WHO IS LIKELY TO GET MIGRANE?

Migraine can strike anyone, male and female, at any age, although it is unusual for an older person to have their first attack after the age of 50. Cases have been noted as young as 3 years of age, and as old as 78 years of age.

In women, a strong hereditary tendency and a definitive connection between the menstrual cycle, the contraceptive pill and the incidence of migraine has been established.

Stress, Worry, tension and anxiety in personal and business life bring on migraine in many cases, although the relaxation syndrome of weekends and days off work adversely affect others.

WHAT PROVOKES OR AGGRAVATES AN ATTACK?

The most likely triggers which can cause an attack can be classified into five general categories:

• Physical (fatigue/over – exertion/relaxation).
• Psychological (depression/worry/shock/anxiety).
• Diet (consumption of alcohol/various types of food and drink, e.g chocolates)
• Medical (contraceptives/blood pressure/menstruation).
• Other factors (loud noises/glaring lights/TV/strong smells).

These factors cover such a wide field, that you can say that almost anything out of the ordinary might affect the patient. It is therefore important and very useful that sufferers keep a day to day record of such trigger factors to determine which affects them adversely.