Migraine and regular headache are two very different things. While severe headache is a migraine symptom, it’s also accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A migraineur can also be very sensitive to light and noise and the tiniest movement can make the pain worse. It’s because of these symptoms that a person suffering from migraine is forced to rest for the day, or until the migraine goes away. If you’re working, having migraine attacks often is not healthy for your career. Instead of letting migraine go on its course, you can actually stop it by doing these tips.

TAKE A BREAK

Staring at a computer for too long is reported as the most common causes of migraine attacks in the office. This is especially high for people with eye conditions such as myopia (near- sightedness) and hyperopia (far- sightedness). Having to work in front of the computer for eight hours doesn’t mean you also have to stare on it for that long. What you can do is to rest your eyes for at least a minute every fifteen minutes. You can either close your eyes or stare at a blank wall, and this would help in preventing migraine attacks.

TAKE PAINKILLERS

Some people have migraine aura, while some don’t. Regardless though, one would know if migraine is coming or not. Once you feel the pain or start becoming nauseous, take some painkillers. Ibuprofen is great for the pain while Sudafed is effective against the pressure. Some also finds Maxalt great for migraine. Just a reminder though, talk to a doctor and have a prescription before you start taking any medication. Self- medication is never good and could lead to more serious health conditions.

BREATHE

Muscle spasms, which are also associated with migraine, may have been caused by insufficient carbon dioxide. By taking long, deep breathe you get to bring more carbon dioxide into your system, thereby getting rid of the pain caused by migraine. If taking a series of deep breathe is not enough, close your eyes and cup your hands over your mouth and nose. Take long, drawn out breaths for a couple of minutes until you feel the pain easing away.

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Migraine is a severe form of headache commonly experienced by adults. Unknown to some people, children as young as six years old can have migraine too. The headache associated with migraine can last for an hour, a day or even a week. One study conducted on 970,000 kids and teenagers age six to eighteen years old shows that at least 329,000 school days can be missed in a month. Aside from missing school, most parents are concerned about their children’s future. Missing school is one thing, and getting fired because of absenteeism is another. So, how do you know if your kid is suffering from migraine and what should you do about it?

MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS

Knowing if your child is suffering from migraine or a regular headache can be a little tricky. Kids have different pain tolerance, and what’s very painful for them may just be caused by a regular headache. Migraine symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise and sensitivity to smell. If your kid needs to sleep after having a headache, doesn’t want any noise or throws up; chances are he is suffering from migraine. Kids also have a different way of telling what they’re feeling, so if you hear these often, have your kid examined for migraine.

• “My head hurts and I want to throw up.”
• “It feels like my head is pounding.”
• “Can we close the curtains? I don’t want any light.”
• “The noise makes my headache worse.”

TREATING MIGRAINE

Migraine is one of the few conditions experts have no full knowledge about. Its cause is still uncertain, as well as the treatment. When it comes to migraine, experts believe prevention is better than cure. Migraine is believed to be caused by certain triggers such as food, smell or activity and it’s best that your child stays away from whatever causes his migraine. If you think that your child is suffering from migraine, visit the doctor right away. A doctor should be able to help you find out what causes the migraine, give your child medication for the pain as well as for the nausea.

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The Mediterranean diet is being considered as the healthiest diet on Earth. It was patterned in the way how the countries that belong to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea such Italy, Crete, and some parts of Greece eat. It has been adopted and by other countries because of the many benefits that this diet is said to do. This includes faster weight loss, eases depression, and prevents and cures certain medical conditions such as migraines.

Mediterranean recipes are basically composed of certain foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, whole grains, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine. This article will show you the different foods included in a Mediterranean diet that helps prevent or cure migraine.

MAGNESIUM-RICH FOODS

Studies show that low magnesium levels in the body could interfere with the transmission of muscle and nerve impulses that could cause nervousness and irritability which could possibly trigger a migraine headache attack. The study further suggests that a lot of migraine episodes are caused by hormonal changes where magnesium levels are affected. Because of that, eating magnesium-rich foods are highly recommended.
Mediterranean foods reach in magnesium: apples, avocados, apricots, grapefruit, cantaloupe, brown rice, spinach, sesame seeds, and salmon.

