Headache Education > Migraine Headaches > Causes

Causes

The causes of headaches, particularly migraines, are not well understood. It was once believed that enlarged arteries, called vasodilatation, caused the head pain associated with a migraine headache. The throbbing nature typical of migraine headaches was thought to be the pulse of the heart. Doctors now believe that a process called neurogenic inflammation may be responsible. Certain cells in the brain called mast cells release substances that trigger pain and cause blood vessels to vasodilate, triggering an inflammatory reaction. The nerves become more sensitive to otherwise innocuous stimuli, causing every pulse of the artery to fire, giving the pain the throbbing quality that is so characteristic of the migraine headache.

Migraine Triggers

There are a variety of headache triggers that can exacerbate migraine headaches. iHeadache allows you to track possible headache triggers. Some of the most common headache triggers include: