Millions of people suffer from migraines. Many of the suffers go undiagnosed and untreated. Fewer that half of people who suffer from these kinds of headaches ever talk to their doctor about them.That is too bad because it has been found that people who suffer from migraines are also three times more likely to also suffer from depression. For the majority (54%), migraines come one or more times a month. About 13% of sufferers have them more than once a week. There are ways to prevent migraines and lead a healthier life.
- Figure out if you have triggers for migraines. For many people, there are foods, drinks or odors that can bring on migraines. What you should do is keep a journal of when the migraines come on, what (if anything) did you eat, drink or smell before. After a month or so or after you have had at least a few migraines, look back at your journal and look for any patterns. If you see any, you can try to avoid whatever it was and see if that helps at all. You may not be able to prevent all migraines but you may be able to stop some or most of them.
- Do not skip meals. When you do not eat, it causes your blood sugar levels to fluctuate, this can cause a pain level that will lead to a migraine. One goof rule of thumb to follow is to not go more than three hours between meals. If you keep some kind of lean protein with you, you can make sure you have something to eat and jeep your blood sugar steady and that will help you avoid migraines. You will lead a healthier life if you do not fast.
- If you are used to drinking coffee or something else with caffeine, it can cause migraines. You should try to limit the amount of caffeine you get to about 200 mg a day. This is the equivalent of a cup of coffee.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation has been shown to lead to migraines. Rats were studied in 2010. When they were kept without sleep, scientists saw changes in their brain that correspond to migraines. Getting enough sleep is a big part of leading a healthier life. Not sleeping can lead a host of other problems from an increased risk of stroke to heart disease.
- Try cold packs. If you are suffer from migraines, a cold pack may help. This is because it acts as an anti-inflammatory. Never put an ice pack or cold pack directly on the skin. Apply it for between 10 and 15 minutes as needed.
- Try natural supplements. Many people take them as part of leading a healthier life. Some studies show that they can prevent or help migraines. Research shows that people who consumed at least 400 mg of vitamin B2 every day reported the number of migraines they suffered had gone down. CoQ10 has also been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches.
- Try to relax. Yoga, Tai chi and massage have all been shown to help people in various ways. The massage is good for any muscle spasms that may lead to migraines. People who practice tai chi, report greater body awareness. They found they could better sense when a headache was coming and deal with it after it had arrived. Yoga helps people develop mindfulness and that is a good way to deal with migraines.
- Try butterbur and feverfew. It has been shown that butterbur increases blood floor to the brain and that helps prevent migraines. Feverfew, taken in dry leaf form has also been shown to prevent the headaches. There are a lot of herbs that have been shown to help a person lead a healthier life and these may help you if you have migraines.
- Consider acupuncture. This helps people with a wide range of health concerns and problems. One problem that people go to acupuncturists for is migraine. It can also help relieve stress, help with insomnia and other problems that you may have.
Migraine headaches can be debilitating and incredibly painful. They often leave sufferers incapacitated for hours or days. These strategies and remedies may help prevent or stop migraines. There are also medicines that can help.