Migraine is a complex condition that can be triggered by a wide range of triggers. From stress to lack of sleep, hormonal changes or some foods. It may seem like migraines are unpredictable and inevitable. Does it have to be that way?
In this blog we will explore the following:
- How triggers affect the migraine differently depending on which phase you are in.
- Why the same trigger doesn’t always trigger a migraine.
- Why you are more easily triggered if the degree of stress and allostatic load is high.
- How you can become more confident about your triggers and train yourself to tolerate more if you reduce the allostatic load.
The goal of this article is the same as with other articles we write about headache prevention on headache-info.com: The measures help you tolerate more in everyday life and thus increase the threshold for getting a headache.
Hence the name LimiCeph. (Limina=threshold, and Cephalgia=headache).
An important factor that influences why some triggers lead to migraines while others do not is the body’s allostatic load.
By reducing this load, you can actually increase your tolerance to triggers and thus gain better control over your migraine attacks.
What is allostatic load?
Allostatic load refers to the body’s ability to manage stress over time.
Every time the body encounters physical, emotional or environmental stressors, it must work to maintain balance.
If this load becomes too high, the system can become overloaded, and triggers that previously didn’t trigger migraines can suddenly start to do so. When allostatic load is reduced, the body is better able to cope with triggers without them necessarily leading to a migraine attack.
Increase tolerance to triggers by reducing allostatic load
When the body is under less stress, and the allostatic load is low, the threshold for what triggers a migraine is higher.
This means that you can be exposed to triggers that would have previously resulted in a migraine without experiencing an attack.
Here are some effective ways to reduce your allostatic load and thereby increase your tolerance to triggers:
- Improve sleep quality: Regular, quality sleep helps to balance the body’s stress levels.
Studies show that sleep deprivation increases the risk of migraines, while good sleep can significantly reduce this risk. - Effective stress management: When stress levels are high over a long period of time, the body accumulates allostatic load and migraines can be more easily triggered.
By learning to manage stress better through techniques such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises, you can reduce this load and thus increase your resistance to triggers. - Physical activity: Regular exercise increases the body’s physical tolerance by increasing oxygen uptake and strengthening muscles.
Being physically fit helps to lower the allostatic load when facing challenges.
Even moderate exercise can increase the brain’s capacity to handle triggers without triggering migraines. - Diet: Certain foods can be known triggers for migraines, but by having a balanced diet that stabilizes blood sugar levels and avoiding large fluctuations, you can make your body more resilient Foods that limit inflammation (commodity-based diets that also provide a low glucose load) can help improve stress balance in the body.
How to distinguish between a trigger and the pre-migraine phase?
A challenge many face is knowing when a trigger is really about to trigger a seizure, or if there are early signs of a seizure already in progress(the prodromal phase). The prodromal or preliminary phase can include symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, or increased appetite, and can start several hours or days before the headache.
It’s important to recognize these signs so that preventive measures can be taken early on, such as resting, eating, drinking, light activity or taking medication.
For example, many people are advised to rest only to prevent an ongoing attack, but for some, taking a light walk with a low heart rate can be soothing even during a migraine attack. You can test this with confidence. The worst-case scenario is that you’re already having a migraine attack and it gets worse. But if you’re in a phase between migraine attacks and have a more tension-type headache, a walk will often help. Even a walk with a high heart rate can help in this phase.
Chocolate can also be a misleading trigger. If an attack is already in progress, you will experience increased cravings and reach for a chocolate. The chocolate is blamed for the attack, but it was only a coincidence in connection with the preliminary phase, rather than a trigger. Many people with migraines can spend a lifetime believing that they cannot tolerate chocolate.
Sensitivity to light is another common example of a trigger that isn’t always a trigger. If you’re tired and fatigued, bright or flashing lights are more likely to trigger a migraine than if you’re alert and have a higher tolerance for stress. The same applies if you’re in the early stages of a migraine. In this case, you’ll be more reclusive than if you’re between phases.
How to increase tolerance for triggers?
The more you reduce the allostatic load, the higher the threshold for triggers becomes.
This means that you can gradually become more tolerant of familiar triggers such as food, light or stress, without them necessarily triggering a migraine attack.
The principle can even apply if you get a migraine in connection with menstruation.
If you rest more during this phase, the intensity of your migraines can be reduced.
By strengthening your body’s capacity to handle daily stressors, triggers will affect you less.
One technique for increasing tolerance to triggers is exposure therapy, where you are gradually exposed to small doses of what usually triggers migraines.
Combined with effective relaxation techniques and a low allostatic load, the brain can learn to become less reactive so that triggers don’t automatically result in a migraine attack.
Conclusion:
By actively reducing the allostatic load, either through better sleep, an anti-inflammatory diet, stress management or regular physical activity, you can increase your body’s tolerance to migraine triggers.
This gives you better control over your migraines and can contribute to fewer and milder attacks.
Higher resistance to triggers means you are better equipped to deal with the unpredictable nature of migraines.
If you can’t get your migraines under control, an assessment by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended.
We have a chiropractor and neurologist with a master’s degree in headaches, and can assess whether there are other causes of your migraines that we can help you with. Feel free to contact us here.
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Read about other preventive measures here at hodepine-info.no
Sleep and headaches
Exercise and headaches
Vision and headaches
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This article is inspired by“Migraine: Multiple Processes, Complex Pathophysiology” by, among others, Rami Burstein, current chairman of the International Headache Association.
Remember:
Small, consistent steps can lead to big improvements in your quality of life. Getting control of your triggers and reducing the allostatic load are two of many preventative measures that can help you reduce headaches and live a more balanced and pain-free life. Together with other lifestyle changes, you can achieve even better results.
Do others need help?
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Bio:
This article was written by Martin Herneblad-Due, chiropractor with a master’s degree in headaches.
If you have any tips on other topics or other input, we would greatly appreciate if you send an e-mail to post@limiceph.no.
If you would like a consultation to assess your headache or get advice on preventive measures, please click here.
Acute?
If you have a new type of headache, increased headache frequency, new symptoms or severe headache attacks, it is important to see a doctor for a thorough examination. Read more here about when to take your headaches seriously..
New assessment?
Remember that the advice above is general.
If you need help tailoring an exercise program, want a reassessment of your headache, or need a holistic approach to your headache, including diagnostics, treatment and preventive measures, please contact us.
We have both a chiropractor and a neurologist with a master’s degree in headache that can help you.
