Is Stress a Migraine Trigger?

I know alot of times I will notice that my husband may be rubbing his forhead or eyes. I will ask is your head bothering you when I see him taking Tylenol. Many times he just says he has had a long day at work or something pertaining to work which sometimes  gives him headaches.   So, I think it is great that he can take Tylenol, as what he says he knows what works for him.

 

But, like the explanation that was given it can be confussing.

 

Thanks Teri!

 

Marlene  

Unfortunately some doctors feel that migraines are purely due to "stress" and then are unwilling to treat them meaning that patients miss out. However as Terri says there are many reasons for migraine and stress management is only one thing out of many that can be done to reduce them.

 

I must say my argument against the "we won't treat because they are stress related attitude so you need to make lifestyle changes" of some doctors is "perhaps if you do treat them so the person isn't spending 3 days out of 7 sick then having the stress of playing catch up the other 4 days including missed work then the person would have time to make lifestyle changes and manage their stress"

 

In a nutshell get the migraines under control with prophylatics then discuss with the person about identifying triggers and dietary and lifestyle changes and as they kick in in some cases the person can reduce or go off prophylatics.

My answer is yes. That yes come's from year's of taking care of my wife. Some of the worst experiance's have come with time's of extra stress. For example. We recently seriously thought about moving to Nebraska, From our home of 25 year's here in Missouri. Several detail's came up. The exspence, Having to leave her dog's. That was the big one leaving her dog's. That started A very fast downward spiral. Constant right side migrain's. I stopped the decision. We will stay here. She started getting better. Just one example. There are more though. Point being, I've seen it too many time's. Stress is A trigger as are other thing's

I know this is an old post, but I do feel strongly about this one.

 

The problem with treating stress as a trigger is that it easily becomes a form of "blame the victim."  Several years ago I had GI symptoms and chest pain that many people were telling me were due to stress.  While I would never have denied that it was a stressful time in my life, the implication was that I couldn't "handle" it and so was taking it out on my body.

 

Fortunately, my doctor told me we were NOT going to blame my symptoms on stress, and I had a series of tests until we arrived at a diagnosis.  Had my doctor agreed with stress as the cause, we would never have identified the actual cause of my problems, and I might have been going through an ineffective course of treatment.

 

Of course, stress affects our bodies in many ways.  It can exacerbate nearly everything.  But there is frequently a root cause other than stress, and it is important to find the root cause rather than taking the easy way out by blaming stress.

I was diagnosed with migraines in 1996.  I had been suffering from 2-4 headaches a week since 1984.  This was a stressful time for me.  I divorced and became a single mother of 2 small daughters.  There was no luxury of taking a day off because of a headache, because I had all these responsibilities.  So from 1984 to 1996 I was treated for tension headaches, stress headaches, both with more medicines than I could ever remember now.  One doctor told me, "So you have a headache, what do you expect me to do for you?"  I walked out of the exam room, got in my car and cried all the way home.  Every doctor I spoke with I got pretty much the same response, but in much kinder terms.  In 1996 I found a very compassionate doctor.  His daughter also suffered from headaches, that were found to be migraines.  This doctor was like a gift from heaven.  We again tried different medicines, but this time the medication was for migraines.  He had me keep a journal and it was so helpful in finding triggers for me, unfortunately there came a time when he told me he thought I needed to seek other doctors, who specialize in pain.  The first doctor overdosed me on methadone, after 1 visit.  I was never quite sure why he put me on methadone to begin with.  If my dauther hadn't checked on me that day, the ER told her I would have died.  So once again back in search for another doctor.  Over the years I have been to migraine specialists in different states and I have been treated by some of the best hospitals.  Through the years I lost 4 different jobs, even more stress.  I was always fatigued, unable to sleep, and I ached in places that seemed so strange to me.  This went on for 4 years and then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  I have a very good doctor now and have also discovered that I have a ruptured disk at C3 and a herniated disk at C6.  I had a spinal cord stimulator put in my back and it helps with the neck pain, but the headaches are still there.  It seems like a vicious circle.  I don't feel I am a part of the living world, I feel I'm just here and life is passing me by.  I don't work at all now, and have been trying to get disability for the last 4 years.  The phrase in your article I read, "But you look so good", was actually said to me by a judge who then turned me down yet again.  I feel like I will need to be taking my last breathe to get a judgement in my favor.  I very rarely go anywhere, and although I have family who call me and check on me, I have never felt so alone in my life.  There are days that the anxiety is so bad, I feel like my insides have something crawling around in them.  I have grandchildren and want so desperately to do things with them, but most of the time I just can't find the energy to do anything.  I know there are people much worse off medically than I am, and I pray for these people, and at least they doctors can see what's going on with them.  I've recently started having seizures, due to a head injury in a car accident in 1999.  I have temporal lobe damage and irratic brain waves.  I had to have three EKG's before something showed up.  There is a song with a line in it that says,"I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking, maybe six feet isn't to far".  That's how I feel on a lot of days.  I'm sorry this has been such a long comment, but I would appreciate any sources you send my way by e-mail that would help.