Migraine symptoms can be debilitating; fortunately, there are solutions available that may provide relief.
Migraine medicines provide relief during an attack and also decrease their frequency.
Dietary changes (such as eating leafy green vegetables, taking magnesium supplements and forgoing caffeine) are sometimes enough to stop headaches from occurring, though other strategies include acupuncture or massage therapy.
1. Avoiding Triggers
Migraines often have triggers that seem to bring on pain, yet it may be difficult for sufferers to identify and avoid these causes as they vary depending on who’s experiencing them. A woman might notice she gets migraines after missing meals or when experiencing extreme stress; thus keeping a diary with dates when migraine attacks start is vital so that patterns can be observed.
Migraine triggers can range from internal factors, like hormonal shifts or emotional turmoil, to external triggers like weather conditions, flickering lights or certain scents. While it is impossible and unrealistic for most individuals to avoid every possible migraine trigger at once, understanding which ones affect you specifically is crucial if you want to try and reduce future attacks. At Primary Care Walk-In Medical Clinic our medical team can offer invaluable insight in identifying and mitigating triggers.
2. Getting Plenty of Sleep
Chronic migraine sufferers may find sleep issues an especially daunting challenge, leading to chronic pain and stress cycles that cannot be broken by simply making more effort at sleep. But help can be found through effortful efforts.
Research has established the importance of good sleep as an effective solution to treat and prevent migraine. UNC researchers recently conducted an investigation to demonstrate how better sleeping habits may help those suffering from chronic migraine to decrease the number of headache days experienced each month.
Sleep hygiene is key to getting plenty of restful restful rest. That means maintaining a regular schedule, hiding clocks from view, keeping bedrooms cool, and forgoing caffeine before bed.
3. Staying Cool
Preventive measures used against regular migraines may also work against seasonal triggers, including avoiding bright sunlight, altering barometric pressure, dehydratation and eating or drinking substances that could trigger headaches.
Keep a journal of when and how often migraines strike to help identify what may be triggering them. Write down what foods and beverages you consume or take, as well as sleep duration, weather changes, stress levels and any other factors which might contribute to them in order to identify patterns.
Applying a cool pack to the forehead and temples may bring instantaneous relief during a migraine attack, provided it’s wrapped tightly to avoid burning or irritation on sensitive skin. In order to stay hydrated during an attack, choose drinks such as water, unsweetened tea or coffee, or low-fat smoothies instead of high calorie or sugary drinks.
4. Avoiding Caffeine
Migraine triggers vary for every individual; some common ones include lack of sleep, eating certain foods such as aged cheese and chocolate, caffeine and certain medicines; strong smells can also trigger migraines in some individuals.
Many migraine sufferers find that taking supplements such as riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium and coenzyme Q10 as well as herbs like butterbur can help reduce or prevent migraine attacks, while relaxation techniques may be effective at managing their symptoms.
If you can’t give up coffee or other caffeinated drinks altogether, consider switching to decaffeinated varieties like green tea, rooibos tea, or yerba mate as alternatives; or switch to chicory root coffee or turmeric tea for something natural that offers health-enhancing properties. Avoiding caffeine may even reduce migraine triggers while increasing effectiveness of over-the-counter pain medications.
5. Keeping a Journal
As part of preventive treatments like GammaCore non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation, keeping a migraine diary can help both you and your healthcare practitioner identify and understand your individual migraine patterns more clearly – providing important insights into whether medications or other treatments are working well for you.
Keep a food diary to help identify your unique food triggers and identify what foods cause migraines for you personally. Since every food may affect us differently, keeping a food journal may be invaluable in pinpointing exactly which ones cause your migraines.
Effective treatment for chronic migraines can significantly enhance your quality of life. Reducing migraine frequency and intensity can result in improved work performance, social engagement, and sleep quality – as well as long-term health improvements that allow you to live life fully!
