Most of us have experienced headaches from time to time. A smaller number of us have experienced migraines.
June is Migraine Awareness Month, so it’s an ideal time to call attention to the effect of migraines.
First, let’s start with a definition of migraines, as defined by the Migraine Research Foundation. Migraines are “an extremely incapacitating collection of neurological symptoms that usually include a severe throbbing recurring pain on one side of the head,” the foundation reports. “However, in one-third of migraine attacks, both sides are affected.” A few more migraine facts:
- Migraine attacks last between 4 hours to 3 days
- People who get migraines usually have other symptoms, including visual disturbances, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, extreme sensitivity to sound or light/touch/smell, and tingling or numbness in the face extremities.
- It’s still not entirely clear what causes migraines, but the latest thinking is that migraine is a neurological disorder.
Migraines are also very common, with almost one in four U.S. households having someone who experiences them, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Migraines usually run in families, and they are most common between the ages of 25 and 55. Most people who get migraines have attacks one or two times a month, but there are 4 million people with chronic daily migraine. Those sufferers experience at least 15 migraine days a month.
If you’re one of the many people who experiences migraines, here are a few tips to try and prevent them:
1. Take notes on your migraine triggers, so you can see if there are certain foods or other things that cause them.
2. Aim for a regular sleep schedule.
3. Take time to de-stress—stress can cause bad headaches or migraines!
4. Get regular exercise. Exercise helps your body release chemicals that block pain signals to your brain, according to the Mayo clinic.
5. If you feel a migraine coming on, get to a dark, calm environment and try to rest.
6. Ask your doctor about migraine treatments. In addition to medications, options like Botox are being used to treat chronic migraine. Alternative treatments such as acupuncture are also known to help migraines.
7. Seek urgent care for a migraine that is different from what you typically experience or a severe headache/migraine that comes on suddenly. This is to make sure there is not a more serious problem. Other symptoms that could indicate a more serious problem include a fever, double vision or vision loss, weakness, or confusion.
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