Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are painful to experience. The discomfort in your physical health could be so severe that it interferes with your average, everyday life. They could last from a few hours to several days without explanation. Unfortunately, the exact cause for migraine headaches hasn’t been discovered. 

Thankfully, medical experts around the world have unearthed a few valuable facts about migraine headaches. For one, your risks are higher if you have a migraine-prone family history. You are also more likely to experience migraine headaches due to hormonal medication like estrogen. 

Read on as we discuss everything you need to know about migraine headaches.

What Are the Warning Signs to Migraine Headaches?

In most cases, warning signs appear 15 to 60 minutes before a headache. You may experience blurred vision, see temporary light spots or lines, or even hallucinations. At the same time, you may experience sudden fatigue, excessive yawning, or a tingling sensation in a limb.

What Are the Symptoms and Indicators?

Migraine headaches manifest as a dull or heaviness around the eye or temple, worsening with activity or excessive movement. Along with this, you may experience increased pain on one or both sides of the head, a pulsing or pounding sensation, nausea and vomiting, or heightened sensitivity to light, noise or smell.

What Can Cause a Migraine Headache?

Although no scientific study has claimed to be the root cause of migraine headaches, stress, eye strain, lack of sleep, and fluctuations in hormones may all contribute to them. 

Additionally, skipping meals, dehydration, and a poor diet of MSG-filled junk food, sugars, dairy, gluten, excessive caffeine, and alcohol are also known to trigger migraine headaches. 

In other cases, however, sudden brightness or flashing lights, banging noises, strong scents, and extreme weather changes may also cause migraines.

What Is the Treatment for a Migraine Headache?

A quick trip to the doctor will tell you that the purpose of treatment is to alleviate your symptoms, not cure your migraines. After running some specific tests, your doctor will prescribe medication, which may include NSAIDs, Acetaminophen, anti-nausea medication, pain relievers, and even cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). 

Ways to Alleviate Migraine Symptoms:

• Rest in a dark room to alleviate pain, making sure to get a restful sleep.

• Apply an ice bag on your head every hour for 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, use heat pads to relieve pain and muscle spasms on the area for 20 to 30 minutes every 2 hours.

• Keep a migraine diary, and login time (duration), symptoms, your diet (what you ate or drank), and an account of everything you've done. This will come in handy in your next doctor’s visit.

Ways to Avoid Migraine Headaches:

• Avoid misusing medications. Take pain relievers following a safe monthly quantity.

• Quit smoking and alcoholic beverages. Nicotine and other substances found in cigarettes and cigars can worsen migraines. Meanwhile, alcohol prevents medications from taking effect.

• Exercise regularly. Engaging in physical activity such as jogging. Do this for at least 30 minutes a day.

• Lower your stress levels. Learn new strategies to relax, such as deep breathing.

• Adhere to a strict sleeping schedule. Follow a bedtime and wake-up routine, and avoid watching television or using your mobile phone before you doze off.

• Eat clean. Your diet should consist of nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole-grain bread, fatty milk, legumes, and meat and fish.

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Conclusion

Although migraine headaches can seem almost impossible to deal with, they can be managed with a nutritious diet, proper sleep, a good amount of exercise, and an overall healthy lifestyle. While we wait to find out its actual cause, let’s work consciously to prevent them! At the same time, keep these notes in handy for emergency symptoms. 

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