Risk factors of migraine

The exact cause of migraines is not known but certain factors make you more prone or at risk of experiencing migraines.

Here are some risk factors of migraine.

Family history of migraines: People with a family history of migraine are at higher risk of migraine headaches. For example, if one or both of your parents suffered from migraines, you may also experience migraine.

Age: Migraine starts most commonly in younger adults (younger than 40). In more than 50% of the people with migraine, it starts before they are 20 and it is most common in people between 30 and 39 years of age.

Sex: Women are more likely to experience migraine as compared to men (three times more likely). But headaches are more common in boys as compared to girls during childhood, but by puberty, more girls are affected by headache.

Hormonal changes: Changes that occur just before the onset of menstruation, during pregnancy, menopause, with the use of oral contraceptive pills and hormonal replacement therapy make women at higher risk of migraines. Many women with migraines may note that the headaches begin just before or shortly after the onset of menstruation. Migraine may worsen during the first trimester of a pregnancy, but many women note improvement during the later stages of pregnancy.

Medical conditions associated with migraine

People with migraine have or have a history of depression, stroke, epilepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety or even high blood pressure. These conditions do not essentially increase the risk for migraine, but certainly are associated with it.

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