POTASSIUM-RICH FOODS

The nervous system needs an adequate amount of potassium for it to function properly. Imbalanced level of potassium could cause the brain to swell or shrink which triggers migraine headaches.
Mediterranean foods rich in potassium: avocados, apricots, bananas, garlic, yogurt, yams, and nuts

VITAMIN E-RICH FOODS

Migraines are more common in women than in men because the latter experiences hormonal imbalance every month due to menstruation. To help stabilize the estrogen levels, foods rich in Vitamin E are highly recommended.
Mediterranean foods rich in Vitamin E: olive oil, watercress, oatmeal, legumes, sweet potatoes

FIBER-RICH AND SUCCULENT FOODS

Since dehydration and constipation are two of the top factors that could more likely trigger a migraine attack, consuming fiber rich foods could help constipation and eating succulent plants would keep you hydrated.
Mediterranean foods that are rich in fiber and water: blueberries, yam, broccoli, fresh figs, sweet potato, oats, brown rice, quinoa, beans, seeds and nuts.

VITAMIN B RICH FOODS

Deficiency in B vitamins is said to cause anxiety caused by stress, such as fluctuations in the blood sugar level, hormonal imbalances, depression, moodiness, chronic fatigue, nervousness, and constipation. All these symptoms are associated with migraines and headaches. Thus, eating foods rich in Vitamin B can help avoid and reduce the duration of a migraine episode.

Mediterranean foods rich in B vitamins: salmon, whole grains, prunes, broccoli, oatmeal, brown rice, yogurt, cantaloupe, and sea vegetables.

Apart from the common thought that a healthy diet is merely eating greens, Mediterranean diet is actually composed of vast variety of food choices. You may search the internet for healthy and delicious Mediterranean recipes or if you are a bit creative, try to make your own. Adopting Mediterranean diet into your system would surely make your life better as it does not only help you lose weight, it also prevents migraine attacks.

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Migraine symptoms that are common during a woman’s pregnancy involve a pounding or throbbing pain which is usually accompanied by dizziness and vomiting. It is also known for its unilateral effect, which elicits pain from one side to the other. Aside from that, the pain is also felt on the eyes, on the forehead or at the back of the head. If you know someone who experience migraine symptoms during pregnancy, you must realize that there are a lot of options you can do to help her and these are enumerated below.

1. Know what usually triggers a migraine

Food items such as peanuts, aged cheese, caffeine-rich products, soya products, avocado, sauerkraut, canned goods, beans and preservatives are usually found to trigger a migraine headache.

2. Distinguish the usual symptoms

Aside from pain, migraine also makes the woman feel nauseated, vomit and increase sensitivity to light. While some do experience aura as a warning symptom, others do not. An aura is known as the symptom which manifest before the headache occurs, which is best manifested by disturbance in vision. Classification of migraine headaches include those having an aura, those without an aura and a migraine accompanied with aura and mixed tension.

Firstly, migraine without an aura is characterized by a pulsating and throbbing headache, which is often felt on either side of the foreheads. This pain could either be dull, severe, or lasting for up to 2 days. Other symptoms associated in this category include vertigo and dizziness, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite. Post-migraine attacks may still show other symptoms such as neck pain and sleepiness.

Second, in a migraine with an aura, the aura occurs prior to the head pain and the warning signs usually occur between minutes up to a whole day. The vision disturbances develop and occur in both eyes, accompanied by seeing blind spots, flashing or zigzag lines, sensitivity to brightness, visual hallucination and pain in the eyes. Chills, increased sweating, irritability and an urgency to urinate are also some of the difficult signs and symptoms that are associated in this category.

Third, the worst type is the mixed tension migraine. This ultimately manifests both the tension and the migraine headache. You may notice the pain is felt on both sides of the head. Mild to severe pain may be experienced and worsens with increased activity; this could last until 3 days. Other accompanying symptoms include depression, sensitivity to bright lights and sounds, weakness and numbness of the body.

3. Learn how to get rid of it

Although according to studies, acetaminophen may be taken during the first trimester if you only follow the recommended dosage, it is still not guaranteed to be completely safe due to its potent adverse effects. A good intervention for any form of migraine attack is warm or cold compress; allowing the person to relax and be placed in a dark and quiet room would also provide beneficial results.

