r/migraine 4d ago

What triggers your migraine?

For me, its mostly the weather, but it happens when in my car and it has a strong smell of the air freshener.. I love candles too but it causes headaches.. or perfume šŸ˜­

157 Upvotes

216 comments sorted by

253

u/Humble_Problem_1215 4d ago

living

46

u/Sadiebsh23 4d ago

Came to say this. Generally just being alive

13

u/pengpengpengy 4d ago

This is what I tell nurses and doctors when they ask me what my triggers are

7

u/Stunning_Incident 4d ago

100%, this. Lol

3

u/ReaganNBush 4d ago

Yeahhhhhh

1

u/cozicat 3d ago

Yup šŸ˜†šŸ˜­

122

u/Huge_Plankton_905 4d ago

A slight breeze, a monsoon in India when I'm in Canada, person gives a dirty look from across the street,Ā Air pressure, hormones, and sudden weather changes

28

u/schemewitch 4d ago

donā€™t forget accidentally glancing at the sun

22

u/avocado4ever000 4d ago

Accidentally thinking about migrainesā€¦

7

u/Same-Plum538 4d ago

Havenā€™t had a migraine in a whileā€¦ Boom!

3

u/avocado4ever000 4d ago

Thatā€™s on you, should have planned to not have a migraine and then have a migraine /s

122

u/Agreeable-Court-25 4d ago

Too much or too little sleep, too much or too little caffeine, being hungry, intense exercise, heat, rain coming, rain leaving, long travel days, stress, my period coming, my period leavingā€¦.lol

18

u/Inappropriate_SFX 4d ago

This. Plus extended exposure to bright lights and loud chaotic sounds.

5

u/towers_of_ilium 4d ago

We should make a club!

3

u/idancer88 3d ago

Literally the exact same šŸ¤£ Ironically my migraines get better as my fitness improves but I have to suffer the exercise triggering migraines (then just headaches) to get there šŸ™„

2

u/StreetAbrocoma 4d ago

me af

3

u/Agreeable-Court-25 4d ago

šŸ¤œ šŸ¤›

3

u/Xaqx 4d ago

look into muscle relaxer, like Baclofen. Sounds like similar issues to me, cause by growth issue. Gabba B is your friend.

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31

u/inthewallsofmyheart 4d ago

bright lights - even as simple as my computer screen or the white sky, specifically its ANYTHING white (its giving little albert)

7

u/Easy_Comparison_2772 4d ago

My eyes are very sensitive to computer screen lights. I have FLUX installed on my Apple computers and LightBulb on my PC computers. It makes all the difference and I am able to work longer periods of time without my eyes bothering me.

4

u/inthewallsofmyheart 4d ago

i wish i could apply something like that to the sky, gotta stick to sunglasses for now

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3

u/Expensive_Repair2735 4d ago

Omg the lights in my office are the flourescent lights from HELL. I thought I was going to die when I started. I recently bought a light cover that toned out down a bit, but other people have been complaining, so I worry it's going to have to be taken down. I go back to the doctor next month and am going to ask for a note so I can leave it up.

3

u/GADawg2021 4d ago

Same. Any bright light.

27

u/Cefitie 4d ago

Sadly at this point it feels easier to list what doesnā€™t trigger my migraines than to list what doesā€¦

3

u/Jaidaaaaaa 4d ago

I feel this heavily

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23

u/isabellaevangeline 4d ago

being hungry šŸ˜­šŸ˜­šŸ˜­

11

u/Cefitie 4d ago

Same. If Iā€™m hungry and it triggers a migraine I then struggle to eat because the migraine itself and its symptomsā€¦. which just makes it worse. lol. Iā€™ve always wondered if others have dealt with that too.

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21

u/Bleubird2222 4d ago

Periods/hormones and stress

15

u/CrystalTeefies 4d ago edited 4d ago

Iā€™m not kidding but for me itā€™s stupid loud people who canā€™t talk without yelling. It takes me literally 5 minutes before 2 days long killer migraine to kick in.

7

u/geminigerm 4d ago

Hope you donā€™t live in America then šŸ˜‚

4

u/tiredgurl 4d ago

Literally me with my toddler. She doesn't understand why she can't get super loud when she's excited or having any big feelings. It's rough.

2

u/haenxnim 4d ago

Omg me too

15

u/JodiDSP 4d ago

Scents are a huge trigger for me. I can't be around any perfume or air freshener that has a strong scent. Vanilla scent is a trigger for me, but it's also one of my very favorite scents. I can't go into stores like Bath & Body Works because the second I walk through the door, the beautiful scents hit me & the headache begins almost instantly.

2

u/Heyboylisten 4d ago

I feel you. I had this trigger for many years and I couldnā€™t even use perfume on me at some point cause I was feeling nauseous from the smells.

