LIVING WITH MIGRAINE

Only those who suffer from this debilitating condition know the true hardships that go with sharing your life with migraine. Not only the pain is preventing you from functioning and taking care of your daily tasks, but it also forces those close to you to change their plans accordingly. What makes a migraine different from an ordinary headache? Whether we are dealing with a difficult hangover from a wild night out or we had to take an extra shift at the office – almost everyone has experienced at least once in their life the inconvenience of a common headache.

Migraine, on the other hand, is often accompanied with nausea and vomiting, usually runs in the family, happens relatively often, lasts from 3-4 hours up to a day or more, sometimes there are warning sighs before each episode – the aura and the prodrome phases, and is a major obstacle for routine activities. Unfortunately modern day medicine hasn’t yet come up with a cure, but thankfully there are ways one can reduce the frequency and the severity of the attacks.

Diet

Pay attention to what and when you eat. If you are a migraine sufferer, you should know that you are much more prone to have an episode if your blood sugar levels drops. Also – avoid food with too much conservants and alcohol. In fact alcohol is considered a major trigger and most people, diagnosed with migraine, report to experience a headache even after consuming a very small amount of it.



Water

Another common reason for a migraine attack is a lack of sufficient hydration. This is especially important to remember during hot weather and if you are dealing with intense physical activity. Yes – athletes also are not spared from migraine. Luckily this is an easy to take care of problem and as long as you don’t forget to supply yourself with enough water on a daily basis, you shouldn’t have an issue.

Stress 

Anxiety and stress are probably the most common trigger for migraine. Unfortunately knowing that being stressed will cause you a headache usually doesn’t take the pressure away. What you can do is avoiding stressful people and situations as much as possible.

Anti-anxiety medications have shown some efficiency in this regard, but we would recommend using natural supplements which won’t lead to addiction.



Lack of or too much sleep

It is hardly surprising that lack of proper rest can be a cause of headache. Few people are aware though that too much sleep can also provoke a vicious headache episode. This is probably dew to going with too many hours without food and logically the blood sugar levels become too low. The best thing to do is to set a strict and healthy schedule and to follow it as much as you can.



Medication

The most unfair and dangerous problem with frequent migraine episodes is that the body can become overloaded with chemicals from painkillers and the sad result is a chronic headache from medication overuse. Furthermore the body can stay trapped in a state of withdrawal from the medication in question which in and in of itself is a cause for a migraine attack and thus require more painkillers. They key here is not to completely stop taking medications, but to be reasonable and to follow the instructions for suggested use.

Finally: what to do when it happens?

Unfortunately, even if you follow all the rules a migraine attack can occur seemingly out of nowhere. Almost everyone who has to put up with frequent headaches has come up with some form of strategy of dealing with them. Sometimes a simple analgesic can be the answer to the problem, but if the pain is more severe and is accompanied with other symptoms – don’t hesitate to take the day off. Some people find that having a light massage or applying  a cold compress on the neck can relief the pain. Remember – you are not alone – studies show that migraine is the 3d most common health condition worldwide and most people diagnosed with it – about 90% report not being able to function at all when having an attack. Try your best to stay away from triggers and don’t stress too much about it when it does happen.