When we speak of migraine, we speak of a brain disease. Migraine is known as a physical illness, which regularly leads to major attacks of headache. The headache which is experienced in the case of a migraine attack, is usually located at one side and is experienced to be pounding. Next to headache, a migraine attack also triggers other symptoms. Nausea and dizziness are common symptoms of this.

What can trigger migraine?

There are different risk factors and causes to a migraine attack. Even the most unthinkable activities can lead to migraine. For example, a migraine attack often occurs after sports. Migraine is combined with a sensitive blood circulation. During sports, a lot is required from the body, which can temporarily cause an imbalance in the blood circulation. Because someone with migraine is very sensitive to these fluctuations, chances are that, if you practice sports intensively, you can experience a migraine afterward.

Except for sports, there also are some food elements which can be triggering. For example, bananas, tomatoes, and chocolate can trigger a migraine attack.

One of the most important causes of a migraine attack, however, is stress. Stress can namely make it so that your muscles tense up and your blood circulation is disrupted. The smallest disruption can already cause a migraine attack in someone with migraine. Stress can thus have a large influence on the experience of a migraine attack.

How long does a migraine attack last?

If you do not take medication, a migraine attack tends to last between 4 and 72 hours. Both the frequency and the duration of the migraine attack can be reduced by taking medication or by following another type of treatment. According to medical diagnosis we cannot consider something to be a migraine if the migraine attack lasts shorter than 4 hours.

Is migraine a physical illness?

Migraine is indeed a physical illness. A migraine attack is caused by a physical disruption, with a migraine attack as a consequence. However, it should be noted that there are several psychological causes which are known. For example, it can be so that a migraine attack is triggered by stress.

It can also be so that migraine causes psychological problems. If you suffer from migraine, you know that a migraine attack can majorly disrupt your daily life. Staying up late is often not possible. You often have to cancel on your friends because you suddenly had a migraine attack. After a while, you no longer even bother making plans, because chances are that you will have to cancel again anyway. Sports are also often difficult for someone with migraine, so that is something you also prefer to avoid. This way, you miss out on the happiness hormones which can be secreted when you participate in sports.

Non of the previous of course seems like it would make you happy. That is why heavy migraine can lead to feelings of anxiety as well as to depression.

Would you like to test the impact of migraine?

Would you like to know if migraine has an influence on your psychological wellbeing? Then take the free migraine test here!