Can your genes make you more likely to get migraines?

Migraines are more than just headaches — they are far more intense, inflicting severe pain along with other symptoms like dizziness, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

While it’s unknown why migraines occur, common causes include a shift in hormones, a change in sleep patterns, stress, a reaction to a specific food or drink, or even a change in the weather.

“Migraines typically happen when something external in the person’s environment triggers it,” explained Steven Meyers, MD, a neurologist with Endeavor Health. “We consider a person to have what we call chronic migraine if they experience 15 or more days of headache per month with eight of those headaches meeting criteria for migraine.”

Unfortunately, some people with chronic migraine are more predisposed to get migraines because of their genetics, meaning they inherited the condition through their family. In fact, it’s estimated that up to 60% of the reason that people get migraines is linked to their genes.

People who tend to get migraines —mostly women — have a genetic makeup that makes them more sensitive to things that trigger migraines. Because migraines are a condition brought about by a combination of genes and environmental factors, they are considered by many medical professionals to be a complex genetic disorder.

There are two different ways your genes can influence your tendency to get migraines:

1. Some people might have certain gene variations that make them more likely to get migraines.
2. In other cases, people may have certain gene mutations that actually cause migraines, rather than simply making the person more susceptible to triggers.

Thankfully, this does not necessarily make chronic migraine harder to treat.

“Even if you are genetically predisposed to chronic migraine, we can often successfully treat a patient by identifying what triggers the migraine in that person’s life,” said Dr. Meyers. “Maybe they need help stabilizing their hormones, or maybe they simply need to change their sleep routine.”

If eliminating triggers or making lifestyle changes is not enough, some medications can treat chronic migraine:

• Prescription drugs like Ubrelvy or Nurtec ODT are oral drugs that can be taken if you feel a migraine coming on to make it less severe.
• Prescription nasal sprays like Zolmitriptan or Zavegepant can help treat acute migraine.
• Preventative medications like Ajovy, Qulipta and even Botox injections help to stop migraines before they even begin.

Diagnosing a genetic disorder can also make it easier to treat chronic migraine. If your doctor suspects you may have a gene mutation causing migraines, they may refer you to a neurologist for a blood test.

“We don’t want someone to have to live with chronic migraine,” said Dr. Meyers. “It’s a highly individualized condition, so we work with patients until we figure out the treatment that’s best for them.”