Triggers

Chocolate. Cheese. Caffeine. Citrus fruits. Nuts. Red wine. Bananas. Beer. Cured meats. Smoked fish. Salt.

Weather changes. Hormones. Lights. Sound. Stress. Smells. Dehydration.

These are all "known" migraine triggers.

Some things we can't control - like the weather.

Some things we can control - like what we eat and drink.

How bright a light is in a shop or how loud the music is at a gig is outside of our control, but we can change the way we cope with it.

I have 2 shops in Newcastle that are "triggers" for me and my coping strategy is to not go in them. Their lighting is false, inadequate and inconsistent. It creates an ambience, but a massive migraine for me.

Salt is another trigger for me. I was eating too many crisps and not drinking enough water.

Patterned flooring can be an issue for me unless it runs in a straight line. This brings migraine and vertigo.

It's important to understand that what's a trigger for me might not be a trigger for you. Everyone is different, so it's important that you keep track of not just what you eat and drink, but where you've been, the weather, your environment, symptoms, etc.

Sometimes you'll notice a pattern, other times there will be no logical reason why that migraine hit when it did.

We have to take charge and do our own research ... listening to your own body and taking note of the warning it gives is the best way to understand how to cope.

We cannot fix migraine. We only only change what we do to avoid as many attacks as possible.