Dealing With A Migraine Headache

Most people have experienced a headache at some point in their lives, but few people have to deal with the consequences of a migraine headache. Migraines are unique in that they are far more severe than normal headaches and can last for days or weeks. Not everyone will experience a migraine, but females, those with poor diets and medication overuse can increase your likelihood of having one. While headaches are manageable, migraines interfere with daily life and affect vision and overall health. Depending on the cause of your migraine, different treatment options are available for you to rid yourself of pain and start functioning again. Find out how you can deal with a migraine headache with these tips!

Recognizing A Migraine From A Headache

Headaches are one of the most common issues that patients complain about, and although they are painful, they pale in comparison to migraines. Migraine headaches are similar to normal headache in that they involve aches in the head itself along with eye and sinus problems, but migraines are much more severe and last for days or weeks on end. While headaches can disrupt your day for a few hours, migraines keep you from being able to work, sleep, concentrate and function. Many migraines are so debilitating that patients can’t walk or communicate properly, disabling them for days. The following symptoms are unique to migraines and will help you differentiate between them and headaches:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Pulsing sensations on one side of the head
• Dizziness
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities

During a migraine attack, patients will oftentimes experience many of these symptoms combined, making the experience even more difficult to endure. But migraines don’t just appear but rather they come in stages. The prodrome stage occurs a few days before the migraine when patients might experience constipation, mood changing and neck stiffness. The aura stage occurs right before the attack and is characterized by distorted vision, weakness, hearing noises and difficulty speaking. Afterwards, the attack appears where throbbing pain will pulse on one or both sides of the head, light and sound sensitivity will develop and many patients vomit. The last stage, called post-drome, leave patients feeling drained and confused while other patients report a feeling of elation. While everyone is different and will experience a variety of symptoms during this process, migraine headaches are debilitating and can cause people to miss work, family events and life in general.

What Causes Migraines?

Migraines affect women, men and children across the world, with approximately 39 million people in the U.S who suffer from migraines each year and 1 billion worldwide. Migraine is the third most prevalent illness in the world and it is most common between the ages of 18 and 44. In summary, migraines affect millions of people worldwide, which has caused researchers and medical centers to extensively study the causes of migraines and how to treat them. While most migraines occur randomly, we do know that their cause is rooted within the nervous system of the body. At this time, we cannot determine the exact reasons why migraines occur, but there are certain triggers that tend to precede them. First, blood fluctuations, stress and unusual sleep patterns are all contributors to migraines and leave you at risk for experiencing one, especially if you’re experiencing all three of these conditions together. Food allergies and alcohol consumption have also been tied to migraines along with dehydration and low electrolyte levels.

There are certain risk factors that increase your likelihood of having a migraine if any of them apply to you. For starters, women are more likely to suffer from migraines than men are, and certain medications, like antidepressants, affect the brain in ways that inadvertently trigger a migraine. Even certain foods like aged cheese, red wine and processed meats contribute to the occurrence of migraines. Make sure to speak with your doctor about risk factors you might have that leave you susceptible to migraines.

How To Treat Your Next Migraine

If you are struggling with chronic migraines, schedule an appointment with your medical provider for diagnostic testing and an evaluation to determine what might be triggering your symptoms. You and your doctor can develop a treatment plan together that will help get you to the point where your migraines occur less and eventually disappear altogether. Other tips that you can include in your daily activities is regularly exercising, getting adequate rest and engaging in stress-relieving activities like yoga to reduce your stress levels. If you do have a migraine, try putting a cold pack on your head and lay down in a dark, quiet room. You can take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen or Advil to reduce inflammation and decrease your pain if the pain doesn’t go away. Make sure to drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated or you can sip on Gatorade to replenish electrolytes in your body.

Get Rid Of Your Migraine With Our Help!

If you’re suffering from migraines and need guidance on what to do, Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center can help! Our team will perform a detailed examination and identify triggers from your health history to create a specialized plan so you can start your journey to a pain-free life. Call our office today at (512) 806-0015 to schedule a consultation and learn how to get your health back!