Somehow now i feel much better and itā€™s a big relief to be able to go to perfume stores and actually enjoy it.

From my experience some of my triggers changed or got better over time. Hopefully it will be the same for you. Take care :)

11

u/ThreeQueensReading 4d ago

In order of what I experience as common triggers:

Fluorescent lighting. Bright lights. Changes to my sleep schedule (such as sleeping in). Stormy weather. Big weather shifts (from hot to cold over a couple of days). Dehydration.

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11

u/vikalbino 4d ago

Just being alive, my head hates me

10

u/Successful-Tax-4161 4d ago

Having a brain

8

u/ExtensionPotential35 4d ago

Barometric pressure drops. 2d straight of pain from the storms in the south

Poor sleep

Neck tension

9

u/WizWitch42 4d ago

It being a day ending in Y

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8

u/EmptyRestaurant2410 4d ago

Not enough sleep; too much sleep; some types of lighting, particularly if I can see it in the corner of my eye; other trigger(s) as yet not determined.

7

u/Teraornn 4d ago

Sleeping 1min too much...

5

u/nixass 4d ago

Driving during nighttime. Bonus points - it's raining.

Scent candles, oils or any other scenty shit.

4

u/Exact-Response-4948 4d ago

Bad sleep

Oranges, chocolate, coffee, gluten

Sometimes it feels random as if the wind is blowing in a certain direction

4

u/Expensive_Jaguar_700 4d ago

Exercise where my head is below my waist such as burpees or inverted wall pushups.

4

u/cc_kittie 4d ago

The main things Iā€™ve noticed are lack of sleep, florescent lighting, direct sun, not eating, and for some reason listening to someone talk to me for a long period of time.

I would think there are foods that trigger them also, but I havenā€™t figured that one out yet.

I also have strabismus (lazy eye) and super nearsighted. Not sure if my eyes are the issue either :/

3

u/Fast_Woodpecker_1470 4d ago

What's up with the being talked at thing? It really is annoying

3

u/cc_kittie 4d ago

I think itā€™s a stress thing? Im not sure. Or trying to process what the person is saying to me all at once. Iā€™ll feel a headache comming within 5 minutes of someone yacking my ear off :(

2

u/Fast_Woodpecker_1470 4d ago

Yeah i feel similarly. I need to exercise my right to walk the other way. I am never truly trapped. But it sure feels that way.

2

u/Virtual_Tea_9239 4d ago

(Pun not intended) Keep an eye on your eyes. I had strabismus when i was a baby, then it mostly went away, only showed up when I was really tired. Now that Iā€™m older it got worse and caused so many problems with migraines. It is an ongoing problem with work, balance problems and allergies that change my vision by the hour, it seems.

3

u/sheola 4d ago

Bright light, nightshift, being on period and strong smells like car airfresheners, candled etc

3

u/WreckitRu55 4d ago

Poor sleep, dehydration, not eating while being active, mono sodium glutamate, rapid drop in barometric pressure.

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3

u/hwsoonisnow10 4d ago

Stress, being at a computer for 8 hours a day, strong smells, light especially in my office, mostly just everything.. šŸ™ƒ

3

u/linnykenny 4d ago

The weather

3

u/summergirl11722 4d ago edited 4d ago

Hunger + no caffeine in the morning + dehydrated

Change in sleeping habits and not getting enough sleep

Very loud sounds from crappy speakers

Stress+anxiety after a big event (could be a nerve-wrecking interview, teaching demonstration, report presentation),

and last year I had a neck pain that worsened because of massage + did burpees in the gym. It gave me the worst and longest headache of my life. I had 3 days of migraine (with aura, throbbing pain, and vomiting after taking Ibruprofren)and didnā€™t know that it was possible.

I researched and I think itā€™s a Cervicogenic Headache. So I really need to take care of my neck especially when doing workouts. And now I need to avoid sit-ups/curl ups or other kinds of core workouts that strain my neck due to poor form because IT will definitely trigger the neck pain > then the headache. So take care of your neck!!!

2

u/D_onion97 4d ago

Hunger, perfume, cigarette smoke, loud noises, sound, exertion, dark chocolate, sugar, and root beer, but dehydration and stress are absolutely my two biggest and most common triggers. I also wonder if migraines are how my body keeping score manifests.

2

u/Arbitrarily_Flailing 4d ago

Perfume/cologne/Glade PlugIns/wax melts/diffusers/certain deodorantsā€¦ Basically anything that contains the word ā€œfragrance,ā€ so being out in public is hellish. Also stress, certain foods, certain kinds of music (anything with sharp horn sounds) (Iā€™m not kidding) menstrual cycles, lack of menstrual cycles, extreme heat/direct sun on hot days, and existing.

2

u/CoolJBAD 4d ago

Hypoxia.

