{"id":29225,"date":"2023-01-13T16:05:53","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T21:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/?p=29225"},"modified":"2025-02-04T05:22:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T10:22:09","slug":"food-and-drink-triggers-for-migraine-headaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/food-and-drink-triggers-for-migraine-headaches\/","title":{"rendered":"Food and drink triggers for migraine headaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting a migraine isn\u2019t like getting a regular headache. While throbbing head pain is part of the package, migraines often come with sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and more. If you experience migraines, you know how intense the pain can be, so preventing them from coming on is key.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maple<\/span><\/a>\u2018s a convenient way to get help for your migraines. With Canada\u2019s largest online network of <\/span>doctors and healthcare providers<\/span><\/a>, our <\/span>migraine specialist<\/span><\/a> is available for appointments at a time that works for you, and from the comfort of your home. During your consultation, the doctor will evaluate your symptoms and provide <\/span>strategies for relief<\/span><\/a>, which may include prescription medication to treat your migraines.<\/span><\/p>\n

While <\/span>stress<\/span><\/a> and even the <\/span>weather<\/span><\/a> can be <\/span>migraine triggers<\/span>, what you eat and drink can also cause them.Here are the most common <\/span>migraine triggers<\/span> and food-related triggers of migraines, so you know what\u2019s safe and what to avoid (for most people).<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s a migraine?<\/b><\/h3>\n

A migraine<\/span><\/a>, when mild or moderate, is characterized by a progressing dull pain on one side that intensifies over an hour or so and slowly dissipates by the end of the attack. When symptoms are moderate to severe, the pain can become pulsatile and throbbing in nature, and have accompanying symptoms like headache with light, sound sensitivity, and nausea.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are different types of migraines, but the majority are without aura \u2014 meaning they don\u2019t have a sensitivity disturbance before the onset, like seeing black dots, flashes of lights, wavy lines, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pain from a migraine is usually on one side of the head and can last anywhere from four to 72 hours \u2014 sometimes even longer. Migraines are more likely to affect women, especially those in their 30s and 40s. Migraine pain can be aggravated by physical activity, rapid head movements, straining, or light while doing small daily tasks, Brushing your hair, for example, can become an unbearable task if you have a migraine. Most people with migraines find themselves lying in a dark and quiet room. They can be debilitating and even account for <\/span>seven million missed work days<\/span><\/a> in Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a genetic component to migraines. If you have a close relative who experiences them, there\u2019s a good chance you will too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are migraines serious?<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you don\u2019t get migraines, you may think they\u2019re \u201cjust\u201d headaches. But migraines can range in both severity and frequency, and are often debilitating. While some people who experience migraines report infrequent headaches, others find themselves afflicted much more frequently, with a subset reporting daily migraines. While many migraines might last for a few hours, some remain for days at a time. People who experience migraines often report that they\u2019re unable to work, drive or participate in their usual activities when an attack comes on. In fact, migraines are the <\/span>third leading cause of missed workdays<\/span><\/a> in Canada, coming in after back pain and <\/span>mood disorders<\/span><\/a> \u2014 which they often go hand-in-hand with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are migraines caused by poor diet?<\/b><\/h3>\n

The exact cause of migraines isn\u2019t fully understood and can differ from person to person. Many patients report that certain foods, drinks, or food additives are <\/span>foods that trigger migraines<\/span>. <\/span>More research is needed<\/span><\/a> to confirm just how much diet affects the cause of migraines, but it\u2019s thought that certain ingredients and chemicals in foods are common triggers, like tyramine, sulphites, and nitrites and nitrates.<\/span><\/p>\n

These chemicals can narrow your blood vessels and increase your blood pressure, prompting a migraine. And many patients with migraines have reported eliminating certain foods did help to reduce the frequency of their migraines, so there\u2019s merit to this theory.<\/span><\/p>\n

How common are food-triggered headaches?<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you experience migraines, you\u2019ve likely tried everything to determine the root cause. And it turns out that many people who get migraines are pretty sure that what they eat is where they start. In a study of over 1,000 patients with the International Classification of Headache Disorders, <\/span>26.9%<\/span><\/a> reported that food causes their migraines. With that being said, the most commonly reported reason for migraines was stress (79.7%), hormones in women (65.1%), and skipping meals (57.3%).<\/span><\/p>\n

How long after eating a trigger food do you get a migraine?<\/b><\/h3>\n

You might notice your migraine begins after eating a particular food or drink in as little as a couple of hours or as many as 24 hours. This window of time is vast since food affects everyone\u2019s migraines differently. If this happens consistently with that same type of food, it may be one of your <\/span>migraine triggers<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can certain foods and drinks trigger migraines?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Many foods and drinks are thought to be <\/span>foods that trigger migraines<\/span>, but here are the <\/span>main culprits<\/span><\/a> on the migraine foods-to-avoid list:<\/span><\/p>\n