What to do for a Migraine?
Migraine looks like a simple disease, but it has its impact all over the world. If you get migraines, all of the following suggestions can help to lessen their intensity.
How to relieve migraine?
- Find a dark/quiet room and take a cool shower.
- Put an ice pack on your head and/or neck for 15 minutes at a time, as this helps soothe pain and inflammation in those areas.
- Get some exercise every day. This encourages endorphins to flow, which will help you feel good.
- If you are feeling the onset of a migraine, try this home remedy to prevent it: Heat some coconut oil (don’t use it if you have an oily scalp – use olive oil instead) and put it on your neck and shoulders. Your migraines may last only a few hours instead of a day or more if you massage the oil in well while the oil is still hot.
- Try to eat regularly as this helps stabilize blood sugar levels which can lessen migraines.
- Avoid dairy products for several days or weeks at a time. Dairy products contain hormones and other compounds that can contribute to migraines.
- Exercise regularly, even if you don’t feel like it. It may not make you feel better – it will boost your mood and brain chemicals, though.
- Try to eat a healthy diet. Staying away from sugar, salt, and fast food is important for migraine prevention but also overall health – exercising almost every day will burn off plenty of calories so you don’t need to eat as much! If you have a lot of time when waiting for your next meal at a fast food place, try not going there at all.
- Try natural supplements such as magnesium supplements or calcium tablets
- Ensure that the temperature in your home is comfortable.
- If you have a history of migraine, you may need preventative medications such as beta blockers, afternoon or evening pain killers, or an anti-inflammatory.
- In case the weather is hot and humid and you have a lot of migraines in the summer, try taking vitamin D3 supplements. If this does not help reduce your headache frequency, consider seeing your doctor for a medication change.
- Dehydration worsens migraines, so drink plenty of water, drink more than usual if you are replacing it with caffeine (which can aggravate migraines), and avoid sugary drinks as they will dehydrate you.
- If you experience frequent relief after a meal, try eating only one food at the meal… no bread, fish, chicken, or other foods that can trigger migraines.
- If you are having a migraine in the afternoon or evening when you have your last meal of the day, try avoiding your last meal of the day.
- Be sure to get enough sleep: if you feel tired and irritable it could be from lack of sleep – make sure that you are up by 8am and get at least 8 hours of sleep! If you don’t have time to get to bed by midnight (or earlier) then make an effort because it’s worth it for your health.
- Try to get 10,000 steps in per day.
- If you have a stressful job or school life, try doing some light exercise and yoga every day.
- You can treat migraines according to your condition, perhaps using supplements, if you have other medical conditions such as fibromyalgia or hypothyroidism.
- Eat foods that are rich in magnesium: Spinach, Swiss Chard, Wheat Germ, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds… They are a great source of magnesium!
- Try taking a probiotic supplement (for anyone who does not have a good gut flora)
- Try getting more exercise consistently or taking an energizer as it will give you more energy (It is also thought that these can help prevent migraines. I haven’t had too much luck with taking an energizer but it might be worth a try.)
- Sleeping at midnight and waking up at 8am suppresses the release of the hormone melatonin, so night owls are more likely to suffer migraines. Try to keep your bedroom dark and quiet, get lots of sleep, and move around enough during the day to keep your blood flowing.
- Avoid drinking alcohol regularly which can contribute to migraines.
- Don’t get stressed out. That’s just not good for you or your health!
- For people who lack HCL, they can get an HCL supplement that includes magnesium and vitamin C, but you shouldn’t take too much of it.
Also Read: Food safety and sanitisation for health
(Note: I am not a doctor, don’t rely on any of the above informations as medical advice)