Tips for managing migraines

According to Professor Peter Goadsby, Professor of Neurology, King’s college London, “Migraine is an inherited tendency to have headaches with sensory disturbance. It’s an instability in the way the brain deals with incoming sensory information, and that instability can become influenced by physiological changes like sleep, exercise and hunger.”

Migraine can be very disturbing and dangerous, as for a lot of people, it becomes a daily affair; a part of their lives that they can not shake off so they resort to medications which is itself unhealthy especially when it becomes an addiction. This is because medications provide temporary relief and long-term exacerbation. Most of the factors that trigger migraines are linked to lifestyle. Some of these trigger factors include: dehydration, skipping meals, alcohol and smoking. Hence, treatment for migraine should be in form of avoiding the triggers and controlling the symptoms.

In this article, we would look at simple lifestyle health tips that can help reduce the occurrence of Migraines.

  • First, relying on medications too much can worsen the migraine rather than reduce it. Too much reliance on migraine meds, especially the regular over-the-counter medications. The pills in themselves may not be bad, but constantly reaching for them is unhealthy. In fact, if you use these drugs more than twice in a week, you should resort to your doctor for prescription and a healthier regimen.

  • Reduce stress: Stress is one primary trigger of migraines. Avoid stressful conditions, circumstance and get enough sleep. Relax often and engage in exercise: Both physical activities and mind games such as Yoga.

  • Stick to a consistent lifestyle plan: Abrupt changes in sleeping and eating patterns can trigger migraines too. Little sleep can be as dangerous as too much when it comes to migraine patients.

  • Pay attention to your jaw: Avoid habits that can stress your jaw, because this in turn tells on the the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) which hinges your jaw to your skull. Some of these habits include: chewing on gum for too long, clench or grinding your teeth. You can get a mouth guard from your dentist to keep you from grinding your teeth at night and other health tips.