Healthytalk8 Migraine Headache
Contents
Migraine headache is one of the most common headaches around the world about 1 in 10 people are affected.
On the other hand, a normal headache goes on its own sometimes, or sometimes it settles after taking medicine or applying remedies.
A study revealed that migraine is more common in females than men and higher in rural living people than in urban areas people.
Getting a migraine headache may also bring anger, frustration, and irritability, which may occur in a normal headache.
NOTE: But how do we know that individuals suffer from normal headaches and migraine headaches? here are:
- One side: It starts from one side of the head and then spreads to the other or both sides of the head, and it is more severe than usual.
- Last long: Compared to a regular headache it stays longer time, and can stay for hours to days.
- Trigger things: Affect by vision, sound, visual changes, and tingling sensation in the limbs.
It is important to know that everyone has different migraine signs, and trigger things, so consult your doctor.
Is it Dangerous?
MH is not considered dangerous, however, it is seen that it may affect the quality of life if precautions are not taken or trigger it frequently.
But the pain and other signs of migraine can hinder you from doing your daily activities like school, work and social activities.
In severe cases (triggering it again and again, and not taking precautions) may lead to severe health risks like stroke (2)
Unravelling the Reasons
The exact reasons are unknown, but there can be different reasons for different persons, and diagnosis is done to find the exact reason.
However, it believes that environmental factor and genes are a vital role in it, but there are no hard evidence.
Genes
If parents or even close family members have a migraine, then it may also occur in you due to genetics.
We are not adding genes to trigger things, because genes are run by a family, which mostly have no cure, just precautions.
But here are some common things that trigger migraine headache are included:
Environmental Factors
Some environmental triggers things which also different in individuals such as:
- Secondhand smoking
- light or bright, and flickering light, specific light like blue may trigger migraine headaches.
- smell like specific perfumes, smell, strong chemicals, etc
Stress
It is one of the most common reasons for headaches, which affect brain nerves and leads to stress headache.
Stress affects everyone, whether it is gender, culture, young or old, rich or poor (3) it is typically a tied situation, and once its resolves, it goes away.
Lack of Sleep
Not taking enough sleep for a long time (occurs due to stress, and other reasons) also brings migraine headaches.
Sleep and stress are allied with each other, where stress makes it difficult to fall asleep, and other hand lack of sleep leads to stress.
In addition, lack of sleep is allied with insomnia and oversleeping, which can make stressful situations worse (3)
More Screen Time
Spending more time on blue screen like a laptop, and mobiles not only become the reason for headache but also affect sleep.
Major studies reveal that interaction with blue light increases brain alertness and can trigger cognitive functions, which overall leads to poo sleep quality (3)
One more study has shown linked between mobile phone usage and symptoms of headache, dizziness, and sleep disturbance (5).
Other Trigger Things
- Weather changes
- certain foods and drinks like caffeine, processed food, alcohol, etc
- neck pain
- hormonal imbalance occurs during the menstrual cycle during pregnancy, and menopause
- specific light or bright light
- loud noise
- dehydration or lack of water in the body also leads to headache
- strong smell
- gas, when you do not release the gas, so this goes upwards to the brain, lead head pain.
- anger (4)
- heat
- skipping eating food for a long-time, which also leads to weakness and headache
- exercise can also lead to migraine headaches
- intercourse activity
- cold, and flu also lead to headache
Some medical conditions can also lead to head pain
- High blood pressure
- temporal arteries
- Inflammation in veins
- tumours, Bleeding, and any infection in the brain
Make sure, if you face frequent headaches, or other pain on the head side, then consult your doctor it may be some other issue.
Signs of Migraine Headache
There are signs and symptoms of migraine headaches by knowing the symptoms you can help another person including:
- Severe headache on one side of the head and feeling going to the other side
- pain above the eyes or difficulty in seeing (6)
- nausea and vomiting
- sensitivity to light like tingling, bright light, and sound
- fatigue
- dizziness
- aura (a disturbance in vision before a headache occurs)
- irritation or mood changes occur
- difficulty in focus
What Treatments Are Available?
