Migraine Hack: Unconventional Treatments and Insights from a Neuroscientist

Strategic Insights -

Research suggests that people reach for 'junk food' when they have a migraine could actually work, thanks to the caffeine in items like Coca-Cola acting as a vasoconstrictor, narrowing blood vessels and counteracting the dilation that occurs during a migraine. Meanwhile, sugar and salt in these foods may help restore balance to blood sugar and electrolytes, both of which can be disrupted during a migraine attack. A neuroscientist at Durham University argues that there's a window in which to stop the episode in its tracks, and many people who suffer from migraines already self-medicate by doing just that.

Key Takeaways:

  • The caffeine in Coca-Cola acts as a vasoconstrictor, narrowing blood vessels and counteracting the dilation that occurs during a migraine.
  • Sugar and salt in foods like Coca-Cola and fries may help restore balance to blood sugar and electrolytes, both of which can be disrupted during a migraine attack.
  • Migraines can be triggered by a variety of factors, including hormones, stress, hunger, certain foods, changes in the weather, and visual overstimulation.
  • Professor Amanda Ellison at Durham University explains that a migraine is a full-body experience with four distinct stages: prodrome, aura, pain, and postdrome.
  • The prodrome stage can begin hours or even days before the headache, and during this phase, people may crave certain things, such as yawning, seeking out hugs and affection, or reaching for certain foods like chocolate or Coca-Cola and fries.
  • Chocolate may actually help raise serotonin levels, which can be a factor in migraine onset, and a craving for chocolate may be a brain's way of correcting a chemical imbalance.
  • The aura phase involves visual disturbances, such as flashing lights, or odd sensations, like pins and needles, and 80% of migraine sufferers never experience this phase.
  • The pain phase begins when earlier blood vessel constriction gives way to a rebound dilation, which activates pain receptors and causes the familiar, throbbing pain of migraine.
  • The postdrome phase, also known as the migraine hangover, follows the worst of the head pain and can bring symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, dehydration, body aches, and mental fog.
  • Recognising the early signs of a migraine and responding in ways that support the brain's neurobiology can make a huge difference in preventing and treating migraines.
  • Small interventions, such as recognising a craving for chocolate as a biological warning sign, sipping iced water, or getting a hug, have roots in brain science and reflect the body's efforts to protect itself.

Statistics:

  • 80% of migraine sufferers never experience the aura phase.
  • 80% of migraine attacks are followed by the postdrome phase.
  • Migraines can be triggered by a variety of factors, including hormones, stress, hunger, certain foods, changes in the weather, and visual overstimulation.
  • A blocked vessel can lead to ischemic stroke, while a ruptured vessel causes hemorrhagic stroke.

Sources:

  • Amanda Ellison, Professor of Neuroscience at Durham University.
  • The Conversation.