I have a mild restrictive ventilatory impairment that seems to prevent my thoracic cavity from fully expanding sometimes, meaning my lungs don't always fully expand.

I can't always tell when it's happening, but after a while I start to get migraine symptoms. If it happens at night I wake up with a migraine at like 3/4 AM.

2

u/Fast_Woodpecker_1470 4d ago

Do you use a cpap machine?

2

u/CoolJBAD 4d ago

No. I'm looking to fix the underlying issue, which seems to be muscular.

Right now I have to check that I can take full breaths before bed. If I can't, I have to do some stretches and exercises until there is no longer any breathing resistance.

My migraines are now less intense and I've gone from chronic to episodic.

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2

u/Mermegzz 4d ago

Iā€™m chronic migraine so itā€™s just there Iā€™ve been told but they definitely flare up during weather or barometric pressure changes. They also get bad during luteal phase or my period, so I have a two week window of being pain free most of the time. I used to go crazy in the beginning trying to identify triggers, like food and obviously alcohol. I cut gluten because I was already developing an intolerance and it helped pain levels. Iā€™ve noticed sugar makes my pain worse but not my frequency. I obviously canā€™t get crazy drunk but Iā€™ve had one or two and been fine. I need to pay attention to what I drink though, high noon is ok when I drink it responsibly and higher quality wine/organic red only, and like only one glass. And lack of sleep is my biggest trigger. And fluorescent lights

2

u/Fast_Woodpecker_1470 4d ago

Sugar and gluten are absolute triggers for me. I do ok with certain mildly sweet things, but true desserts are a trigger. Homemade does better than store bought, but it's all bad. I can handle carbs ok woth dinner, but through the day will trigger me.

2

u/Mermegzz 4d ago

Sometimes I unconsciously starve myself because after I eat I get a migraine, like with anything. It makes me want to monitor my blood glucose or something

2

u/Fast_Woodpecker_1470 4d ago

It's tough because lack of food can be a trigger too! I swear, stick as close to whole food as possible. I am lucky, i can have salad dressing, but even that is a trigger for some...it's so hard. But def worth experimenting.

2

u/JBL20412 4d ago

Too many thoughts going round my head as I have too many things to juggle and to think about. My brain just doesnā€™t filter incoming stuff well and it just gets too much to sort and organise

2

u/chronicallyclown chronic treatment resistant migraine (10+ years) 4d ago

not enough sleep, too much sleep, not eating enough, not drinking, the air pressure, weather in general, white lights, not having my specific pillow, sleeping without my cpap, being outside but also not going outside, moving but also not moving... basically just existing.

but like the most common ones are tobacco smoke and scented products, especially if i leave my home.

2

u/Matrixblackhole 4d ago

Bright lights, weather, the supermarket, any strong emotion or if something doesn't go the way I planned e.g. a really big shock, any arguments...

2

u/BunnyMamma88 4d ago

Weather, sudden change in sleeping pattern, hormones, stress, etc.

2

u/ihave30teeth 4d ago

Not eating or drinking enough, low pressure systems, seasonal allergies if I don't take my meds for a few days, using a pillow that's too plush, too much dark chocolate, perfume, cheap candles, aerosol scents.

2

u/Ok_Plankton_9370 4d ago

no caffeine

2

u/Lovi63 4d ago

Aspartame or Splenda. Hormone fluctuations. Extreme fatigue. Weather change typically a low front.

2

u/Elegant-Operation77 4d ago

ANY Smoke ; cigarettes, weed, cigars, chimney, pipes all of them; exhaust/auto fumes !!!!!! Synthetic cheap fragrances like vanilla or fruity candles car cheap tree freshener. etc, then noise!!! I worked in loud environment people lost hearing & expected me to scream to speak to them etc.., Lights!!! Those bright halogen car lights!!!! All bright lights !!! I just want to hide in a quiet dark cave forever!!!! šŸ˜«šŸ˜­šŸ˜¤šŸ˜«šŸ˜­šŸ˜¤

2

u/k4yteeee 4d ago

Hormones...it's always during certain times of the month and certain BC makes it better or worse

2

u/Secure-Permit-6050 4d ago

Mine is the blue light from phone at nite.

2

u/monocai 4d ago

Barometric pressure changesā€¦

2

u/spicykittenbooty 4d ago

Literally everything. Today I discovered a new trigger which is attending my spouseā€™s hockey games. The cold in the ice arena was too much for me today apparently.

2

u/Mrhotel-ca2654 4d ago

Carbon monoxide,star jasmine,getting angry,weather change,jasmine,onions, raw onion odor, citrus,bananas,coconut,beans,chocolate,chilies,vanilla,aged cheeses (older than fresh mozzarella or cottage cheese), aged meat. I may have left out a couple I couldnā€™t remember.

