Common headache triggers

Emotional stress is one of the most common triggers of migraine headaches, since migraine sufferers are generally found to be more emotionally responsive and more highly affected by stressful events. During stressful events, certain chemicals in the brain are released to cause the "flight or fight" response. The release of these chemicals can provoke vascular changes that can cause migraines. Repressed emotions surrounding stress -- such as anxiety, worry, excitement, and fatigue -- can increase muscle tension, contributing to tension headaches.

Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control America's Best Hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery More from the Brain & Behavior Center Headache-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

The following are some other common headache triggers:

• Certain foods and beverages, such as aged cheese, chocolate, beers, wines (especially red), and food additives such as nitrates (in pepperoni, hot dogs, luncheon meats) and monosodium glutamate (MSG, commonly found in Chinese food).
• Withdrawal from caffeine or a sudden drop in the body's caffeine level can cause a headache. The blood vessels seem to become sensitized to caffeine, and when caffeine is not ingested, a headache may occur. Caffeine itself is often helpful in treating acute migraine attacks.
• Changing weather conditions such as storm fronts, barometric pressure changes, strong winds, or changes in altitude
• Environmental factors such as cigarette smoke, gas fumes, perfumes
• Bright lights
• Missing meals
• Menstrual periods
• Changes in normal sleep pattern (too much or too little sleep)
• Exercise