Migraine pain relief usually involves over-the-counter or prescription medicines, but to try and prevent one from occurring it’s always best.
Maintaining a headache diary and avoiding foods known to trigger attacks are effective measures. Acupuncture and stress reduction techniques may also help, while some individuals may benefit from onabotulinumtoxin type A injections as an additional preventative measure.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Diet can help protect against migraines by eliminating trigger foods, like chocolate, caffeine and alcohol. Furthermore, eating regularly and staying hydrated are also key.
Your doctor may suggest keeping a headache diary to identify possible triggers. Record all foods you eat, when headaches occur and for how long. Review this diary regularly for patterns; for instance if headaches seem to flare up around certain times or after eating aged cheeses then consider eliminating these from your diet completely.
As well as avoiding trigger foods, try eating regular healthy meals and snacks throughout the day at approximately the same time. This will help eliminate hunger and food cravings that could trigger headaches. Add lean proteins like chicken or fish, vegetables and whole grains into your diet as well as sufficient magnesium from sources like beans, nuts or leafy greens – magnesium helps reduce headaches!
Exercise Regularly
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of regular exercise on migraine headache frequency. Aerobic exercises like brisk walking and swimming tend to be most effective; yoga or high intensity interval training (HIIT) might also prove effective. Water consumption should also be prioritized since many people become dehydrated due to skipping meals; dehydration can trigger attacks.
Strauss suggests keeping a headache diary to identify your own migraine triggers. Record the date, time and length of each migraine attack along with any relief provided; also note weather changes or hormonal fluctuations such as when you ovulate or start your menstrual cycle.
Avoiding triggers and leading a healthy lifestyle are effective strategies for avoiding migraines, but if they still occur there are preventive medications available that may help. While initially developed for other conditions, they have since proven themselves beneficial when applied to migraine prevention. Your GP will usually prescribe them only after you’ve tried other migraine treatments without success.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep can often help prevent migraines. Headaches often appear when we are overtired or stressed. A diary can help identify patterns such as when headaches appear or whether you find yourself yawning more or eating less during the day than usual; additionally, it can identify triggers, which might include aged cheese, chocolate or caffeine products as possible triggers.
Avoid migraines by adhering to a consistent sleeping and eating schedule, drinking plenty of fluids and engaging in aerobics or endurance sports, plus trying acupuncture or relaxation techniques like biofeedback – studies have also indicated these strategies as possible ways of decreasing frequency of migraine attacks.
There are various preventive medications, including beta-blockers such as metoprolol, propranolol and timolol (approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as migraine preventatives). There are also anti-CGRP therapies which target protein CGRP to block pain signals.
Manage Stress
Though you can’t avoid all stressors, you can take steps to minimize daily ones. For example, if you suffer from migraines and have a long or difficult commute or high-pressure job that exposes them, plan ahead by anticipating traffic jams, childcare needs and any other demands on you.
Exercise can also provide benefits. Engaging in regular aerobic activities, like walking or swimming, such as improving cardiovascular health, mood and sleep can improve overall wellbeing – including managing migraines! However, before embarking on any new fitness regimen it’s wise to consult your physician first as certain routines could aggravate or trigger migraine symptoms.
Biofeedback and meditation can also help you learn to cope with stress effectively, as can over-the-counter pain relievers, ice packs, or applying a cool compress directly to the head can ease headaches. If your symptoms don’t improve after trying these methods, talk with your physician about prescribed medications like Ergotamine; these preventive drugs can desensitize the trigeminal nerve over time to decrease migraine headaches frequency and intensity.
