The best treatment for people who have frequent or severe migraines is prevention. Several things can be done to prevent migraines, the best of which is to find your individual migraine triggers. Lifestyle changes have been shown to reduce the severity and frequency of migraines in many people. You can follow these few simple steps to find your migraine triggers and help prevent them from happening.
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Method 1 of 5: Controlling Common Triggers
Step 1. Prevent low blood sugar
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, can cause migraines. Hypoglycemia is caused by a lack of nutrients or eating too many refined carbohydrates that are converted into sugar in the blood. Eating small meals frequently is important in controlling blood sugar levels. Don't skip meals. Avoid refined carbohydrates like sugar and white bread. However, bread made from wheat can be consumed.
For each small meal, choose a combination of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables with protein-rich foods such as eggs or low-fat meats. This combination will help keep your blood sugar stable
Step 2. Avoid foods that contain tyramine and nitrites
Tyramine is a substance that can release the chemical norepinephrine in the brain that can trigger headaches. Many foods contain tyramine or nitrite. Some of these include eggplant, potatoes, sausage, bacon, ham, spinach, sugar, aged cheese, beer, and red wine.
- Some other foods that contain tyramine are chocolate, fried foods, bananas, prunes, broad beans, tomatoes, and citrus fruits.
- Foods that contain lots of spices such as MSG or artificial additives can also trigger migraines.
- Soy products, especially fermented ones, also contain high levels of tyramine. Tofu, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and miso are some examples of such soybean products.
Step 3. Be aware of food allergies
Allergies to certain types of food can trigger migraines in sensitive people. It is caused by inflammation that occurs with an allergic reaction. Try to avoid all foods that you are allergic to and that you think will make you allergic.
- If you are having a migraine, write down all the foods you consumed during the day. That way, you can track down and start guessing on the food you're allergic to. You can also do an allergy test with the help of a doctor.
- Foods that commonly trigger allergies are wheat, nuts, dairy products, and certain grains.
- If you've determined foods that trigger migraines, remove them from your diet. If you're not sure, don't eat the food for a while to see how it reacts to your body. Or, you can also ask your doctor to do a food allergy test.
- Remember that not everyone has the same food triggers or allergic responses. Foods that trigger a person's migraines probably won't give you migraines.
Step 4. Keep yourself hydrated
One of the main causes of migraines is dehydration. Because the body needs a lot of water every day, the body will feel sick and uncomfortable if it lacks water. Dehydration causes other symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, and dizziness.
The best source of hydration is water. Other drinks that are low in (or free of) sugar or artificial sweeteners and free of caffeine can also help keep you hydrated
Step 5. Avoid certain types of light
When trying to prevent migraines, avoid bright light. Certain colored lights can also trigger migraines in some people. This sensitivity is called photophobia. This phobia occurs when light increases headache pain because nerve cells in the eye called neurons are activated by bright light.
When this happens, the neurons are still active and the pain may subside if you stay in the dark for 20-30 minutes
Step 6. Don't be exposed to intense stimuli too often
Wear sunglasses when the weather is sunny because bright light or sparkles sometimes cause migraines. The light of snow, water, or buildings can trigger migraines. If possible, glasses should have good quality lenses and have side panels. Some migraine sufferers also find colored lenses helpful.
- Rest your eyes regularly while watching TV or using the computer. Adjust the brightness and contrast levels of your TV and computer screens. If you are using a reflective screen, reduce the reflections with a filter, or by covering curtains and drapes when the sun is shining.
- Non-visual stimuli, such as strong fragrances, can also trigger migraines in some people. If you smell a certain smell that seems to trigger a migraine, try to avoid that smell.
Step 7. Don't listen to loud noises too often
Migraines can be triggered by loud noises, especially if they are continuous. The reason is still unclear, but experts argue that migraine sufferers may not be able to relieve loud noises. There is also the opinion that the inner ear canal is the cause.
Step 8. Watch for changes in the weather
Changes in weather or climate, which are associated with barometric pressure, can trigger migraines. A dry atmosphere or warm, dry winds can trigger headaches. This condition is caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the body due to changes in pressure.
