Migraines affect everyone, but some individuals are at higher risk than others. Hormonal changes like those associated with menstruation or pregnancy could play a part in why more women experience migraine.
Maintaining a migraine journal may help identify triggers. Smartphone apps also exist that allow users to track symptoms. Deep breathing and relaxation exercises may also prove helpful.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
OTC medications like ibuprofen, naproxen and acetaminophen can provide much-needed relief from everyday ailments like sore backs and headaches; however, choosing between all these products can be overwhelming. Farber suggests reading through active ingredient labels before taking as directed on their labels, checking with pharmacists about any potential drug interactions (for instance some migraine medications contain both aspirin and acetaminophen – something which could prove dangerous if liver disease or bleeding disorders exist), reading active ingredient labels before making decisions on OTC products as soon as possible to avoid being overwhelmed by information.
Cold Therapy
Ice packs or migraine relief caps with their cold temperature can help the blood vessels to contract, decreasing inflammation and pain, as well as helping numb overactive nerves that send pain signals directly to the brain, slowing their transmission rate and relieving headache symptoms.
Migraine headaches are caused by neurochemicals released into the head that contribute to inflammation. One study shows that cold therapy reduces their release, providing relief by slowing nerve conduction. Furthermore, cold therapy reduces metabolic activity by lowering metabolic demand for Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the fuel for cells.
Utilizing either a migraine cap or standard ice pack, apply it directly to the part of your forehead where pain is most evident. Wrap the pack securely with cloth to avoid burns or frostbite before taking away after 15 minutes.
Avoiding Triggers
Food, caffeine, stress and environmental changes can be triggers of migraine headaches. A headache diary may help identify these triggers by eliminating recall bias and showing patterns which might suggest effective preventative strategies, such as cutting back on caffeine consumption or following a diet which limits certain foods known to cause migraines in your family.
Avoiding individual triggers may not always be possible, but eliminating multiple at once may help lower the likelihood of an attack. Triggers are cumulative; missing a meal might not result in an attack alone; when combined with lack of sleep and flickering lights however, this could spark one.
People often find relief in applying ice packs, cold washcloths, cold showers or baths and relaxation and stress reduction techniques such as biofeedback, relaxation training and meditation as well as exercise to their head and neck areas to reduce throbbing pain. Stress relief techniques like biofeedback can also be employed as one such common trigger of symptoms.
See Your Healthcare Provider
If your migraines occur more frequently than once or twice every month or your symptoms are severe, please visit your healthcare provider immediately. Your healthcare provider will conduct a detailed history and physical exam to rule out other medical causes for the headaches; blood tests, CT scans or MRIs may be recommended in order to screen for other health conditions as well as potentially refer you to specialists, such as neurologists.
Migraine pain is caused by temporary narrowing or widening of brain blood vessels, changes in nerve signals and chemical shifts within the brain. People living with migraine may also experience warning symptoms called an aura before their headache begins; such signs include flashes of light, blind spots or visual disturbances, flashes of light on one side of their face or arm/leg and even slurred speech.
Your healthcare provider will prescribe medicines to ease pain and other symptoms, some available over-the-counter as pills or nasal spray and others needing a valid prescription. They might also suggest alternative treatments like biofeedback or diet modification; other people have found supplements like riboflavin, coenzyme Q10 or feverfew useful as well.
