Migraine is a common kind of headache which might occur along with certain symptoms like vomiting, nausea and even sensitivity to light. Many persons get migraine as a throbbing pain that might be felt on one side of the person's head. Whereas some persons get warning signs about migraines in a form called an aura before it actually begins. Aura is not a single symptom of migraine but a collection of symptoms normally accompanied with disturbances in the vision which serve a warning signal that he is going to experience a bad kind of headache. But there are persons who may not even get warning signals before migraine.

Migraine causes can be wide. Nearly eleven percent of the people get migraines and it tends to be more between the ages ten and forty six. It might also run in their families. Migraines occur very often in women then seen in men. Studies have also revealed the fact that during pregnancy period the migraine attacks are decreased in number in women. Nearly sixty percent of women who had migraines in their history had very few migraines during their last two pregnancy trimesters. Till the year 1980s, many scientists were under the myth that migraines were caused because of the changes happening in the blood vessels inside the brain. But now, it is believed that migraine starts in the brain itself involving different chemicals and nerve pathways in the brain.

Migraine is said to be triggered due to environmental changes, stress and many other factors that the exact details still remain unclear. Some of the reasons by which migraine is triggered are given as follows:

Due to bright lights, particular perfumes or odors, allergic reactions, emotional or physical exhaustion, sleep pattern changes, skipping of meals, alcohol, exposure to smoke or even smoking, birth control pills, fluctuations in the menstrual cycle, headache tension, consuming foods rich in tyramine like aged cheese, red wine, chicken livers, smoked fish, figs and certain varieties of beans and food rich in nitrates and monosodium glutamate like hot dogs, salami and bacon. Other food items like nuts, peanut butter, banana, onions, citrus fruits, avocado, chocolate, pickled or fermented foods and dairy products can also cause migraine in persons consuming them.