2023-06-13 15:39:10
If you’ve been to the doctor for migraines, chances are they’ve asked you if anyone in your family has also had migraines. Is it a coincidence or is there a link between genes and migraines?
What is Migraines?
Back to the beginning. What exactly is migraine? It is a intense headache deep in your head. The pain can last for days, often limiting you in your daily life. Many people can only lie in bed in a dark bedroom. The pain is characterized by a throbbing pain. Sometimes people even feel nauseous and vomit.
Migraine is not ‘just’ a headache, it is much more than that.
Migraine risk factors
Research shows that our genes can indeed have some influence on whether or not we experience this condition. However, having a migraine has to do with various factors. The pain is generally caused by a combination of environmental, medical, and genetic factors. Women also suffer from migraines more often than men.
Gene issue
That doesn’t change the fact that migraine often runs in families. So if at least one of your biological parents has (had) migraines, there is a 50% to 75% chance that you will also suffer from this. But… there is not one gene that determines whether someone gets migraines. However, there are genes that promote the onset of migraine. These specific genes therefore increase the chance of a change in brain activity, which can manifest itself in various neurological disorders, such as migraine.
Is migraine hereditary or not?
So yes, migraines can be hereditary. But it’s a bit more complicated than you think. For example, it takes more than one mutated gene to actually be more susceptible to migraine. Here’s how: a gene stores information from your DNA. When such a gene changes or becomes mutated, a kind of ‘miscommunication’ takes place and you can become more susceptible to certain health problems. But this is especially if multiple miscommunications take place in your genes, which reinforce each other. Do you still get it?
Stress
Either way, it’s important to know that our genetics are only one factor in the development of migraines. Other factors such as environmental triggers and lifestyle factors also play a role. For example, stress appears to be a huge trigger, just like too much or too little sleep, light, hormones, caffeine and alcohol, dehydration.
Do you look pale lately, do you regularly have extreme headaches or heart palpitations? This could indicate an iron deficiency. Doctor Rutger tells more about it:
Bron: Cleveland Health
#migraine #hereditary #science