Migraine headaches are caused by abnormal brain activity that involves nerve signals, chemicals, and blood vessels. Their causes vary and can even be genetic.
Your doctor — often a headache specialist called a neurologist — will identify your triggers and create a migraine management plan tailored specifically to you. Maintaining a headache diary may also prove useful; medications such as blood pressure drugs or antidepressants can even help to prevent migraine attacks altogether.
Exercise
Migraines can wreak havoc in your daily life, making it hard to work or take part in social activities. Additionally, migraines can cause nausea and vomiting as well as other unpleasant symptoms. While over-the-counter and prescription medicines are available to manage migraine attacks, some people have also been successful at using preventive treatment to lower attack frequency before it starts.
Cephalalgia’s recent study demonstrated the benefits of regular physical activity such as walking or jogging to effectively lower migraine attacks. High intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves bursts of intense cardio such as running or weight lifting followed by periods of lower intensity walk or rest periods, may also prove effective.
As this form of exercise can elicit migraine attacks in some individuals, it’s essential that people start slowly and increase intensity gradually. Also, before embarking on any new fitness regime it’s a good idea to speak to their physician so they can suggest an effective regimen tailored specifically for you.
Relaxation
Relaxation techniques may provide relief to someone suffering from migraine. Such techniques include deep breathing exercises, meditation and mindfulness – daily practice of these activities may enhance a body’s capacity to manage stress – one of the main triggers for migraine.
People living with migraine often note that their headaches are brought on by increased and decreased levels of stress, making a daily relaxation practice vital.
Migraine is a neurological condition that impacts nerve signals, chemicals and blood vessels in the brain. It often runs in families, suggesting there may be genetic components. While researchers still don’t fully understand what causes migraine, factors like skipping meals and drinking alcohol, hormone changes during menstruation or perimenopause as well as changes to sleep routines or environmental stimulation could all increase migraine risk and trigger attacks.
Preventative and therapeutic measures can make a real difference for those suffering from chronic illness, like chronic fatigue syndrome. Medication such as NSAIDs, triptans and antiemetics may help ease discomfort.
Diet
Diet can have a dramatic impact on migraine headaches. But, its relationship is complex. A food allergy or intolerance could trigger migraine attacks in certain individuals; caffeine and tyramine (found in aged cheese and processed meats) are among the more frequent culprits, while Monosodium glutamate (MSG), another food additive, has also been known to trigger them in some individuals.
Keep a food diary to identify triggers and consult a dietitian about creating an effective migraine-friendly diet plan. Try to stick to regular meal timing and avoid skipping meals as hunger can often trigger migraine attacks. When making significant dietary changes, do so gradually as sudden shifts may trigger headaches. In addition to healthy eating patterns, other lifestyle factors like regular exercise, stress management and sleep strategies can also help decrease frequency and severity of migraine attacks – talk with your physician or headache specialist about which self-care strategies would best work for you!
Sleep
Sleep and avoidance of trigger foods are important components of self-care for migraine sufferers. These strategies may be combined with pharmaceutical treatments like the CGRP monoclonal antibodies erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab and eptinezumab; or used as stand-in preventive treatments alone.
Establishing a regular sleep schedule, forgoing caffeine after lunch and restricting napping are all proven effective techniques for getting quality restful slumber. Some individuals also find laying with either cold or hot compresses beneficial.
Stress has been found to trigger symptoms in seven out of ten migraine sufferers, so finding effective strategies to cope with stress such as meditation, journaling or exercise are vitally important.
Migraine can lead to anxiety, depression and chronic pain conditions (such as neck or back pain)121-122. Obesity increases the risk of transitioning to chronic migraine123-124; family history may also play a part in turning acute migraines chronic. Unfortunately, however, patients often fail to report this information 15-16.