See, there is no permanent cure for migraine headaches because the exact reason is not the same for each person and the reasons variety is several.
But there are several treatments available that will help you in relieving the symptoms are include:
Medications
In this doctor may suggest you some medications, but before finding the exact reason for your, if it is genetic then precautions are the only way.
If other environmental factors are the reason, then the doctor may tell you to avoid them or you some medicine to prevent triggering things.
There are several medications, but make sure before consulting your doctor, because it reduces the risk of further complications.
We are not recommend any medicine, because everyone has different body size, and health status.
Non-medications ways
Home remedies and several other natural ways come in this, which is first priority of many people are:
1. Massage: studies reveal that message whether is a form of acupressure help relieve headache by reducing stress and bringing calmness.
2. Yoga: It involves a series of posture, breathing ways, and meditation, just do 30 minutes of yoga daily to ease stress.
If stress is reduced, then automatically headaches and other issues also be reduced the risk.
This ancient technique is one of the best ways to minimize your headache, by calming down stress, breath, mind, and body.
3. Supplements: Popular study has shown that magnesium and other supplements help in reducing the symptoms of migraine symptoms.
4. Avoid trigger things: Make sure to avoid trigger things, and find the trigger thing you can take with the help of your doctor.
Some common triggers things are:
- secondhand smoking
- bright, and tingling lights
5. Exercise: if mild pain is occurring, then exercise can help with it, by secreting feel-good hormones like endorphins.
Just make sure to avoid excessive exercise that may also lead to headache, if a lack of water also occur.
6. Drink enough water: Not drinking enough water affect blood vessels, brain pulses, nerves, inflammation, and certain other event occur.
So it is vital to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially if you are doing exercise, which also prevents muscle cramps (5)
7. Rest in a dark and quiet place: Dark and quiet place is best for MH individuals because it eliminates all the conditions like bright light, sound, and vision.
8. Ginger tea: The study again reveals that ginger tea help in easing the symptoms of migraine severity like nausea.
And smelling and tasting ginger tea trigger the feel-good hormones, which can help in suppressing migraine pain (6)
9. Relaxation: In most cases, headaches occur because of stress, and tension, which we know, but still most people are not able to manage it.
So learn to manage it, avoid it, and how control it, through relaxation techniques including – deep breathing technique.
10. Cognitive-behavioral therapy: More studies found that CBT including relaxation, and bio feed, are able to reduce the frequency of MH (6)
CBT also helps with other mental disorders and other migraine-related disorders (7)
11. Find the cause: Overall, before applying these ways, make sure to find your exact cause, and then apply natural ways to you.
Which works more efficiently on you, in comparison to just taking painkiller medication (to prevent migraine pain).
If you experience severe headache for hours or days, then consult to your doctor, because it may be some other health issue sign.
How You Can Prevent It?
There is no guaranteed way to prevent migraine headaches, if you have work on you, avoid trigger things.
Here you can prevent migraine headaches include:
- Knowing the self-caring technique during the attack such as:
- rest and relaxation
- if you are outside, make sure to drink enough water
- apply cold and warm compresses
- smell perfume that feels good
- identifying and avoiding trigger things
- take proper sleep
- avoid screen timing
- don’t skip the meal, eat regular
- manage stress
- do exercise at least 30 minutes a day (yoga is also an exercise) or if you do exercise then reduce excessive.
Down Line
Migraine headache is the most common about 1 in 10 people are affected by it, and the prevention is its cure.
Secondhand smoking, more screen time, and bright or tingling light are the most common reasons for MH.
If you are experiencing severe pain, or see that headache is not going on its own, then consult your doctor.
There is no exact cure for it, you have to first find the causes, and then work on it. like avoiding second-hand smoke, minimizing screen time, etc.
