Ten Surprising Headache Triggers

Medical science does not yet know precisely what causes headaches. Sometimes a headache is triggered by changes in the blood vessels that bring oxygen to the brain or in the muscles supporting the head, and sometimes, as is the case with migraine, a headache is caused by changes in the brain itself. 

No matter what triggers a headache, it is always better to stop headache pain before it starts. Here is a closer look at 10 surprising headache triggers and how to avoid them, beginning with common triggers for migraine headaches.

1. Temperature changes.

The arrival of a sudden cold front or an unexpected spell of heat, or sometimes just walking outside a heated room into the cold or moving from an air conditioned room into the heat, can trigger a migraine headache. You obviously can't change the weather, but you can make weather changes less of a trigger for migraines.

How? The surprising way to deal with temperature changes for your brain is to avoid temperature changes on your skin. Putting on a pair gloves, a scarf, and head covering may help to prevent migraines in the winter. Avoiding direct exposure of your skin to bright, burning sunlight in summer may also prevent migraine pain. Who would have thought? Following the kinds of tips your grandmother probably offered you can indeed save you some headaches, quite literally!

2. Strong scents.

Any kind of strong odor, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, has been found to have the potential to set off migraine pain in about 45 percent of people who suffer from regular migraine headaches and about 15 percent of people who have tension headaches. People who do not sense an aura or prodrome of non-painful symptoms before migraine pain sets in tend to be more sensitive to scents. Paint, paint thinner, perfumes, food, and flowers are all common culprits.

The best way to minimize the effects of strong scents on migraine pain is, of course, to avoid exposure, but you might be surprised to learn that imagining a different scent when migraine pain is beginning to come on can also be very helpful. Imagining a scent "distracts" the brain from the offending scent, sometimes long enough to reduce or eliminate migraine pain.

3. Cheese.

Cheese, especially aged Swiss, Parmesan, cheddar, and blue cheese, is a common trigger for migraine. The offending substance in cheese is a chemical called tyramine, which is produced from the amino acid tyrosine during the fermentation process. Any kind of spoiled protein food, especially spoiled beef or pork, also can can trigger a migraine attack. It also helps to avoid sour cream, yogurt, fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp paste, fermented soybean products (such as teriyaki sauce, tempeh, and miso), sauerkraut, and pickles

Some cheeses are relatively low in tyramine. These include ricotta, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and Neufchâtel, which usually are not problematic if eaten in moderation.

4. Cold cuts.

Cold cuts and luncheon meats also contain tyramine, but they are even more problematic for migraine sufferers because they are cured with nitrates. Salami, pastrami, bologna, prosciutto, and bacon can all trigger migraine attacks. Cured ham, however, is sufficiently low in tyramine that in small amounts it may not be a problem.

5. Sunlight, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

Pulling an all-nighter is a sure way to trigger a migraine the next morning. Far more than tension and cluster headache sufferers, migraine sufferers are sensitive to sunlight, not getting enough sleep, and not getting enough rest. Making sure to schedule time for sleep, especially on heavy exercise days, will reduce the risk of migraines.

Five Common Triggers Of Tension And Cluster Headaches

Not everyone who suffers from headaches on a regular basis is at risk for migraine. Tension and cluster headaches have their own special triggers. Here, too, you have access to some strategies to avoid them.

6. Hormonal changes.

Changes in estrogen levels are among the most common triggers for cluster and tension headaches in women. Typically, women have more headaches when their estrogen levels are at their lowest point; right before menstruation, for example, and have fewer headaches when their estrogen levels are highest, as during pregnancy.

Women who use oral contraceptives may reduce the frequency of their headaches by asking their doctors for brands that contain more progesterone — so headache sufferers who aren't planning on getting pregnant could benefit from birth control pills for this reason.

In men, the problem hormone for headache sufferers is more likely to be insulin. Male type 2 diabetics make unusually large amounts of insulin to compensate for insulin resistance. Insulin dilates arteries that take oxygen to the head, causing greater susceptibility to tension and cluster headaches, but not migraine. In fact, some men with long-term histories of migraine stop having headaches when they become diabetic. Diabetic men who have tension and cluster headaches get relief by lowering insulin levels, which always requires eating less.

7. Post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

PTSD is also a known trigger for cluster and tension headaches (although it is not a significant independent trigger for migraine). The effects PTSD on migraine are greater for male migraine sufferers than for women. Successful treatment of PTSD also reduces the frequency of headaches, so getting started with therapy may offer you physical as well as mental relief.

8. Alcoholic beverages.

Drinking alcohol can trigger headaches (and hangover). Drinking black coffee or other beverages rich in caffeine actually makes the problem worse. The "hair of the dog that bit you," another alcoholic beverage, simply delays the inevitable. 

The natural remedy that prevents hangover headaches is poorly publicized. It is borage seed oil. The omega-3 essential fatty acids in borage seed oil may help protect the brain from changes induced by alcohol. Other sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids such as fish oil may be helpful, but have not been clinically tested.

9. Sexual intercourse.

Post-coital headache, or headache after sex, is a relatively common problem, although people who do not have headaches at other times typically do not come down with post-coital headaches. In some men, the problem is made worse by taking medication for erectile dysfunction such as Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, or yohimbine. It may help to keep the bedroom warm, and to avoid temperature changes, such as moving from a cold room to a hot tub. Remember, headaches caused by sexual intercourse happen after sexual intercourse, not before.

10. Sleep apnea.

Chronic headache is a common symptom of sleep apnea, a condition causing periodic cessation of breathing during sleep. Simply treating snoring is not enough. Treating apnea, ensuring the brain gets enough oxygen during sleep, requires a doctor's supervision.

This list of headache triggers is not comprehensive, and putting an end to chronic headaches may require a little detective work. Keep a diary (a sheet of paper kept in a convenient place is probably adequate) of how you feel when you have headaches, and avoid the situations that cause recurrent headache pain.