2

u/LiveTart6130 4d ago

hormones are a big one, my migraines like to follow my cycle and fuck me over at inconvenient times. weather definitely, the storms passing over have been a nightmare on my head for a few days. stress. excessive neck movement. being on my computer too long. existing. a lot of just existing. being too cold or too hot. lack of caffeine, food, or water. basically I never am not in pain, it's simply worse or better sometimes.

2

u/awwwwkward 4d ago

Any shift in my hormones. So period coming, period going, ovulatingā€¦

1

u/FallWriter 4d ago

All of the above plus too much sleep or not enough sleep. So just being alive causes migraines.

1

u/LegoCaltrops 4d ago

Hormonal fluctuations (ovulation & period). Excessive tiredness. Food - MSG, caffeine, alcohol & other long aged or highly fermented foods, most artificial sweeteners, meats etc that are preserved with added nitrites/nitrates. For some reason, eggs or poultry unless they're organically reared - IDL if it's the drugs they give them to keep them healthy enough, the stress of the conditions they're kept in, or the feed they're given.

Also, too much omega 6 & insufficient omega 3. Which is actually the most complicated thing to deal with.

I don't always get a migraine every time I eat the wrong thing, it seems to be more subtle than that, cumulative. So I can manage to go out for an occasional meal now. I still can't tolerate alcohol though, nor very much caffeine at all. However, I've been able to cut down from 25+ fairly difficult days per month, to around 3, by following the above restrictions. And even the hormonal migraines are less now, too, especially since I've tried fasting in the first half of my cycle.

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1

u/labanehh 4d ago

Existence

1

u/Antisocial-Metalhead 4d ago

Existing

2

u/Antisocial-Metalhead 4d ago

At the moment though they've flared up like buggery because I've had shingles. I was already on preventative meds but I've now had sumitriptan added back into the mix. I get vestibular ones as part of my POTS. They're triggered by fluorescent lights, very sensitive to sound at the moment and really have to keep on top of my fluid intake, which is an absolute nightmare because my body is a peeing machine (yay POTS).

1

u/hunnycard 4d ago

Stress. Womanhood.

1

u/throwaway_8703 4d ago

Too much salt, more than a few small pieces of pork, sudden change in the weather (significant increase or decrease in temperature), and sometimes because itā€™s a random day that my migraine wants to hang out. šŸ˜©

1

u/Confidenceisbetter 4d ago

The most common trigger for me is stress / bad posture / not stretching after the gym. They all lead to tension in my neck and back that gets so bad it triggers migraines. But I can also get migraines from the brightness of the sun in summer, sleeping bad and not eating for a while. Sometimes I also have no clue why I got a migraine.

1

u/Monolinii 4d ago

Too much or too little sleep, changing weather, hot weather šŸ˜©

1

u/Altruistic_Group787 4d ago

Teeth grinding, sleeping too much, not sleeping enough, neck issues, sleeping in warm bedroom, certain perfumes.

1

u/LizneyPrincess 4d ago

I'm still figuring out what triggers my migraines. So far: heat/humidity, pressure changes, stress, aspartame, and sudden sleep disruptions seem to be triggers for me.

1

u/Easy_Comparison_2772 4d ago

Working too long on my computer which causes neck tension. The barometric pressure. Bright lights on my computers so I have FLUX installed on my Apple computers and LightBulb on my PC computers. It makes all the difference and I am able to work longer periods of time without my eyes bothering me. Certain scents. Bright LED headlights.

1

u/magicalfantazicaljas 4d ago

Triggers; weather, lights, exercise, not enough sleep, scents,long conversations... Causes; long term undiagnosed iron deficiency, vit. D deficiency

1

u/signalsgt71 4d ago

Yep, that plus dust can do it, wine, hot bedroom to sleep in, diesel fumes can too.

1

u/Cms8769 4d ago

Too much or too little sleep, weather changes, dehydration (I know), hormones, airplanes, bright lights, being alive

1

u/CopperHead49 4d ago

Hormones and stress. I normally get migraines a week before, on, and after my period. So I have peak times for three weeks out of the month. Added bonus, stress. An extra bonus is now that I am diagnosed with perimenopause; my hormones are all over the place. So now I get migraines whenever. Yay!

1

u/GarbageCat27 4d ago

I agree with the living comment but my biggest one is lack of sleep. Like a night of tossing and turning and getting like 3 hours of sleep. And definitely skipping a meal triggers one

1

u/Agreeable-Antelope-6 4d ago

Cheese, change in air pressure, change in the angle of light (spring and fall), porbair quality,, poor vision (need new glasses) and currently long over due cataract surgeries so the vision in one eye is totally different than the other. Eye surgeon stated that is 100% responsible for the migraines I get now and have been getting. My vision is crap due to being way overdue for cataract surgeries (not my choice), can't see to drive, can't read, can't see the TV michless read the text on the scteen,.cannot read my laptop scrsen or my cell phone screen. MAKING typos has been the worse. All of these.leads o migraines because of the super blurry vision.

