Trigger
There's still a lot left to be learned about migraine headaches, so a great many of the reasons given why someone experiences this painful condition are simply conjecture. One theory (according to the Mayo Clinic) is that this salt could simply a trigger for the migraine headache. This means some peoples' bodies will basically react to salt by creating a change in the blood vessels of the brain. When someone has too much salt, these blood vessels will go through a process of dilation and inflammation, prompting a migraine headache.
Dehydration
Another theory behind salt causing a migraine headache involves a certain amount of dehydration. While salt is an important part of a person's diet, too much of it can cause the cells of the body to dehydrate, or experience a loss in fluids. When the salt level in a person's blood increases, it can actually begin to rob the cells of their fluid, essentially causing them to go through a process of dehydration. The cells of the brain are not immune to this, and when this dehydration takes place, they can dilate and cause a migraine headache.
Prevention
It should go without saying that the best way to prevent migraine headaches prompted by salt is to purely lessen the your intake of it. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should avoid those triggers that cause a migraine headache to set in. However, this doesn't simply mean you should stop salting your foods; it also entails becoming a more informed consumer. Before you ever buy something from your grocer, read the label. Each product will have sodium content listed on its packaging. Also talk to you doctor about chronic migraine headaches, as it may not be simply salt that is causing your condition. He will be able to set up the appropriate treatment to better manage the pain and prevent it from happening.
Tags: migraine headache, blood vessels, cause migraine, cause migraine headache, Mayo Clinic, migraine headaches, through process