Acupuncture and yoga postures as well as breathing exercises in meditation may help prevent migraines. Exercise may ease tension and decrease headaches; just make sure that you warm up beforehand!
Drugs like beta blockers (propranolol), calcium channel blockers or antidepressants may help alleviate migraine pain and other symptoms in adults, while oral calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonists like ubrogepant and rimegepant may reduce migraine discomfort in teens and children.
Acupuncture
Migraine sufferers frequently turn to alternative treatments like acupuncture and acupressure as an attempt to manage their migraine symptoms. Acupressure involves massaging or pressing on pressure points throughout the body while acupuncture involves inserting thin needles at various spots on your body to stimulate these points.
Studies demonstrate that acupuncture effectively lowers migraine attacks and frequency. Furthermore, it improves quality of life while being less likely to cause side effects than medications.
Acupuncture may help by stimulating brain metabolites that block pain signals and relieving stress-related headaches. Acupuncture can be performed on either the scalp or neck for maximum effectiveness; alternatively, you could pierce cartilage folds on top of ear cartilage to treat specific acupressure points.
Yoga
Migraine patients who added yoga to their treatment plans reported experiencing fewer headaches and less pain compared to those solely taking medications, as well as improving clinical assessments (frequency/intensity/autonomic function test scores).
Stay away from classes that require intense or painful postures that could increase stress or trigger migraines, and opt instead for gentle classes like Hatha yoga or restorative yoga.
When taking a class, make sure that your instructor knows about your migraines so they can help find less challenging poses or modify exercises as necessary. They may also serve as a good starting point for practicing at home.
Meditation
Meditation is a mind-body treatment method which involves purposely focusing attention on the present moment with curiosity and acceptance, in order to reduce stress-induced migraine attacks and improve overall happiness among chronic pain sufferers.
Recent quantitative studies have demonstrated the efficacy of neurofeedback-assisted mindfulness meditation as a behavioral intervention for migraine, effectively decreasing pain intensity and frequency while improving quality of life and decreasing medication use. These findings were supported by retrospective qualitative data in which participants reported improved disability, decreased anxiety and depression symptoms and an increase in feelings of agency from taking part in such an intervention.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback, a mind-body technique, involves monitoring and voluntary control of physiological processes. Sensors placed on the body display real-time information such as muscle tension or blood flow on a computer screen; patients can be helped to understand what they’re seeing by consulting their therapist – for instance a green line indicates relaxed muscles while blue indicates temperature – until eventually, they learn to self-regulate without external feedback screens.
Preventative treatments for migraines include gepants – oral medicines known as calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonists which include Ubrelvy and Nurtec ODT; however, further research needs to be completed on them and psychological interventions such as cognitive behavior therapy, biofeedback training and relaxation training are also effective strategies.
Nutritional therapy
Nutritional therapy offers an holistic approach to health. Recognizing that every person’s needs vary, nutritional therapy evaluates your diet, lifestyle, and current state of health before creating an individualized food and supplement plan that’s right for you.
Migraine is a chronic headache disorder characterized by intermittent, intense head and face pain accompanied by visual disturbances known as auras, nausea and light and sound sensitivity.
Behavioral and alternative therapies may complement prescription medication to reduce migraine frequency; it’s essential that you discuss these options with your primary care provider prior to making any decisions on them.
Lifestyle changes
Migraine sufferers who take control of their health with an all-inclusive treatment plan typically experience reduced symptoms and attacks, increased energy, and an enhanced quality of life. A personalized approach may include medication optimization strategies, lifestyle advice, support services and alternative therapies such as acupuncture.
Pain-relieving medications can help stop migraine attacks quickly, while preventive ones help decrease future episodes for those who experience frequent headaches. Medicines like Acetaminophen (Tylenol), beta blockers, NSAIDs, calcium channel blockers and antidepressants may prove effective treatments.
Maintaining a headache diary and learning to relax may aid in its prevention. Exercise, regular sleep patterns, avoiding trigger foods and remaining hydrated are essential steps.