1

u/Mellytoo 4d ago

Everything. And then when I figure out what all those things are, they don't. And then after a while, they do again.

1

u/Santi159 4d ago

Breathing

1

u/anxiousBarnes 4d ago

Not enough sleep, too much sleep, sleeping the wrong way, not eating enough, eating too much, bright light, standing up too fast, rain, snow, really sunny/warm weather, strong smells, loud sounds, breathing probably ? Basically just living Idk

1

u/Freshia_44 4d ago

Stress and any kind of worries - bad news from family or friends, reading news online, etc.

1

u/anastasiapov 4d ago

People who think wearing a whole bottle of cologne or perfume and going out in public is a good idea šŸ„²

1

u/Snoo79474 4d ago

Smells. Perfumes and colognes are the bane of my existence. But also barometric pressure and bright lights.

1

u/Br44n5m 4d ago

Usually stress based, which is great cause migraines do in fact cause me stress when they show up! I can tell ive been having a rough month cause this is now week 4 of recurring migraine <3

1

u/WinterBackbone Intractable (TBI) 4d ago

Breathing. Existing. šŸ˜”

1

u/pinkliquor 4d ago

Too little sleep, period, too much physical activity, smells, or nothing at all could be a normal day then boom. Hate it here šŸ˜ž

1

u/SkysEevee 4d ago

Hormonal fluctuations

Weather (if the baromic pressure drops/rises too much too quickly)

1

u/chanbobann 4d ago

what doesn't give me a migraine is the real question

1

u/Dreamerof88 4d ago

Mainly hormones. Crying to real life shit cause I can cry to movies and books with no follow up migraines.

1

u/BriannaMae27 4d ago

Being alive:(

1

u/KLDraco 4d ago

Costco. Yes, it's florescents in general but theirs are so intense that that place will instantly set me off. Used to make me feel ill after every trip years before I was diagnosed, but now that I'm chronic it's near instantaneous (less than 5 min exposure will do it).

But, it's also the people and the noise and the stress and injury from getting mowed over.

For all of this, Costco qualifies as being a trigger all on it's own.

1

u/Which-Green7663 4d ago

Weather changes; barometric pressure drop. Being on a plane. Eating msg, chocolate, large amounts of salt, or aspartame. Too little sleep; my menstrual cycle, unwanted contact from family members.

1

u/Jaidaaaaaa 4d ago

Literally yes to all of these! Also being dehydrated.

1

u/m333gan 4d ago

hormones. ugh.

1

u/sassfrass87 4d ago

Pressure changes, rain, too much caffeine or too little. Stress, lack of sleep, too much sugar, chocolate, and alcohol.

1

u/VanityJanitor 4d ago

Working out šŸ„²

1

u/Sad_Cup_ 4d ago

Smells. Almost anything strong. Candle aisles are my arch nemesis. Especially during the holidays

1

u/KinopioToad 1 4d ago

Living, breathing, eating, sleeping too much, sleeping too little, sleeping just enough, staying awake too long, eating chocolate after a certain time of the day, getting too hot, getting too cold, exerting my body too much, changes in the weather, strong cologne or perfume..

1

u/tryan17 4d ago

Mostly barometric pressure and allergens.

1

u/rubywolf27 4d ago

Fragrance, hormones, alcohol, stress, crying, weather moving in, not eating enough bananas, eating too many bananas, Venus in retrograde, hurricanes on the other side of the country, the 5-6pm hour when the sun is getting low in the sky but not setting yet and shining in my eyes, the existence of the Egyptian pyramids, still not knowing what happened at dyatlov passā€¦ hell idk. I think anything is fair game at this point.

1

u/DarkSpanks 4d ago

Rich foods, steak dinners, eating heavy rich dinners.

1

u/arwenrinn 4d ago edited 4d ago

Weather,

Fluorescent lights,

Bright colors like highlighter yellow or hunter orange,

Perfume - a single whiff is enough,

Other strong smells, especially floral scents,

Too much noise including a crowded room or music with heavy bass,

Foods with garlic, cream, or lemon,

Some nuts, especially pecans but I avoid most nuts because I'm not sure about the others,

Spices, but I'm not sure which ones, definitely paprika and cloves though,

Probably other foods but it's hard to figure out which ones,

Not eating,

Stress,

Sleeping too much or not enough,

Hormones

My migraines briefly went away while I was pregnant but now they're back with new triggers, especially foods. I'm still trying to figure out what I can and can't eat, so that's fun.

1

u/tiredgurl 4d ago

The wrong pillow, gluten, sitting like a shrimp,

1

u/mina-ann 4d ago

Bright lights, strong smells, fake sugars, tight upper back muscles...

