What Causes Migraine?

The short answer, we really don’t know!

The exact cause of migraine is unknown, despite it being one of the oldest neurological conditions described in history, from as far as ancient Egyptians that described medical procedures to cure headaches.

Migraine headaches are thought to be the result of abnormal brain activity temporarily affecting nerve signals and interactions with the trigeminal nerve that is a major pain pathway, neurotransmitters such as Serotonin and blood vessels dilation in the brain.

Other neurotransmitters play a role in the pain of migraine, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which are the target neurotransmitters that are for new medications used to treat and prevent migraine headaches.

While we don’t know the exact cause of migraine, it is possible that there is a genetic link to why some people have migraine headaches while others don’t, it also might explain why people have different triggers that start a migraine or make it worse.

Another factor might be environmental, that is changes in your environment that affect how your body processes these changes, for example, changes in barometric pressure or extreme temperature changes… etc

While the short answer is no, we don’t know what causes a migraine, you remain the expert on what triggers an attack, what makes it better, what makes it worse. The best way to keep track of this is by keeping a migraine diary, the single most effective way for you to understand your migraine better and communicate your condition effectively with your healthcare provider.