Migraine is a type of headache where a person feels severe vibration type pain. So we can say that Migraine is not just a headache but it is more than headache because it overall affects your quality of life severely. Most of the time this type of pain starts to appear on one side of the head. This unbearable pain can continue for a few hours to several days. In some of the cases migraine also results in creating other medical issues such as nausea and vomiting, vision disturbance and many other complicated diseases.
Migraine affects people all over the globe. If you are unfortunately suffering from this disease then you must be anxious at this time to get complete details about this and its effective solution. So this complete article is all about. Here we will talk about what migraine actually is, what are its symptoms, causes and treatment options. Let’s get started.
Understanding Migraine
As we have discussed in our introductory paragraph, Migraine is not just a headache but it is a complex neurological disorder where a person experiences a severe type of hammering pain. It is one of the major culprits to produce some of the other serious symptoms such as vomiting and nausea, visual disorder, increased sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine in most of the cases occurs in four types: prodrome, aura, headache and post-drome. It becomes very important to identify all these stages in order to go for an effective treatment.
Identifying Migraine Causes
In order to manage migraines in an effective way, it is important to know what the major contributing factors are that cause this severe type of headache. Let’s have a look.
Stress
Medical research shows that high levels of stress can increase the intensity of migraines.
Dietary Factors
There are certain nutritional factors that are responsible in case of migraines. Some food can increase the symptoms of migraine including chocolate, caffeine and old cheese.
Sleeping patterns
It is important that you sleep and what your sleeping pattern is. If you are not getting enough sleep or excessive sleeping both situations can be the result of increasing the symptoms of migraines.
Hormonal Changes
The change of hormones can also affect your mental health especially in case of migraine. Women can be affected much as compared to men due to their hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.
Environmental Factors
Medical studies show that some environmental factors can also contribute to creating a severe type of headache. The environment factors can be loud sounds, strong smells and bright lights.
Keeping a Migraine Diary
If you are a victim of migraine then it is critical to keep a diary with you. Just note down its symptoms. Also write the duration and severity of the pain. Keep a close eye on any additional symptoms that you experience in case of migraine. Why is this important? It is because all this data will provide a great assistance to your healthcare provider during diagnosing and treatment.
Effective Lifestyle Changes
You have to change your lifestyle for effective management of migraines. Some of the important steps that you have to take are as follows.
Stress Management
As we have said earlier, stress is just one of the major causes in creating migraines. Now the question is how can you manage this effectively? In the following we are going to provide the answer to this question. Let’s have a look.
Awareness and Meditation
Try to practice mindfulness and meditation practices in order to reduce stress and eventually reduce symptoms of migraine. There are a lot of mindfulness exercises that you can perform like yoga and deep breathing exercises.
Regular Exercise
Exercise has been the hot favorite topic in our previous article. Nobody can deny the benefits of taking regular exercise and the same is the case with migraine. If you want to reduce stress and symptoms of migraine then make a habit to take regular exercise. Medical studies show that when you perform regular activities, your body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers. There are some exercises and activities that are beneficial in this context are swimming, walking and yoga.
Enough Rest And Sleep
It is really important to take enough rest and sleep because it is crucial for your good health. When you will improve your quality of sleeping this will help you to reduce this hammering headache known as migraine.
Nutrition Adjustment
There are a lot of foods that you eat but if you are suffering from migraine then modify your diet immediately. Try to eat those foods which do not increase the severity of the pain. Some important points of discussion are as follows.
Hydration
Try to make a habit to drink at least 8 glasses of water on a daily basis. Hydration is really very important for your body’s performance. Remember dehydration is one of the common reasons for migraine.
Balanced Diet
It is really important to maintain your normal blood sugar level. High sugar levels in the blood can be the reason for migraines. For this purpose it is crucial to consume a balanced diet containing fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
Avoid Certain Foods
Medical study shows that there are certain foods that are one of the major contributing factors to create migraine. These are artificial sweeteners, processed meats and alcohol.
Natural Remedies for Migraine Relief
You can also go for a natural treatment because it is helpful in most of the cases to reduce or even eliminate migraine. Let’s talk briefly.