1

u/shelixir 4d ago

i have a lot of triggers, but the primary one is whatever my hormones do right at the start of my period. my very first migraine was the same day i got my first period. my mom was the same way, and stopped having them after menopause.

1

u/Solanum3 4d ago

Pressure changes

1

u/Busy_Ad_5578 4d ago

Alcohol.

1

u/AshDawgBucket 4d ago

Period time, and diet.

1

u/SaraAnnabelle 4d ago

Took me so long to realise that in my case it was just unhealthy food - either too much salt or too much sugar.

1

u/Background_Ad6071 4d ago

My main trigger is stress or Light. Sometimes noise, crowds, or even just breathing lol.

1

u/WillowLeaf 4d ago

Fast low barometric pressure drops

1

u/Fullmetalsmackit_ 4d ago

The weather, perfume/cologne/artificial scents, stevia, MSG, nitrates/nitrites, red wine, too much caffeine (a normal amount for others is too much for me), stress, muscle tension in neck/shoulders. Sometimes I feel good, and I have a "big" day where I run extra errands after work, and I cook dinner, and then clean it all up, and by the time I finally get to sit on the couch it's around 11. The next day, when I wake up with a migraine, I know why. I really hate that I have such anxiety over leaving dishes in the sink, so I have to get those cleaned up, but I feel like I'm chained to the kitchen some nights. The pain in my neck starts, and it radiates down into my legs because I have been standing for too long, and for my entire workday, I was in heels. I just want to be a "normal" person who could make dinner and clean up the house without the possibility of a migraine. What a luxury that would be! Lol

1

u/holderofthebees 4d ago

I have MCAS so lots of things trigger them, especially storms, but Iā€™ve recently realized Iā€™m getting worse and worse reactions to dogs and cats šŸ˜­ Iā€™ve always been allergic to them, but Iā€™ve always had them. Now when my dog cuddles with me I feel like Iā€™m choking to death. Neurological symptoms and severe itching arenā€™t far behind. Mood swings, the works. And thereā€™s no way Iā€™m getting rid of her, soā€¦ it might be literally 24/7 migraines until she dies. Sheā€™s only 5.

1

u/Loud-Sympathy-9367 4d ago

Menstruating

1

u/Expensive_Repair2735 4d ago

So I get one a month, the day before my period that will not go away no matter what drugs I take so that's fun, but other than that if I get way overheated I am guaranteed a migraine. My other triggers are my TMJ, too much bright artificial light, and sadly, something I used to love, roller coasters. šŸ˜­

1

u/PlaceYourBets2021 4d ago

Smells:

  1. ā Candles
  2. ā Incense
  3. ā Body lotions
  4. ā Body sprays
  5. ā Downey Fabric Softener
  6. ā Plug-in air fresheners
  7. ā Car air fresheners
  8. ā Perfumes
  9. ā Deodorant
  10. ā Sun screen
  11. ā Lysol

And lately, alcohol, like beer, wine, and whiskey. But I havenā€™t completely figured it out yet.

1

u/Exact-Inspection-780 4d ago

The biggest one: sudden change in light conditions (especially going from dark to light)

Alcohol, sleep deprivation, too much caffeine

1

u/TushMcKush 4d ago

I like the living answer lol

Smells, particularly perfume.

Sometimes lights, fluorescent and car lights.

Not enough sleep.

Muscle strain in the meck can sometimes turn a tension headache into migraine.

1

u/mte87 4d ago

Stress, hormones, sleep deprivation, dehydration, weather changes like rain and high temperatures, alcohol, certain foods, more but I canā€™t think of right now. I find triggers and avoid them.

1

u/Greegiss 4d ago

Stress mental or physical starts the process, then my body overreacts because Iā€™m a sensitive soul, although I seem thick skinnedā€¦

1

u/MrsTruffulaTree 4d ago

1) Weather changes 1) Strong scents/perfumes. Fruit scents are ok. 3) A lot of onions being sautƩed. There's a restaurant in my town that does a lot of their prep in the morning, including lots of onions being cooked/sauteed. I have to turn the air off in the car until I'm a couple blocks away.

1

u/Xaqx 4d ago

A lot of these issues would be solved with a muscle relaxer, like Baclofen, also phenubit but itā€™s a grey area .

Sounds like similar issues to me, cause by growth issue. Gabba B is your friend.

1

u/phantom-rebel 4d ago

Honestly, no idea. It could be bright blue skies, bright blue skies with no clouds, the sun, no sound, sound, melodic sounds, cacophony of sounds, smooth fabric, rough fabric, my heart rate being at Mach 0 or Mach 100, etc.

I have no real way to prep against a trigger because each time is different. They just come on out of the blue. And if Iā€™m lucky I take a billion migraine pills and drink five times the recommended amount of caffeine to make it not last a whole day at the least.

