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Altitude & Migraines

High altitude will trigger a migraine in some people who suffer them. Knowing this ahead of time and discussing it with your doctor can help you manage and prevent attacks.

  1. Migraines

    • Migraine symptoms include an aura; a throbbing headache; light, sound and odor sensitivity; and nausea.

    Aura

    • A migraine aura is defined as tunnel vision, flashing lights and/or zigzag lines in your field of vision, and less commonly, speech difficulties. The aura arrives before the onset of a migraine and lasts an average of 30 minutes.

    Migraineurs

    • A study conducted by the World Health Organization estimated that 303 million people world wide suffer from migraines. Identifying triggers like altitude help migraineurs--people who have a tendency for migraines--reduce the number of attacks they suffer.

    Triggers

    • According to Healthline, high altitudes can be a trigger for a migraine headache. The drop in barometric pressure when traveling to high altitudes causes blood vessels on the surface of the brain to expand or contract, which will trigger a migraine in some people. Other triggers include hormonal changes, sleep pattern changes, food and stress.

    Tips

    • Talk to your doctor about an impending trip to high altitudes. Medications such as Imitrex, if taken at the first signs of the migraine, will greatly reduce the migraine symptoms.

    Research

    • For years it was thought that migraines were cause solely by blood vessel restrictions in the brain. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) now reports that new investigation reveals they may be caused by abnormalities in genes that control activities in the brain as well.

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