked to migraines – can initiate auras, as well. The best way to avoid your personal migraine triggers is to keep a “headache diary.” When you experience an aura or a headache, write down the foods and beverages you consumed before your attack, and list any other factors that might have contributed to your symptoms. Within a few weeks, you may detect patterns that will help you reduce the frequency of your migraines.
References
- “Headache”; Prevalence and Burden of Migraine in the United States; Richard B. Lipton, et al.; July-August 2001
- “Headache”; Hemiplegic Migraine Aura Begins With Cerebral Hypoperfusion: Imaging in the Acute Phase; J. M. Hansen, et al.; July 2011
- “The Journal of Headache and Pain”; Migraine With Aura in the Locker Room: Three Case Reports; Ilenia Corbelli, et al.; August 2011
- “American Family Physician”; Migraine Headaches: How to Deal With the Pain; November 2005
