Are migraines taking the joy out of your day? Are you not able to concentrate on conversations or enjoy time outside? When you suffer from intense migraines it can change you into a different person. That’s why it’s so important to identify your triggers and the best solution to provide you with relief. Here are some of the most common triggers and treatments for chronic migraines.
Common Triggers
The first step to ridding your life of migraines is to prevent them from starting in the first place. This advice may seem like common sense, but with there being such a wide variety of causes it’s important that you determine the cause for yourself.
Many people who get migraines notice certain foods can be the trigger.
Heavily Processed foods, Alcohol, Refined sugar and caffeine (or the lack of) are some common dietary culprits. Keeping a food and drink diary for a week can help you to understand if there’s a pattern between your diet and your migraines.
Stress can be another common trigger. There are many different approaches to reducing stress. It’s worth your time to try remedies like meditation, essential oils and listening to calming music.
Light sensitivity is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of migraine sufferers. Extended exposure to harsh lighting can further exacerbate mild headache symptoms. If you feel a migraine coming on it’s a good idea to take a break from staring at computer or phone screens. These sources emit blue-green light wavelengths that have been shown to affect the chemistry of the brain.
Stay Hydrated
Many headaches are caused by dehydration. If this is true of yours, a great preventative action could be to try to stay well-hydrated. Keep a reusable bottle for water with you during your job or during class. This will allow you to drink water when you’re thirsty and help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. Make sure to refill it between classes or on breaks from the job.
Find Relief With Triptans
Triptans are medications that were designed specifically to combat extreme migraine symptoms. Triptans work primarily by constricting blood vessels and blocking the brain’s pain receptors. These are primarily taken by people who are experiencing infrequent but intense migraines.
Triptans are available in pill, injection and nasal spray varieties. Typically, people who want relief from extreme migraines but don’t get them often enough to merit full preventative regiments opt for triptans. Those at risk for heart attacks and strokes are urged to not take triptans.
Migraines and Botox
We’ve all heard of Botox. It is most commonly known as the secret weapon that has been keeping generations of smooth foreheads in Hollywood. What you may not know, however, is that Botox has been successfully bringing great relief to those who suffer from chronic migraines for years. Since Botox was approved to treat chronic migraines in 2010, an excruciating number of patients are reporting great success. The FDA has only approved Botox for those suffering from chronic migraines. What does this mean? You must have 15 or more days of headaches each month. You must also be 18 years or older. Does this sound like you?
Reduce Stress Like a Pro
Another option is to listen to calming music throughout the day if your school or work is conducive to this. Consider adopting a mantra, a personal saying, that you can repeat throughout the day to help calm yourself. Other calming techniques include deep-breathing exercises, short jogs while between classes or during breaks, and doing yoga or tai chi before or after school or work.
Essential oils can also be used to naturally reduce stress. Lavender is an essential oil that the scientific community is currently experimenting with for the relief of stress, anxiety and migraines.