Overall, it is essential that a pregnant woman knows how to handle migraine symptoms during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy is a critical condition for any woman, which is why a lot of due care and support must be given if there are unnecessary health concerns that would eventually rise. Keep these 3 steps in mind to prevent and manage migraine symptoms.

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Unless you are a migraine sufferer, you have no idea how bad migraine can be. This is especially true for people who have low pain tolerance, as migraine headaches is more painful than a regular headache magnified by ten. There is no way of knowing when migraine attacks. It could be while you’re driving, reading, even when you just woke up. Some people suffer from migraine once or twice a year, while there are some that suffers up to more than fifteen times a month. The latter is what we call chronic migraine. This could be a very painful headache, or it could be nausea without the pain. Either way, having such attacks (imagine fifteen times a month?) will no doubt interfere with your social and professional life.

The pain caused by migraine alone will make you wish it would stop—permanently. This, plus the feeling of nausea and the sensitivity to light and noise is enough for migraineurs to look for a cure. While a lot of companies are looking for ways to cure chronic migraine, it has not been developed yet. Instead of waiting for the cure to be developed (which could take years), you can actually prevent migraine attacks. Here are some great tips for stopping migraine attacks before they start.

TIP #1 KEEP A JOURNAL

People who have been working with doctors are often advised to keep a journal, and you can do the same. The purpose of this journal is to find out what triggers your migraine, so that it can be stopped before it starts. A common migraine journal would have the date on it, the activities that you did for the day and the food and drinks that you consumed. You also need to record the day and the time that your migraine attacked, and find the common data between this and the other attacks. Just be diligent in filling out the journal every day, and it would no doubt help you find the reason behind your migraine attacks.

TIP #2 REDUCE STRESS

Stress has been linked to more than a number of illnesses, migraine included. Reducing stress is actually one of the most effective ways to prevent migraine attacks, although this is not the easiest. With the lifestyle most of us are living, it’s impossible not to get stressed, especially at work. If you are serious about stopping migraine attacks dead on its tracks, cut back on the things that stress you. Often, this could be as easy as taking a break. While it is tempting to work extra hours at the office, stop and go home. Leave for the day, and never bring work home with you. Doing things that you love will also help reduce stress such as taking up dance lessons, knitting or having fun with your kids.

TIP #3 TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT

The problem with a lot of us is that we don’t treat our body right. We seem to forget that we are not machines, which could work non- stop 24/7. One effective way of stopping migraine attacks is giving yourself time to relax. Some people get very relaxed with meditation, which is a great way of fully resting your mind. While this is not easy at first, you’d find that doing it often will train your mind to shut off everything come meditation time. If meditation seems to be too much for you, you can go for a simpler option such as taking a warm bath. If you like, you can even play relaxing music on the background, and get the relaxation time your body needs so much.

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Most people are aware that the only answer for fast relief against migraine are effective analgesics, however, this is not true. In fact, there are a lot of medications in the market that are meant for other conditions yet they work in stopping a migraine attack.  Below are a number of recommended migraine medications that do work by blocking another migraine attack.

#1 Abortive Medications and Targetive Abortives

The migraine medications that your doctor will recommend are dependent upon the results of your history taking and physical assessment. In order to stop the headaches, they do recommend what they call as abortive medications. These so called abortive medications are what we usually know of as analgesics or pain relievers in layman’s term.  They are classified into 3 kinds, namely: analgesics with caffeine, analgesics with barbiturates and caffeine, and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Ideally, an abortive medication acts by reversing the inflammation of the surrounding tissues and nerves in your brain. Once the medication, hits the inflamed area it hinders a migraine attack including its symptoms. Although upon the initial intake of the drug, mild symptoms may still be experienced while your body is still adjusting to the effects of the drug.

If abortive medications do not seem to resolve you the pain, your physician may need to give you targeted abortives. A more potent drug compared to the former. This certain class of pain relievers come in varying forms such as injections, nasal sprays and tablets. Commonly known targeted abortives include triptans and ergotamines.

#2 The Preventive Medications

If recurrent migraine attacks become immensely distractive that it tends to hamper your everyday activities, then these are the ones that are right for you. These medications include beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, anticonvulsants and anti-depressants. For the specific lists of medications, you may consult a pharmacist to make you aware of the mechanism of action for each specific drug.

