Headache Trigger: Are you Abusing Any?

This page is the last of two pages on our headache and migraine triggers. Any of these triggers we've discussed on headaches, could very well set off a migraine in some people that are prone to migraines.

How many of us at some point don't feel anger, another trigger for headaches?

Keeping your anger in won't do anyone ,especially you, a headache sufferer any good.

According to a study at Saint Louis University, this is the biggest emotional cause of headaches, and ranks greater than anxiety or depression. The reason is, all of your muscles tense up, including the ones in your neck and scalp.

And if it stays with you long enough, the contraction of the head and neck muscles causes a bandlike sensation around your head, which is a sign of a tension headache. Don't let this headache trigger have its way.

Here's what you can do to stop the tensing of your neck, and shoulder muscles.Take a deep breath, hold it for four or five seconds, and at the same time press your thumb, and index finger together. Then slowly exhale through parted lips, (you see many wrestlers do this) until all of the air has left your lungs. Do this several times.

After you've simmered down, ask yourself how important this issue was. A couple of months down the road, will you remember it? Like our preacher says, don't sweat the small stuff. While we know there's a lot of truth to that statement, at times it's much easier to say than do.

(Tip) But if something has already PO you, and your head is hurting, try wrapping a hot compress, or heating pad around your neck. That will help relax your muscles, and maybe disolve your headache. The next headache trigger that many fall prey to is the kick back and sleep in late on weekends.

I notice my wife doing this, and finds herself with her head hurting more on weekends. A headache or migraine suffer has to have routine. Even if you don't work, there has to be a consistency of routines.

For many, working, and maybe working long days all week deserves some sleep in time on weekends. But the fact of the matter, you should keep your going to bed, and arising close to the same all week. Not fair is it?

Here's why.On weekends as you relax, levels of stress hormones such as noradrenaline, and cortisol decrease. This in turn causes the rapid release of your neurotransmitters (the nervous systems chemical messengers) , and in turn makes blood vessels dilate, and constrict. (headache or maybe even a migraine)

One more headache trigger that applies to women, and accounts for up to 60% of migraines is the before, or just starting of your period. These hormonally driven headaches or migraines generally occur because of the drop of estrogen levels (you probably know all about this) right before menstruation. This effects your serotonin levels.

Here's what you can do to knock it out.

If you don't take Arava, ask your doctor about prescribing it for you. It's one of the triptans, that was especially formulated for menstrual headaches.

Also, if you not suffering with a terrible headache, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen taken every day for five to seven days around your period may help reduce your hormonal triggered headaches.

On the right you'll find magnesium Dr Alexander Mauskop M.D. director of the New York Headache center says that many women are deficient of this mineral, which can give you a headache.

Also, aspartame dangers on our next page, can obviously be a migraine trigger for some headache sufferers. The reports of aspartame side effects to the FDA can't be ignored.

This page finishes the six easy methods you can apply toward the relief of your headaches and migraines. Our last page has more headache triggers. Maybe one out of the six may be cranking your headaches up. All are simple to commit to.

Work on that headache to get it under control. All the best

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