Necessary Oils
There are some types of oils that give you quick relief from pain and discomfort in case of migraine. Let’s have a look.
Peppermint Oil
It is observed that use of peppermint oil is helpful to reduce symptoms of migraine. Just take diluted peppermint oil and apply on the affected area. By doing this it will provide you with cooling and reduce severe types of headache quickly.
Lavender Oil
Oil that is helpful in migraine is lavender oil. You can inhale or apply some quantity on the affected area. This will help you to relax and reduce headache intensity.
Herbal Supplements
You can take some herbal supplements in order to get quick relief from migraine. There are certain herbs that are really very helpful in this whole scenario including butterbur and feverfew.
Non Prescription and Prescription Medicines
Well it is a fact that natural remedies are not enough in some of the cases. That’s why the affected person has to move towards taking medicine. There are two types of medicines that you can use. First are non-prescriptions and the other are prescribed medicines. Now let’s talk about over the counter or non prescribed medicine.
Non Prescription Medicines
You can get quick relief from severe types of pain in case of migraine by taking non prescription medicine such as pain relievers including acetaminophen and Ibuprofen. If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting with a severe type of headache then OTC anti nausea medicine can also be used.
Prescription Medicines
Prescription medicine becomes important at that time when the situation becomes complex. There are some effective medicines to treat severe migraines such as triptans and preventive medicines. Triptans medicine is mostly used in order to treat migraine by blocking those tracks in the brain that creates pain. Similarly there are some preventive medicines like beta blockers, antidepressants and anticonvulsants that are showing promise in order to treat migraine.
Innovative Treatments and Therapies
Your professional Healthcare provider can determine whether to move innovative treatments and therapy. Some important treatment options in this case are as follows.
Botox Injections
Botox injections are mostly used in order to deal with chronic migraine. These injections are FDA pro and considered as a better treatment option in order to reduce symptoms of migraines. In most of the cases Botox injections are recommended for every 12 weeks. The primary function of the injection is to relax muscle of the brain and blocking those signals that are related to pain.
Neuromodulation Devices
Neuromodulation devices are considered effectives with minimum side effects. These devices use electrical or magnetic pulses to promote brain functionality. That’s why with the use of these devices migraine pain reduces to a greater extent.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy is basically psychotherapy. This type of Therapy helps patients in changing their negative thoughts patterns and those behaviors that are one of the major contributing factors towards stress and the production of migraine. Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is helpful and reduces the severity and frequency of migraine.
Create A Migraine Friendly Environment
It is a fact that we actually ignore small things in treating any type of disease. Here as we are talking about migraine then try to make small changes and make a migraine friendly environment around you. This will help you to get some quick relief in case of migraine. Some of the main points are as follows.
Lighting
Try to ease your environment. Use soft and natural lighting instead of fluorescent harsh or strong lights. It is better to use black curtains in your bedroom.
Noise
When someone else feels a severe type of headache then a little noise is also unbearable. So try to reduce noise around you. In this case you can use headphones or earplugs if required.
Aromatherapy
In order to create a restful and calm atmosphere aromatherapy can be useful. You can use a diffuser with some essential oil like chamomile or lavender in this context.
When to Consult a Doctor?
In detailed discussion so far it is clear now that you can manage and treat migraines by using different strategies. By modifying your lifestyle and with the use of natural remedies the effect of migraine can be reduced to a great extent. But now the question at the moment is when to seek professional help in order to reduce symptoms of migraine. It becomes really crucial to consult your professional Healthcare provider when migraines start to become severe and do not get better despite the fact that you have taken all the measures of effective treatment.
Conclusion
Although migraine is a complex and serious health condition, you can manage effectively by implementing the right strategies at the right time. The important thing in all aspects is to know better about the root causes of migraine. With the help of modification in your lifestyle and effective treatment strategies you can beat this complex and irritating health condition in an effective way. Your professional physician is really critical for you when you are suffering from any type of disease. It is better to consult your doctor and discuss all the matters and symptoms in front of them. So with the right approach and right strategy you can control migraine to a greater extent.