Stress can trigger serial migraines

Chennai: What started as one episode of headache every month for housewife Geetha, it became a daily affair over a period of time and only when she visited a neurologist did she come to know that the trigger was only stress.

By the time she approached a neurologist, she had popped dozens of painkillers and done various tests to find out the cause of chronic headache. “Stress plays an important role in migraine.

When episodes become chronic migraine then it’s very difficult to treat. If people already suffer from migraine, then stress can aggravate it,” explains neurologist Dr Sathish Kumar of Fortis Malar hospital. Stress combined with other trigger factors like anxiety, skipped meals and lack of sleep can make things worse.

Neurologists say they are seeing more young adults with complaints of tension headaches as the stress can get too much for them. “We think only office-goers are prone to stress, but it can affect anyone. Everyone suffers from stress but each one reacts to it differently. If one’s response to stress is very poor then it leads to various issues,” says general physician Dr Baraneedharan.  

External factors like heat exposure, dust and food habits can be controlled but internal factors like hormonal issues, stress, tension and anxiety should be dealt with carefully, say neurologists. A tension headache is the most common type of headache. “Stress boosts cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Cortisol opposes the action of insulin, thereby increasing insulin resistance,” said Dr. Baraneedharan.

“We suggest painkillers but it become ineffective over a period of time and we advice lifestyle modification such as proper diet, exercise and yoga,” say doctors.