Method 2 of 5: Making Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Eat foods that protect against migraines
Consume a combination of healthy and balanced meals consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein. Eat lots of dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and kale. You can also eat eggs, yogurt, and low-fat milk for healthy protein. These foods contain B vitamins that help prevent migraines.
- Eat foods that are high in magnesium. Magnesium rests blood vessels and ensures cells function properly. Some foods that are high in magnesium are nuts such as almonds and cashews, whole grains, wheat germ, soybeans, avocados, yogurt, dark chocolate, and leafy green vegetables.
- Oily fish can also help prevent migraines. Eat oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, or anchovies three times a week to increase the amount of omega-3 and fatty acids.
Step 2. Quit smoking
Tobacco use has been known to trigger migraines. If you don't think you can quit smoking on your own, call your doctor and discuss strategies or medications that can help you quit smoking.
A study proved that smoking more than 5 cigarettes per day is more likely to trigger migraines. If you can't quit smoking, it may be helpful to limit the number of cigarettes to less than 5 cigarettes per day
Step 3. Avoid caffeine
Caffeine affects people in different ways. Although it triggers migraines in some people, caffeine can also help. If you use caffeine on a regular basis and suspect it causes migraines, try to reduce your use a little at a time. Quitting caffeine suddenly can cause migraines. So, be aware of this and get used to yourself to reduce consumption slowly.
- Caffeine is known to help because it is a key ingredient in some migraine relievers. However, caffeine probably won't help with migraines if you take it every day because your body is already immune to its effects.
- Try eliminating caffeinated foods and drinks to see the effect in your case.
Step 4. Get more sleep on a regular schedule
Disrupted sleep routines reduce energy and tolerance to certain stimuli. Lack of sleep and insomnia increase the risk for migraines. However, too much sleep can also cause migraines. If the body does not get enough rest, headaches can occur due to a lack of regular sleep patterns.
Migraines can also occur when you sleep longer than usual. This can happen when the work shift changes or when experiencing jet lag
Step 5. Limit alcohol consumption
For many migraine sufferers, alcohol can trigger headaches, nausea, and other migraine symptoms that can last for days. Alcohol, especially beer and red wine, contains a lot of tyramine (a migraine trigger). Use your headache diary to set boundaries.
Some migraine sufferers don't think alcohol affects them at all. However, there are also those who can't eat it at all
Step 6. Manage or avoid stress
Stress tends to make migraines worse because of muscle tension and increased dilation of blood vessels. Stress management through the use of relaxation techniques, positive thinking, and time management can help prevent migraines from occurring. Relaxation and biofeedback have also been shown to help many migraine sufferers in relieving migraines. Biofeedback is a person's ability to control his vital signs, such as body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure by using relaxation techniques.
Do relaxation exercises, such as meditation, breathing, yoga, and prayer
Step 7. Exercise frequently
For many people, regular exercise can reduce the frequency of migraines. In addition to helping reduce stress and make you feel better, exercise also relieves tense muscles that can trigger migraines. However, do not do it excessively because sudden or strenuous exercise is also linked as a migraine trigger. Warm up first and make sure that your body is well hydrated before and after exercising. Not exercising in hot or cold conditions may also help.
Keep your posture good. Poor posture can trigger headaches due to tense muscles
Step 8. Use a humidifier
Dry air can increase the likelihood of migraines. This is because the number of positive ions in the atmosphere increases serotonin levels (a neurotransmitter that increases during migraines). So that this condition does not occur, use a humidifier or often boil water to increase the humidity of the air.
Method 3 of 5: Taking Medication
Step 1. Evaluate the hormone medication you are taking
Many women who suffer from migraines feel more frequent migraines and nausea before or during menstruation. The same can happen during pregnancy or menopause. Scientists think that this condition may be related to fluctuations in the body's estrogen levels. If you have migraines before your period, avoid or change the way you use oral contraceptives that contain estrogen, because the drop in estrogen will cause headaches that are worse than when you take them.
- High-estrogen contraceptive products and hormone replacement therapy can exacerbate migraines in many women. It's best to avoid these drugs. Call your doctor to discontinue use if you are already using it and notice that your migraines get worse or occur more frequently.
- Remember that eliminating oral contraceptives is not the only solution. Some women feel that this method helps reduce the incidence of migraines, but there are also those who experience migraines only when they do not take the drug for a week each month. Depending on the effects, you can change the type of medicine you are taking or take the medicine continuously without stopping. Consult with your doctor to find out possible solutions.
