Common Migraine Myths, Explained by Neuroscience
- SOOTHIE HOODIE
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Migraines are surrounded by myths that do more than confuse—they delay care, fuel guilt, and make people feel like they’re failing their own bodies.
The truth is far more compassionate (and empowering):
Many things we’ve been taught to fear as “triggers” are often early symptoms of the migraine process itself.
When we misinterpret those signals, we waste energy chasing the wrong causes instead of responding to what our nervous system actually needs.
Let’s take a closer look at the most persistent migraine myths—and the science that finally sets us free.
Myth #1: Light Sensitivity Is Always a Migraine Trigger
The deeper truth:👉 Light sensitivity is often a symptom, not the cause.
For many people, light sensitivity appears during the prodrome phase—the early stage of a migraine that can begin hours or even days before head pain.
As migraine-related pathways activate, the brain becomes hypersensitive. Suddenly:
Bright or fluorescent lights feel unbearable
Glare or contrast feels “too sharp”
You instinctively squint, feel irritable, or seek darkness
This doesn’t mean light caused the migraine. More often, your brain was already shifting into migraine mode—and light sensitivity was an early warning sign.
Why this matters: If you believe light triggered the attack, you may spend energy trying to control every lighting condition—creating stress without real protection.
Recognizing light sensitivity as a signal allows you to respond early with rest, treatment, and nervous system calming instead.
Myth #2: Chocolate Is a Guaranteed Migraine Trigger
The deeper truth:👉 Chocolate cravings are frequently part of the migraine prodrome.
Many people notice strong chocolate cravings before an attack—and understandably blame the chocolate when pain follows. But research and clinical experience suggest the craving itself may be driven by dopamine and serotonin shifts as the migraine process begins.
In other words:🧠 The migraine may cause the chocolate craving—not the other way around.
That doesn’t mean food never matters—but food triggers are highly individual:
A food that “triggers” one attack may not trigger the next
The same food may bother one person and help another
Even caffeine—often demonized—can sometimes help early, while frequent use may worsen migraine frequency
A better approach: Instead of eliminating long lists of foods, track patterns, including:
Sleep quality
Stress levels
Hormonal changes
Timing and frequency of attacks
Patterns tell the story—not single ingredients.
Myth #3: You Should “Ride It Out” to Avoid Medication Overuse
The deeper truth:👉 Untreated pain can actually train the brain to produce pain more easily.
This process—called central sensitization—occurs when repeated or prolonged migraine pain makes the nervous system increasingly reactive. Over time, the brain becomes more efficient at generating pain signals.
While medication overuse headache is real, under-treating migraines can also backfire by:
Increasing attack intensity
Prolonging recovery
Raising the risk of future attacks
The key is balance, not avoidance.Working with a healthcare provider to use acute treatments appropriately—alongside preventive strategies—is far safer than enduring unnecessary pain.
Myth #4: If You Don’t Treat a Migraine Immediately, It’s Too Late
The deeper truth:👉 Early treatment helps—but relief is still possible later.
Many treatments work best early, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options once pain escalates. Some approaches may even work better later, especially when nausea or GI symptoms interfere with oral medications.
Options may include:
Nasal sprays
Injectable medications
Neuromodulation devices
Non-oral anti-nausea treatments
Migraine care is not all-or-nothing. Adapting strategies to different stages of an attack is part of effective management.
Myth #5: You Need Aura to Have Migraine
The deeper truth:👉 Most people with migraine never experience aura.
Only about 25–30% of migraine sufferers have aura symptoms like visual disturbances or tingling. Migraine without aura is not only real—it’s more common.
Additionally:
Not everyone experiences every migraine stage
Prodrome symptoms vary widely
One person’s migraine can look completely different from another’s
If your symptoms don’t match someone else’s, that does not make them less real—or less deserving of care.
Myth #6: Migraine Is a Mental Health Disorder
The deeper truth:👉 Migraine is a neurological disease, not a psychological one.
Research shows migraine involves:
Activation of the trigeminovascular system
Sensitization of pain-processing pathways
Elevated CGRP (calcitonin gene–related peptide), a key molecule in migraine pain
Anxiety and depression are more common in people with migraine—but they are comorbid conditions, not the cause.
That said, stress management, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy can still help—not because migraine is “in your head,” but because the nervous system and emotional health are deeply interconnected.
Myth #7: Vomiting Will Stop a Migraine
The deeper truth:👉 Vomiting does not end a migraine—and forcing it can cause harm.
Some people feel temporary relief after vomiting, likely due to shifts in nervous system activity. But intentionally inducing vomiting:
Does not stop the migraine process
Can damage the throat, teeth, and digestive system
If nausea is a major symptom for you, non-oral treatments and antiemetics can provide safer, more effective relief.
The Bigger Picture: Why These Myths Persist
Migraine myths endure because:
Early symptoms are mistaken for triggers
Migraine varies dramatically from person to person
People are encouraged to “push through” pain
Migraine remains widely misunderstood and stigmatized
Education changes that.
When you understand migraine as a dynamic neurological process, you gain permission to:
Stop blaming yourself
Stop chasing imaginary triggers
Start responding to early signals with compassion and care
A Gentle Reminder 💙
Help exists. New treatments exist. Support exists.
Whether your migraines are occasional or frequent, mild or disabling—you deserve validation, evidence-based care, and relief. Use education to empower yourself, and partner with a healthcare professional to build a plan that truly works for you.
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