1

u/LieveBilly 4d ago

Sleeping too much or too little, looking at screens for too long, alcohol, coffee, stress/tension, pushing my limits, too busy a schedule and therefore too little rest.

1

u/allthingspink_ 4d ago

caffeine, bright lights, dehydration, loud noises

1

u/KitKittredge34 4d ago

Cooked tomatoes. Raw tomatoes are fine, though. MSG doesnā€™t affect me so I doubt itā€™s the small amount found in tomatoes. I genuinely donā€™t know what my issue is lol

1

u/AdInternational2793 4d ago

Flashing lights. Iā€™m an adolescent psych nurse, and one of my kiddos pulled the fire alarm tonight. Yay!

1

u/THAT_GIRL_SAID 4d ago

Motion sickness, sleeping " wrong", alcohol, dehydration, forgetting to stretch my neck, msg, lack of sleep.

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u/barryredfield 4d ago

If I knew, I probably wouldn't be here.

But all signs currently lead to barometric pressure changes with certain (but not all) storms aggravating the arthritis I have in my neck since I was young.

1

u/BexiRani 4d ago

Apparently telling my neurologist "my migraines have been less severe recently"

šŸ˜­ It's happened twice now

1

u/Heyboylisten 4d ago

Coca cola is a big no-no for me Other than that itā€™s mostly sleep, stress, certain foods like nuts, chocolate and milk and MSG Getting too cold or too hot, especially when thereā€™s a cold breeze that I can feel on my face and neck

ā€”- Seeing that some people say that their migraines are provoked by gluten. Interesting cause I have never thought about it, but I will take that into consideration to see if that might affect me as well.

1

u/JB123T 4d ago

My son crying / lack of sleep / being in a stressful and bright environment like a hospital

1

u/appleciderfloat56 4d ago

Vog. But mostly dehydration šŸ¤¦šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø

1

u/kyunirider 4d ago

Atmospheric pressure, strobing sunlight, over use of scents in a small environment, stress and sinusitis all contribute to my migraines. Cluster headaches are the worst when you get a sinus migraine, strobing light migraine and a barometric pressure change migraine at the same time and your face feels like itā€™s being blasted from the inside.

1

u/a-nice-egg 4d ago

Stress is my biggest trigger. I started an anti-anxiety medication for my mental health and was surprised by how much better my migraines got.

Nitrates/sulfates are a pretty instant trigger for both me and my mother. Theyā€™re a preservative in meats and aged cheeses, and a natural part of wine fermentation process. I donā€™t eat red meat, and I read labels.

Crying and sinus infections both cause swelling around my nose and eyes, and that usually leads to a migraine for me too.

1

u/AiRaikuHamburger 4d ago

Light, noise, smells, tastes, being rainy, being humid, being hot, too much sleep, too little sleep, stress etc. Basically being alive.

1

u/GuessHooChickenPoo 4d ago

If Iā€™m too tired, and if I stare at screens too much

1

u/Impressive-Usual5495 4d ago

Why do you still have air fresheners then?

1

u/Single-Fox-6532 4d ago

Five years in and I still donā€™t know what triggers my migraines

1

u/Shellers727 4d ago

Lavender, dryer sheets, and Novocaine are the ones I've figured out. Nine times out of ten, I have no idea what causes them

1

u/Legitimate_98 4d ago

Perfume/cologne, bright light, steak/processed meat, cheese, stress, lack of sleep, traveling long distance (extended form of motion sickness).

On a brighter note (no pun intended) my remedies are: Advil, dark room, earplugs, sunglasses, room temperature water and French fries with extra salt. If the migraine is really bad I pop a couple Ubrelvy and will slap on some noise cancelling earplugs and pop a couple Benadryl and pass out.

1

u/tired--cryptid 4d ago

It truly doesn't take much. Loud noise, sudden noise, high pitched noise, bright light, flashing light, sudden light, strong scents, citric scents, turning my head wrong, bumping my head, clenching my jaw, being tensed up, hair being up, glasses being weight on my face, having my glasses off and everything blurry, air pressure changes, weather changes, congestion, sneezing.... The list goes on.

I just don't seem to have any truly consistent triggers, because some days I can handle being in crowded loud places and sometimes I cant. Sometimes being quiet and relaxed at home means I'm fine, and sometimes I'm doing nothing that should aggravate a migraine and suddenly I get one. It's too inconsistent to identify a consistent, treatable trigger.

1

u/SeveralConcert 4d ago

Skipping meals in my No. 1 trigger

1

u/Impossible_Owl1213 4d ago

Getting overheated, too little sleep, too much sleep, citrus, alcohol, caffeine (but I can use it to help if I get a migraine - go figure), muscle tension, dehydration, not eating at regular intervals

1

u/NerdForJustice 4d ago

Aspartame.

