You can treat and prevent migraines with medication. However, medical care is only a subplot. Take care of yourself and learn to deal with the agony of a migraine when it occurs. Migraine frequency and severity may be reduced by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Migraine treatment is frequently most successful when it combines medication with behavioral and lifestyle changes. Your Alate Health specialist has the following tips to help you obtain relief from migraines.
Locate a peaceful setting
If you feel like a migraine is about to start, it is best to stop what you are doing and rest for a while.
- Put the lights out: Music and light may exacerbate migraine discomfort. Have some downtime in complete silence. Rest if you can.
- Experiment with heat therapy: Use a warm or cold compress on your neck and head. The numbing impact of ice packs might help alleviate any discomfort. Tense muscles might benefit from using a heating pad or hot pack. A hot shower or bath might have the same effect.
- Drink something caffeinated: Coffee alone may provide relief in the early stages of a migraine.
Though, caution is advised. Too much caffeine use might lead to withdrawal symptoms. Caffeine use late in the day may also disrupt sleep, exacerbating migraines.
Massage
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that massage has been examined for pain treatment of numerous illnesses, including headaches, due to its ability to relax muscles and lower tension (another migraine cause).
However, massage is not necessarily effective for everyone. During a migraine episode, a massage may make you feel worse if you are sensitive to touch. It is particularly true for those suffering from allodynia. Everyday actions like combing your hair or laying your head on a pillow may become excruciatingly painful due to allodynia, according to the American Migraine Foundation.
Take your doctor’s advice
If your doctor has diagnosed you with migraines after taking a thorough medical history, you should adhere to their devised treatment plan as strictly as possible. In most cases, your doctor would advise you to attempt to treat an attack as soon as you notice any symptoms. The odds of success are usually highest in this case. Medication and dosage are often selected with care to reduce the likelihood of repeated dosing, which, for certain drugs, may lead to undesirable “rebound” or “overuse” effects.
Meditate
Migraines have been connected to prolonged mental or emotional stress, irregular sleep patterns, and excessive physical exertion. Although deep breathing and relaxation exercises may not eliminate all migraine symptoms, they have been demonstrated to reduce tension and the intensity of migraine attacks. You can avoid migraine altogether with regular meditation and stress reduction techniques.
Migraine sufferers face an uphill battle daily. But adopting a more healthful way of living may assist. If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, you might consider being part of a support group besides seeing a professional for treatment. Have faith in your self-sufficiency to deal with the suffering. Schedule a consultation with Alate Health if migraines are getting in the way.