If you are like more than 29.5 million Americans who experience migraines each year, you would probably jump at the chance to eliminate or dramatically reduce their occurrence.

Migraine headaches are a chronic, often hereditary, problem, affecting three times more women than men. They produce severe, pulsing pain, often on one side of the head, along with other symptoms like nausea or vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound and last anywhere from four hours to three days. The pain tends to get worse with physical activity. Some people also experience auras, such as flashes of light or blind spots in their vision, before a migraine attack

But learning what triggers your migraines can help your doctor create a personalized treatment plan to rid you of the pain. Before your next appointment, start a headache diary to record when your headaches start, how long they last and what might have triggered them. Also, keep track of your symptoms and the effectiveness of any remedies you used. This information can help your doctor determine the best course of treatment.

There are certain foods which are thought to trigger some people’s migraine attacks. Keeping a diary will help you identify if one is the culprit behind your headaches:

• Caffeine: Excessive consumption or withdrawal can cause headaches when the caffeine level abruptly drops.

• Aged cheese: Tyramine is a substance formed by the breakdown of protein as food ages. Cheeses such as blue, brie, cheddar, feta, mozzarella, muenster, parmesan and swiss are high in tyramine and may be more prone to trigger a migraine. Red wine is also high in tyramine

• Food additives: Preservatives, nitrates and nitrites found in foods such as bacon, hot dogs and soy sauce may dilate blood vessels, causing a headache. Cold cut meats are a double whammy – high in tyramine and nitrates.

Once you’ve tracked your migraines for about a month, make an appointment with your Florida Hospital physician to discuss your treatment options. Don’t have a primary physician yet? Call the Florida Hospital Friends and Family Hotline at (407) 303-1700.