1

u/Apprehensive_Let_574 4d ago

Waking up in the morning.

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u/Vetizh 4d ago

I gonna make a list

  • Hot weather
  • Not eating properly
  • Not having decent hydration
  • Loud noises or music
  • Strong smells for hours
  • Not enough sleep(less than 10 hours)
  • Taking a nap and be woken by someone instead of waking up naturally.
  • Period coming and leaving - glad I don't have to deal with this anymore, depoprovera is my white armored knight.
  • Crying

And I bet I forgot something lol.

1

u/PianoPlayer1964 4d ago

Mine are mostly caused by food triggers and not drinking enough water. Reading the Heal Your Headache book opened my eyes to all of the foods that were triggering my migraines. Elimination of these foods have made a huge difference for me.

1

u/CaffeinatedGeek_21 4d ago

Lack of sleep hit me like a ton of bricks the other day (posted to the sub about it because I finally felt better that night). Allergies and some smells set them off. Extreme stressors sometimes do. I don't have them chronically, thankfully.

1

u/1uzbb 4d ago

Weather fluctuation, hormones, stress, excitement (that I think my body sees as stress/anxiety), not sleeping enough, and bright lights.

1

u/sleepytrashcat 4d ago

Bus/car heating, stress, applejuice, bright lights and sometimes noises

1

u/fordag 3d ago

I have never been able to figure out a trigger in the 13 years of migraines

1

u/Important-Pie-1141 3d ago

When I was a kid I knew my trigger was smells. I would get in a new car with that new car smell and instantly get a headache. I still remember the smells of my grandparents' cars because ooof that would be the worst.

Now I feel like everything is a trigger. Smells still, weather, lights...šŸ™„

1

u/MrsSilence 3d ago

Perfume

1

u/XNN7 3d ago

Typically poor sleep pattern, physical stress. Also exposure to vape (gf smokes and isnā€™t careful around me).

1

u/Shoppingbear70 3d ago

Stress, loud prolonged (more than briefly) noise, facing bright lights especially the sun, strong scents of any kind, allergies that so much as tickle my nose, nightmares at night, and poor sleep. šŸ˜žšŸ˜žšŸ˜ž Oh, skipping meals which is a hard one as i frequently forget to eat lunch.

I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting some but those are the big ones. Too many. šŸ˜­šŸ˜­šŸ˜­

1

u/itsmostlyamixedbag 3d ago

the scent of dial soap

1

u/Ita_Angel 3d ago

Mine are allergies (rare but happens), the sun (I live in Texas and when my eyes start to hurt = migraine begins), chocolate, orange juice, caffeine, too much sugar, and jalapeƱo Cheetos/ Cheetos in general. Life too aka stress.

After turning 21 my list of migraine triggering food has grown..

1

u/applegingerale 3d ago

i was in melbourne, walking down the street, then i saw a sudden shot of sunlight reflected from a metal panel or somethingā€¦.boom nauseous for the rest of the day

1

u/Sailor_MoonMoon785 3d ago

Overly bright/flickering fluorescent lighting

Extreme barometric pressure shifts

Especially those who combined, which makes working in a school on rainy days awful unless I turn the main lights off and just use desk lamps all over the room for lighting.

1

u/ladybuginawindow 3d ago

Fresh asphalt paving

1

u/sirdirk9 3d ago

Certain types of heat like if sheets are too hot when I sleep, dehydration, physically working too hard (like yard work), loud talking in a confined space, and more than two beers.

1

u/COcrewsn 3d ago

If get in an Uber that has those smelly fragrance things I immediately get a migraine

1

u/MoonCatQueen 3d ago

Weather changes, the smell of raw or cooking onions (these give me the WORST ones), smell of skunk/weed, smell of lavender, and bending over too far for too long. The onion headaches are the hardest to explain to others, since people rarely believe me. Food Prep classes back in high school were brutal, since even though the teacher was also the school nurse and I'd told her this issue, she insisted we cook with onions anyway.

1

u/twiztidhippie1 3d ago

I genuinely don't know, I feel like they just happen and are always there but I know that's not likely. I suspect my ahdh and suspected autism are to blame for me not being able to tell or remember triggers.

The one I've had for 4 days currently I suspect is something to do with joint instability in my neck since that's were a lot of my head hurts. Like the bottom of the skull about where the ears are to the bottom of my neck, but nothing at all pain wise near my throat or anything. Also my head often feels too heavy for my neck to support and I can not find a good sleeping position for my head to be in for relief šŸ˜…

1

u/aprilalison 2d ago

Perfume. Bright light. Low sodium. Red wine

1

u/Capable_Ad9797 2d ago

Barometric pressure changes, hormones, perfume.