Migraine headaches can be debilitating. They can send you to bed unable to open your eyes or even to move. Once a migraine has started it needs to be treated. The ideal treatment is to try to prevent migraine headaches from starting at all.
There is not one simple answer to preventing migraine headaches. Many things can trigger a migraine but first, you must determine if your headaches are true migraines A variety of symptoms are indicative of a migraine. Is your pain only on one side of your head, are you sensitive to light and do your eyes hurt? Are you feeling nauseous or are you throwing up?
Did you see strange lights or colors? Do you have other visual or audio phenomenon shortly before your headache begins(these are known as auras)? Any or all of these may mean you are a migraine sufferer.
Your best defense against a migraine is to identify what is triggering it. Most people have one or more triggers. A daily journal can be of great help in isolating the triggers that you have been exposed to.
Food and alcohol are common triggers with red wine being one of the top offenders. Other common triggers are aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Brie, and Gruyere, foods containing MSG or other preservatives (Chinese food and salad bars are places where you may be getting it), caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and colas, chocolate and aged, canned, processed, or smoked meats. Keep in mind that this list is not exclusive, your particular migraine may be caused by a food other than those listed here.
Changes in weather can also affect migraine sufferers. Sometimes it will seem as if your head is a weather barometer, you will be the first to know that a storm is brewing. Odors and perfumes are also very common triggers. One that affects many people is musk and while some people enjoy the smell of gasoline, for some migraine sufferers, it is a real headache. Perfumes may come from things as simple as a car deodorizer and candles to ones as complex as your dear friends. While it may prove awkward, you may have to request that certain friends not wear perfume when they are around you.
Missing a meal can trigger a migraine as can hormones. The best thing about menopause is that it may signal the end of hormone related migraines.
Stress is probably the most common cause of migraines. Stress is a part of everyday life, those with a tendency toward migraines are suffering from it. Trying to develop relaxation techniques can help to keep stress to a minimum and this may lessen the number of episodes you have to suffer through.
More recently, it has been suggested that gluten may contribute to incidence of migraines. It appears that a sensitivity to gluten may be to blame. If you suffer you may want to give it a try to see if it helps you.
Once you identify your triggers, you are better able to prevent migraines from happening in the first place. I am a lifelong migraine sufferer and have found that I have several triggers which I try to avoid.
No comments:
Post a Comment