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  • Best Migraine Treatment

    Best Migraine Treatment

    Are migraines taking over your life?

    If you suffer from migraines, it is important to identify the triggers that cause the migraine. Here are some of the most common triggers and treatments for chronic migraines.

    Triggers:

    1. Specific Foods: 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 understanding of potential patterns between your diet and migraines.
    2. Stress: There are many different approaches to reducing stress.  Remedies including meditation, essential oils and listening to calming music are worth exploring.
    3. 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.

    Remedies:

    1. Stay Hydrated: Many headaches are caused by dehydration.  Keep a reusable bottle for water with you during the day. This will allow you to drink water when you’re thirsty and help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. 
    2. Triptans: Triptans are medications that combat extreme migraine symptoms. Triptans work primarily by constricting blood vessels and blocking the brain’s pain receptors. Those at risk for heart attacks and strokes are urged to not take triptans.
    3. Botox:  Botox has proven successful for relief for migraines in many cases.  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
    4. Reduce your Stress: Sources of stress vary for each person. A bit of introspection on what causes stress in your life may be useful to help with your migraines.

  • Best Headache Remedies: Fast Relief from Headaches

    Best Headache Remedies: Fast Relief from Headaches

    Nothing can ruin a good day faster than a killer headache. You’re having a good time, getting through your day, and then you get struck with a splitting headache. When you need fast relief from a headache, you’ll need to know some of these great headache remedies.

    Here are some of the best quick remedies for a headache that you should know.

    Best Headache Remedies

    Get More Sleep

    It’s important to get the right amount of sleep. Adults should get around seven to nine hours of sleep per night. While sleep deprivation is quite bad for you and can result in headaches, the same goes for oversleeping. If you’re constantly getting too much, or too little, sleep, then you should try to stick to the rule of thumb when it comes to sleep.

    Getting enough sleep is quite important for a number of other health reasons. Driving while sleep deprived is quite dangerous, and sleep deprivation can lead to increased risk for heart disease. Oversleeping can lead to dehydration, which brings us to our next point.

    Water

    A lot of times, a serious headache could simply be the result of dehydration. Pour yourself a glass of water and drink it at a reasonable pace. Dehydration is a serious issue, as it can cause you to be irritated and make it hard to concentrate, which further exacerbates your headache symptoms. Sometimes the best solutions are the most straightforward.

    Cut Back on Alcohol

    Nothing dehydrates quite like alcohol. If you have a drink every now and then, it’s unlikely to cause a headache. However, if you’re pounding beers with your friends or killing sugary mixed drinks, you might find yourself with a killer headache during and after your drinking session.

    In these cases, the answer is simple: drink less alcohol and more water. If you’re constantly drinking large amounts of alcohol, you could develop more serious health issues than just headaches, too. In general, drinking less alcohol and more water is ideal for the average person.

    Cold Compress

    If you need fast relief and don’t want to take some kind of NSAID or headache powder, consider a cold compress. Take a washcloth and soak it in cold water. Press the cloth to the part of your head that’s hurting, and apply light pressure.

    This cold compress will cause blood flow to slow and reduces inflammation. These things can result in a lessened amount of pain when it comes to headaches.