11 Surprising Migraine Triggers

By | September 1, 2015
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Migraine culprits

by Catherine DiBenedetto

Skull-busting pain, nausea, an acute sensitivity to light—the misery of a migraine can be totally debilitating. What’s worse, it can last for as long as two days. “That no one dies of migraine seems, to someone deep into an attack, an ambiguous blessing,” wrote Joan Didion in an essay titled “In Bed.” But here is a glimmer of hope: “Roughly 76% of people who are predisposed to migraines can identify the triggers that result in an attack,” says Lee Peterlin, DO, a director of research at the Johns Hopkins Headache Center. While stress is the most common culprit, there are a host of other possibilities—from the weather to processed meats. Read on to learn about these unexpected triggers, so you can stay one step ahead of the wretched ache.

Next: Start a headache diary

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