Remember that these drugs cannot be purchased without prescription since they are meant for more aggressive conditions. These kinds of migraine medications do work, although they are not really made to block the pain but it contains varying effects which assist in preventing the recurrence of another migraine pain.

#3 Anti-emetics

Migraine has two classifications; one is migraine without an aura and the other with an aura. Those who experience the former, does not have any warning signs while the latter experience various symptoms prior to a migraine which includes nausea, vomiting and vision problems. Thus, those who experience an aura also need the aid of an anti-emetic in order to facilitate a common migraine symptom which is nausea.

Keep in mind that migraine attacks are due to either a genetic predisposition or other triggering factors. This is the reason why aside from always carrying these medications with you, you must also avoid various food items that could cause your migraine to reoccur. Needless to say, it would be useless to keep taking migraine medications without proper diet management and lifestyle changes.

Overall, these migraine medications do work. If they do not, your doctor would not definitely prescribe it. However you have to be careful in taking these medications with other prescribed meds so that potentially fatal adverse effects will be avoided.

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During pregnancy, a lot of changes can be seen in a woman’s body.  One of which are changes in levels of hormones which are essential to support the new life in the womb. However, some expert says that these changes in hormone levels are associated with uncomfortable conditions such as migraine. Migraine during early stages of pregnancy is also common since this is the stage where your hormone reaches different levels as compared to your early life. Prevalence rate among pregnant women may also differ. They say that if you are suffering from migraine in your early years before pregnancy or it runs in your family, then you might have stronger or more frequent attacks during pregnancy. If you are lucky enough, migraines may also disappear.

A hormonal change creates migraine by affecting the Blood vessels in the brain. They dilate the blood vessels until such it becomes permeable or liquids can easily pass through causing some fluids to escape. Once it reaches outside the blood vessel walls, your body’s pain receptors identify this and send out chemicals causing inflammation. This inflammation process explains why a dull pain is felt during an attack. It is regularly felt at the temporal part of the head. This dull pain may progress to throbbing and pulsating pain as your heart continues to pump blood which passes in the affected area. At times, attacks like this may or may not be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The duration differs from one person to another. It may take up to few minutes or may last for hours depending on the management. Other pregnant women also claim that they experience aura before a migraine attack. Auras are described as disturbance in sense of sight or smell. This may include flashing of lights, wavy lines, small black dots or even a distinct smell. These may also serve as warning signs that an attack may happen.

Immediate migraine treatment is typically with the use of analgesics or pain relievers. On the other hand it is still best for pregnant women not to take any medication without consulting their medical health provider since some medications may affect the child in the womb. They could give an advice or safe medicines to take in case an attack would happen. Also one good step to follow is to get rid of it, if not, minimize the attacks. Since attacks can be triggered, be conscious of the things that cause it like stress and certain foods. Some doctors suggest adequate rest, sleep, exercise and relaxation techniques would help decrease the occurrence rate.

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If there is such a thing as menstrual migraine, there is also such a thing as migraine caused by perimenopause. Women are subjected to so much “torture” each month when their “period” is about to come, when they already have it and sometimes, even after their menstruation.

In the case of women, migraine headaches are usually related to female hormones. When there are higher levels of hormones, then migraine headaches may be experienced. It is often believed that more women experience migraine than men.

Migraine headache is more severe than an ordinary headache. A recurrent throbbing or pulsating sensation that is usually experienced in one side of the head (but may also be experienced in both sides), may cause a nauseating feeling. Attacks may last for 2 hours to 3 days.  It is best to determine what causes migraine attacks so these triggers may be avoided. Certain attacks may make your hands and feet sweat and make you feel very weak.

Should you experience migraine headaches, it is best to rest with closed eyes. You may feel debilitating pain when exposed to bright lights. Sleeping for an hour or more is even better.

Like menstruation, menopause is part of womanhood. The difference though is that menopause comes with age. The woman’s ovaries produce lower levels of estrogen and progesterone. In fact, the uterus shrinks during menopause. On the average, menopause comes at age 52. There are those however who go through early menopausal. It is during the perimenopausal stage that migraines are experienced simply because of hormone fluctuations. Some have complained about more intense pain than the usual migraine attacks during perimenopause.

