Trigger factors associated with migraine: Recognition and prevalence in the North Indian populace of Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Migraine is a multifactorial neurological condition that can be triggered by number of extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as stress, menstruation, fasting, sleep disturbances, alternate light and shade, bright lights and pollution. The aim of the present study is to recognise and to evaluate the prevalence of several risk factors that trigger migraine in the population of Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 252 study subjects (102 migraine patients and 150 healthy controls) were enrolled for this investigation. After critical perusal of literature, a detailed health questionnaire covering socio-demographic and clinical parameters was designed for the study. The results so obtained revealed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly higher in migraineurs than controls (p=0.004). The incidence of migraine was more in females (82%) than males (18%). Noise (93%), stress (88%), physical exhaustion (80%), sedentary lifestyle (79%), travelling (77%), sleep disturbances (76%), change of weather (69%), fasting (63%), odours (60%) and pollution (53%) were found to be the leading migraine triggers in the present investigation. Trigger (pain provoking) factors are common in patients of migraine, and its avoidance may decrease headache frequency and also improve a patient’s quality of life.