Why You Should Know Your Triggers

Knowing what triggers attacks is a major step towards preventing them. If you can avoid triggers, then you can avoid pain and suffering of attacks, right? Well, not quite. There are many possible triggers for migraines and they differ from one migraine sufferer to another. Sometimes you're not dealing with one single trigger at a time, but with a combination of potential triggers, which makes it all more difficult to determine what exactly it is that you need to avoid.

Of course, knowing that something may trigger your migraine doesn't always mean you can avoid it. Some possible triggers, such as certain weather conditions, or certain times of month for us ladies, may be unavoidable.

However, preventing even some of your potential migraine episodes can be a blessing. Every migraine avoided means less suffering and an enhanced quality of life. It won't mean that your migraines are cured, but that your condition becomes more manageable.

Possible Triggers of Migraine

The list is very long and if you're serious about identifying your own migraine triggers, you need to look at ideas from more than one website, as well as do some thinking of your own… I will try and list a few common triggers to get you going.

Food-Related Triggers

First of all, for many people, going without food can trigger a migraine. For some migraineurs skipping a meal is all it takes.

Cheese (especially old smelly type), alcohol, nuts and alas, chocolate are prime suspects in food department. Also, anything that contains nitrates (such as sausage and hot dogs), Monosodium Glutamate and certain artificial sweeteners.

The Menstrual Cycle

I find circumstances in a hospital waiting room to include, as one of astronauts said about space flight, “all elements necessary for a murder.”

Things have improved over years, but they’ll always be trying. Actually, that old adage first attributed to a bomber pilot fits: It’s hours and hours of boredom punctuated by stark terror.

Of course it can also be punctuated by incredible relief, and abundant joy, and that’s part of equation. Emotions are running high. Everyone there is concerned and waiting for information, waiting for a decision. Waiting.

So what helps? Information is always helps. If this is new territory to you, here are some tips gleaned over years:

DIVERSION Bring light reading material and other amusements, like your laptop. And be glad for laptops. One of worst fights I saw in a waiting room – and this Pediatric Intensive Care waiting room, one of saddest places on earth – was over single electrical outlet available. There were numerous fights in this particular waiting room which, at time included a dorm with bunks for sleeping, and which, because it was pediatric, included young folks, arguably more volatile. Many of us were there for weeks and began to get involved in each other’s lives and squabbles, like a group thrown together on a desert isle. Only worse.

At night, in dorm, snoring made me want to kill someone, and sobbing made me want to convert to Buddhism and learn how to remove all suffering from world. I sought mercy of sleep. It was hard to come by, and when we don’t sleep well, everything is worse. Which brings up next point.

There was someone on-call to come up and mediate fights, and guess who it was? The chaplain. Who else could handle this emotionally-charged cauldron of pain? So know that when needed, there’s a chaplain there. There’s a chaplain and a chapel in most hospitals. Seek and ye shall find.

FIGHTS Fights? Let’s say aggression. When you’re emotionally-charged, that’s one release of tension, and in hospital there are numerous targets – doctors who don’t show up; resident who treats you to his intellectual musings which have no conclusion, which leaves you more confused and scared; person who removed your sleeping materials from your chairs as if they don’t know you’ve marked your territory; nurses who tell you to shut off your cell phone or get out, visiting hours are over; or your own Aunt Martha who just won’t shut up about her arthritis, her bowels, and her cat.

SENSE OF HUMOR A sense of humor goes a long way. In fact some hospitals now have “laughing rooms” which I’ve read about, but not seen. I suppose they have funny videos. A good laugh is a great stress relief. You don’t feel like laughing, of course, but do it anyway, and don’t be apologetic. It’s a physiological remedy to unrelenting stress that costs less, is more readily available and has fewer side effects than Xanax. When you go back to your hotel room at night, rent funniest movie you can find and laugh.

HELP! Take advantage of other help that’s available. The admissions person is one source; they’re also planning a discharge program from moment of admission, so go find out.

There are volunteers around, praise Lord, and I plan to be one one day when I’m freed from obligation of having to make a living. Often there’s one sitting at desk in waiting room, by phone. They often wear smocks and have nametags.

One of them heard me lamenting and offered to drive me to and from a Wal-Mart to pick up extra clothes and toiletries. She said she would just sit in her car and wait and “Please take all time you need.” I tried to tell her what this meant to me. She simply replied, “It’s okay. I know about this.”

Also nearby hotels often offer greatly reduced rates for hospital visitors. Ask.

NUTRITION Now let’s talk about nutrition. The last thing you need is a sugar high, and if there’s any time you’re after comfort food, it’s in a hospital waiting room. Use what self-discipline you can. People will bring homemade cookies, ultimate gesture of comfort food and caring, and they will tempt you, but after 4th you’ll be all jitters, and after 5th day of this, you’ll have put back on those 5 lbs. you worked so hard to get off. The remedy? Well, there’s always a hospital cafeteria, and you can also bring healthy snacks.