Women in menopause and perimenopause, more often than not, experience hot flushes, insomnia, dizziness, palpitations and headache. Drop in estrogen levels results in increased headache. Further, increase in fluctuating headache patterns is also experienced as menopause nears.

If during menstruation, headaches are experienced, infrequent menstruation during the menopausal stage should improve headache attacks. Aging may be associated with headaches that lessens in severity during menopause. Most women never realize that the frequency and improved intensity of attacks may be attributed to menopause.

There are those who become thankful than resentful when in menopause. Aside from the being freed from the usual hassle of going back and forth to the ladies room to change sanitary napkins and going through all the discomforts of menstruation, migraine attacks are greatly minimized (particularly those related to the menstrual cycle).

Menopause is part of every woman’s life. It should be embraced and treated normally.

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Someone suffering from migraine headaches should not simply try to deal with the pain. These headaches can often be severely painful and often times debilitating. Many people are not able to work during a migraine attack and may need to be isolated in a quiet area for several hours until these headaches pass. There are many different types of treatments for migraine headaches and it is important to find a good doctor to help diagnose your condition and find treatments which are suitable for your individual case. There are several methods which you may be able to find a local doctor to help you with migraine treatment.

The first thing to understand when searching for a doctor is that no two physicians are alike. There are always going to be good doctors and bad doctors, and it is your job to find a good doctor. Most doctors are severely overworked and do not take the time with individual patients to find a treatment that is best on an individual basis. There have been many advances in the treatment of migraine headaches with a variety of different medications. However, many doctors do not keep up-to-date on treatments and may simply recommend one treatment for all cases. You must find a doctor you are comfortable with and who takes the time to listen to you and experiment with different types of medications to find something that works best for you.

A great way of finding a good doctor is to search out migraine support groups in your area. Small towns may be a little more difficult to find support groups; however, most large metro areas will have several to choose from in your area. Attending these meetings will allow you to socialize with other sufferers and you may be able to ask the group members who their doctors are. This will give you an insight whether or not they are happy with the doctor’s performance and if they would recommend them to someone else.

Another great place to find a good migraine doctor is online forums. Many large websites dedicated to migraine headache sufferers will have forums in which members can interact. You can search these forums for recommendations of doctors in your city simply by typing in your city name in the search box and looking for doctor recommendations. If you cannot find something which has already been posted then ask the question yourself. Simply ask if anyone knows of a good migraine doctor in your city.

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If you have begun suffering severe headaches which seem to worsen with noise and light exposure you may be suffering from migraines. These headaches are not like the typical slight headaches which you can usually still function throughout the day with. These headaches only causing mild discomfort; however, migraines are usually debilitating and can keep you from work and other activities. Migraine headaches can be brought on by a variety of factors and triggers at any age. If you have been diagnosed as suffering from migraine headaches then there a few things you may want to do to provide yourself migraine treatment and help ease your pain and be ready for the next attack.

There are a few things which have been shown to reduce the pain and longevity of migraines. First of all you must find an area to lie down and relax in. This area should be extremely dark since many people are sensitive to light during a migraine attack. This area should also be very quiet and away from other noises in the house. You can help darken the room by installing blackout curtains which will eliminate almost all light. You may also try inserting earplugs or wearing some type of headphones to block out extra noise.

If you have began suffering migraines it is important to keep a daily diary of the events in your life. This will help keep track of everything you do and the meals in which you eat. Since there are many different types of triggers which can bring on a migraine attack it is important to start writing down everything you do before an attack occurs. Once an attack occurs you can go back and see what you did leading up to the attack. After a while patterns should start to emerge which will allow you to identify what is triggering your migraines and will allow you to avoid these triggers in the future.

There are also a number of medications which can help with your migraine headaches. If your migraines occur often, such as once a week, then you may be a candidate for preventive medicines. These medications can be taken daily and are meant to eliminate a migraine attack. On the other hand, if your migraines occur infrequently there are still medications which can be taken at the first signs of a migraine attack and help to shorten the attack or eliminate it altogether. There are a number of different types of medications which can be used in both fashions and you must experiment with your doctor to find the medications which will work for you.

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