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Comment by kuwze | Hacker News Reader

I don't like folksy remedies but I have anecdotal evidence that headaches/migraines may be caused by a lack of salt. Here is some research to back that idea up[0][1].

[0]: http://sci-hub.tw/10.1111/head.12792 [1]: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2101015-does-eating-mor...

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Salt is one of the bodies most hormonally regulated substances after maybe glucose. The electrolytes Na and Cl are routinely and easily measured on basic blood chemistry panels. My patients with migraines don't have low salt. cant say I'm a migraine researcher or know what causes migraines but this doesn't seem like a reasonable hypothesis.

Hey man I am way out of my depth here, but the study really speaks for itself:

> Our analysis population was 8819 adults in the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with reliable data on diet and headache history.

Compare that to Aimovig:

> The 12-week trial, presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, involved 246 patients suffering four to 14 migraine headaches a month who had tried two to four preventive treatments that either did not work for them or had intolerable side effects. [0]

[0]: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amgen-migraines-aimovig/a...

You're comparing a survey (NHANES), which is a questionnaire completed by volunteers, to an active treatment medical study with a placebo control group. Comparing the N count between these two is essentially apples to oranges.

As to the results of the salt intake survey (Pogoda et al.), it is describing a correlation, not a causation. The actual relationship between salt intake and migraines could also be inverted, or completely independent.

It’s easy enough to rule out. When I have a migraine and haven’t had Gatorade in a while, I’ll guzzle some down (preferably cold enough for a cold headache). It’s definitey not affecting the large majority of my migraines, but I at least know I tried that avenue too.

Sounds like you might be dehydrated, which is definitely a known trigger for severe headaches.

You’re right. I am unfamiliar with the research; shouldn’t have posted that snarky reply.

I don't want to sound like an asshole, but one from the world of chronic headaches, here is what I took away from the doctors in the last five years:

1. the brain is complicated and we don't know much about it 2. anything can trigger migraines 3. sometimes a trigger is not a trigger, but an ailment 4. some things may or may not cure migraines 5. life is full of hardships and hardships are not good for headaches

I have such a wonderful list of diagnosis that if it wouldn't be about the pain, I'd laugh my ass off about it.

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