Step 2. Take preventive medication
If your migraines are frequent or severe, ask your doctor for preventive medicine. These drugs, known as prophylactic drugs, can only be purchased by prescription. Many of them have serious side effects that should be used under a doctor's supervision and taken only after all other possible precautions have been discussed. The right combination of prevention can take a long time because the number of drugs available is not commensurate with the uniqueness of each migraine case.
- Cardiovascular drugs, including beta blockers such as propranolol and atenolol, calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, and antihypertensive drugs such as lisinopril and candesartan, can be taken to help relieve migraines.
- Antiseizure medications such as valproic acid and topiramate can help with migraines. However, be aware that valproic acid can cause brain damage if your migraine is caused by a urea cycle disorder.
- Antidepressants such as tricyclics, amitriptyline, and fluoxetine have been shown to be effective in many migraine cases. With normal doses, these drugs have significant side effects. However, tricyclics such as nortriptyline which are used in low doses to treat migraines have far fewer side effects.
- Marijuana is a traditional migraine remedy that has recently attracted the attention of the medical world. Cannabis is a plant that is illegal to consume in many places, but elsewhere it can and is legal to buy with a doctor's prescription. Find out the laws governing this in your area and contact your doctor.
Step 3. Take over-the-counter supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the only drugs that can help with migraines. Certain spices and minerals can also help. Researchers found a strong correlation between magnesium deficiency and the onset of migraines. Several studies have found that taking magnesium supplements regularly can help migraine sufferers.
- Remember that you should always consult your doctor before taking any nutritional or herbal supplements, especially when taken with prescription medications.
- Some herbal supplements, such as extracts of the feferfew plant, butterbur, and kudzu root, have been shown to reduce migraine frequency. However, these supplements should not be taken by women who are pregnant.
- High doses of vitamin B2 (400 mg), also known as riboflavin, can help prevent migraines.
- Metabolic and hepatological studies have also shown that coenzyme or the active form of vitamin B6 aids hepatic amino acid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and neurological transmission. Coenzymes help keep chemicals like serotonin in the brain in balance, thereby preventing chemical imbalances that can trigger migraines.
Method 4 of 5: Recognizing Migraine Symptoms
Step 1. Talk to your doctor about your headaches
If you've never been officially diagnosed with migraines, you should discuss your headaches with your doctor. Severe and chronic headaches can also be a symptom of a more serious disease such as a brain tumor. Before treating migraine symptoms yourself, you should contact your doctor and the doctor will determine the possible cause of your headache.
Doctors will also prescribe medications and alternative treatments to treat migraines
Step 2. Learn what a migraine is
Migraine is a headache that doesn't hurt at first but gets worse over time. Migraines can last for minutes or days. Migraines can be felt on one side of the head, the back of the neck or head, or behind one eye. Migraines can present with increased frequency of urination, chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, numbness, tingling, loss of appetite, sweating, and sensitivity to light and sound.
After the migraine subsides, depression may arise due to the need for sleep and pain in the neck
Step 3. Know whether you are at risk or not
Some types of people are more prone to migraines. Migraines are most common in people aged 10-40 years. Migraines tend to lessen in people in their 50s. Migraine is a hereditary disease. If one parent suffers from migraine, their child has a 50% risk of suffering from migraine. The risk increases to 75% if both parents suffer from migraines.
Compared to men, women have a 3 times greater risk of suffering from migraines. This could be due to the connection between estrogen levels and migraines. Women who will experience menstruation often experience headaches due to decreased estrogen
Step 4. Identify the prodromal phase
Migraines have certain phases. The prodromal phase is the first phase and can begin up to 24 hours before the migraine actually appears. This condition occurs in 60% of patients. When symptoms do occur, resting and staying away from potential triggers can prevent future migraines or reduce their severity. It's also important to try to be positive when symptoms occur because stress or anxiety can accelerate or worsen the migraine.
- Mood changes, including depression, euphoria, and irritability, can be early symptoms of migraines.
- You may also experience increased thirst or fluid retention. Many migraine sufferers experience increased thirst before experiencing a headache. You may also experience a marked increase or decrease in appetite.
