Migraine pain is characterized by an intense, pounding headache which may range from mild to severe in intensity and often includes visual aura, nausea and vomiting as additional symptoms.
Avoiding migraine triggers can help decrease both the frequency and severity of attacks. Maintaining a headache diary to track migraine attacks may help identify triggers like aged cheese or nitrates found in pepperoni and luncheon meat, and make changes accordingly. Also ensure you get enough sleep on a consistent schedule while staying hydrated!
1. Exercise
Exercise programs may help prevent migraines and make them less intense when they do occur. When selecting low-impact exercises such as yoga, make sure that high intensity workouts don’t trigger headaches as these could potentially contribute to heat or humidity-induced headaches.
Studies have shown that regular exercise can significantly decrease migraine frequency by relieving tension and stimulating endorphin and enkephalin release, two feel-good hormones.
Ensuring you get enough sleep each night – seven to eight hours for adults – is another key to combatting migraines and keeping them at bay. Insomnia, teeth grinding and other sleep disorders could contribute to migraines; to stay on the safe side, make sure you adhere to recommended amounts.
An effective migraine diary may help identify your migraine triggers so that they can be avoided. Common triggers include food items like aged cheeses and cured meats; bright lights; changes in barometric pressure; or strong smells.
2. Eat a healthy diet
Maintaining a migraine diary can help you identify what triggers migraine attacks. Take note of what food and beverages were consumed, the date and length of an attack, any lights or sounds that may exacerbate symptoms, as well as what provided relief – this may give an accurate picture.
If a food seems to trigger your headaches, try eliminating it from your diet. Many people have reported gluten or dairy triggering headaches so they try limiting these intake. The National Headache Foundation offers useful handouts such as their low tyramine diet for those interested in eliminating foods containing tyramine which could be contributing to migraines; however it should be remembered that elimination diets do not always work effectively and cannot replace a well-rounded eating plan.
3. Get plenty of sleep
Migraines can be brought on by lack of sleep. Other triggers for migraines can include changes to routine or eating certain foods that disrupt the balance.
Exercise and relaxation techniques, such as deep diaphragmatic breathing, may help reduce stress levels and the frequency of migraine attacks. Acupuncture and biofeedback – which use electronic devices to teach you how to control body functions – may also provide relief.
Talk with your doctor about creating a treatment plan. If home remedies don’t seem to help, your physician may suggest medication – such as Aimovig erenumab-aooe (erenumab), which blocks activity of molecules linked with migraine headaches and can prevent migraine headaches by monthly injection. Furthermore, Aimovig doesn’t cause allergies or dangerous side effects and can even be combined with other medicines to effectively manage them.
4. Stay hydrated
Migraines may be caused by dehydration. To keep headaches at bay, make sure you drink lots of fluids and track their frequency.
Migraines can be debilitatingly painful, often leading to nausea, light and sound sensitivity and other symptoms. Migraines tend to strike either on one side of the head, and can sometimes even come with warning signs known as an aura, including visual disturbances.
Keep a diary to track what triggers your headaches to help identify patterns. For example, if they seem worse at a certain altitude or when eating certain foods, change these habits or try relaxation techniques such as biofeedback to learn how to control heart rate and breathing more effectively.
5. Avoid stress
Although migraines cannot always be prevented, simple lifestyle adjustments may help to decrease their frequency and severity. These include eating well and staying hydrated, keeping a headache diary, practicing 4-7-8 breathing techniques and finding supportive communities.
Stressful symptoms such as mood changes, food cravings, stiff neck, light and sound sensitivity as well as menstrual changes can all play a part in migraine attacks. To reduce migraine risk altogether it’s essential to identify your individual triggers and minimize them as much as possible.
if you experience more frequent migraines, consult with your physician about treatment options that could help. Migraine Healthline offers support from others who understand your situation – free on both iPhone and Android phones – download now to connect with like-minded individuals who understand. Each piece of content reviewed by medical experts.
