Channel 7 News interviewed The Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic ™ on a study they conducted to assess if your local suburb is responsible for your migraines.
Whether it may be your noisy neighbourhood with barking dogs, loud music from buildings or events in your suburb, or even loud traffic noise in your local area, could your suburb in particular exacerbate your headaches and migraines?
This segment discussed whether there are certain suburbs with higher incidences of headache and migraine sufferers, and if so, the possible reasons as to why certain suburbs may have a higher prevalence of headache and migraineurs.
The Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic commissioned a survey consisting of 3000 participants. It is important to note the study revealed that all suburbs scattered throughout Brisbane had very similar incidences of headache and migraine sufferers.
Results found there were certain regions in Brisbane with a slightly higher recording of headache and migraineurs. A larger study would be beneficial to statistically confirm whether the below regions do in fact have higher recordings of sufferers.
Here are the top regions based on this study:
1. The south side of Brisbane around the Sunnybank region had slightly higher numbers than all other suburbs around Brisbane. Results showed sufferers living around the Sunnybank region, mostly reported of food related triggers such as MSG, to trigger their headaches and migraines. Interestingly, Sunnybank is a suburb renowned in Brisbane with the most amount of Chinese restaurants than any other suburb. Could this be a possible explanation as to why there are slightly more migraineurs from this area in Brisbane?
2. The second area encompassed a large region from the southwest to northwest corridor of Brisbane from Springfield Lakes, up towards Forest Lakes, Inala, Moorooka and further north towards Enoggera. Results showed those living in this area and the surrounding suburbs had recorded of ‘sudden weather changes and storms’ to be a significant trigger for their migraines. Interestingly these suburbs tend to have more rapid and sudden weather changes, with greater numbers of hail storm reported in that area. Sudden whether changes is also known to be a migraine trigger. Could this be why sufferers in these areas had higher incidences of sudden weather changes to be their trigger for their headache and migraine attacks?
3. A third area that had similar results to Sunnybank was the suburb around Hamilton and Ascot. Results showed those living in this area reported to have higher recordings of ‘stress’ to be their migraine trigger. Interestingly these suburbs have residents with a higher socio-economic background, who recorded of having highly stressful jobs due to their high rankings at work. Another common trigger for migraine attacks is stress. Could high paying jobs, and a high position job be triggering their migraines in this suburb?
A study with a larger sample size would be recommended to statistically indicate whether the above recordings are accurate. It is also important to note that the Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic™ does have a second practice in the nearby suburb of Sunnybank, which may potentially influence the results in having higher recordings of migraine sufferers near that area.
Nevertheless here are the top Migraine Triggers. Are any of these your headache and migraine trigger?
• MSG
• Chocolate
• Cheese
• Wine
• Hot & humid weather
• Sudden weather changes
• Stormy weather
• Exercise
• Menstrual Cycle
• Allergies
• Bright lights
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Dehydration
• Poor sleep pattern
