Toward a rational understanding of migraine trigger factors.

The typical migraine patient is exposed to a myriad of migraine triggers on a daily basis. These triggers potentially can act at various sites within the cerebral vasculature and the central nervous system to promote the development of migraine headache. The challenge to the physician is in the identification and avoidance of migraine trigger factors within patients suffering from migraine headache. Only through a rational approach to migraine trigger factors can physicians develop an appropriate treatment strategy for migraine patients.