- You may experience fatigue, restlessness, difficulty communicating or understanding others, difficulty speaking, neck stiffness, dizziness, weak hands or feet, or lightheadedness leading to loss of balance. If these symptoms are new to you or feel more severe than usual, contact your doctor immediately.
Step 5. Recognize the characteristics of the aura phase
The aura phase appears after the prodromal phase. Only 15% of patients experience this phase. Headaches are likely to start at this stage. People who experience this phase complain of seeing dots or flashing lights and can't see. This phase can last from 5 minutes to an hour before the migraine occurs.
- The aura phase can also occur when the skin experiences a tingling or numb sensation. Hearing loss can also occur.
- A rare form of migraine aura called "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" can change one's perception of one's body or environment. This type of aura is most common in children, but sometimes occurs in adult migraine sufferers.
Step 6. Understand the active phase of the headache
The headache phase is the next phase and is the worst for most patients. Headaches usually start at a small spot on the head and can move to other parts of the head. His complaint was a throbbing headache. A lot of movement and other factors such as light and sound can make the pain worse.
- The patient is often unable to talk to him because of the pain in his head.
- Diarrhea, nausea, or even vomiting can also occur during the headache phase.
Step 7. Understand the resolution phase
The final phase of migraine is the resolution phase. In this phase, the body recovers from the migraine trauma. Many patients complain of fatigue after a migraine occurs. Meanwhile, some patients become irritable and experience mood shifts after the headache phase is over.
Method 5 of 5: Creating a Migraine Management Plan
Step 1. Keep a headache diary
Although migraines have some common triggers, you should find out what specific triggers your migraines. A headache diary can help you determine it and help you and your doctor monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Monitoring a log of things to do, foods, experiences, and feelings for the 24 hours before a migraine occurs can teach you a lot about the specific migraine triggers you're experiencing.
- Start the diary by asking yourself the following questions: When did I start having headaches? How often do these headaches occur? When do migraines occur (specific time or day)? How do I explain the pain? What's the trigger? Do I have a different type of headache? Has any family member experienced it? Does vision change during a headache? Do I have it when I'm on my period?
- Record the day, the time from start to finish, rate the pain from 0-10, triggers, previous symptoms, medications you took to relieve them, and migraine relievers.
- There are cell phone apps that can track migraines, triggers, auras, medications, and other related things. For Android users, the migraine application can be searched on the Google Play Store by typing the keyword "migraine" or related to migraine.
Step 2. Identify the triggers that give you migraines
Migraines are not caused by one thing. The exact cause of migraines is not clear and can vary from person to person. Migraines are caused by many different things, from food, smells, sounds, things to seeing, sleep patterns or daily activities. Be sure to record everything you do each day so that over time, the specific migraine triggers you are experiencing can be deduced.
Step 3. Create a migraine management plan
While all types of migraines are unavoidable, you can manage them. See the patterns that form in your migraine diary. Look for specific triggers and times (days, weeks or seasons) that make migraines worse.
- Once you find the pattern, devise a method for managing migraine prevention. Execute the plan, avoid triggers, and be aware of the things that make you sensitive. Record the results and stick to the methods that can make you prevent migraines.
- Another possible change is to take medication when the headache starts and tell others about your pain.
Tips
- Some migraine triggers, such as changes in the weather and menstruation, are unavoidable. If you're affected by things you can't control (like the weather and your period), relaxation and avoiding other triggers will help.
- Migraine triggers are not well understood. While there are many recommendations for foods and activities to avoid, the triggers you should avoid are the specific triggers that cause you migraines.
- Some people also report that acupressure, acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic medications can help control migraines. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to show that these methods are beneficial.
- Unfortunately, there is still no cure for migraines. Even by avoiding triggers and taking preventative medications, migraine sufferers are more likely to have migraines again.
- Several headache specialists have reported success in preventing migraines using Botox injections.
Warning
- This article is a general guide and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before taking any medication or before making any drastic lifestyle changes.
- If you take over-the-counter painkillers for more than half a month, headaches may return when you stop taking them. Therefore, use aspirin, ibuprofen or other pain relievers only when needed. Talk to your doctor about safe ways to take these medications.
