If you suffer from migraines; you like the rest of us who suffer want to do anything and everything to possibly stop them. Any day that we don’t have a migraine is a better day then when we have a migraine!
If you are within the small percentage who can not take the prescription medicines now available there are still ways you can prevent or limit the severity of your migraines. As a long time migraine victim I have learned a lot and I share it when I can.
If you read through this article you will learn some effortless ways to limit the migraines so that you can have less of them and in return you get a more productive life. Not a bad exchange for a bit or reading and changing your habits if you ask me
Use these little suggestions to help improve your life.
Pillow: Make sure your pillow is firm to provide good neck support, for posture and also to prevent migraines. I buy a new pillow every six months or so.
Sleep: Try and sleep the same time of day or night, for the same length of time. I know it is impossible but as long as you are close you’ll be fine.
Outdoor activities: Direct sunlight is a known trigger, so try to stay out of direct sunlight during its peak hours which are 10 to 2 no matter where you live.
Sunlight reflecting of the snow will also trigger a migraine for some people.
Indoor activities: Staring at a computer or television screen is a known trigger so limit these activities. Also sitting at a table which reflects a ceiling fan is also a known trigger.
Food triggers: Keep a notebook of your known triggers and limit those foods that cause them. Food triggers are a huge cause of migraines and unfortunately most people don’t even realize how certain foods cause them.
Use Feverfew: I know what you are thinking. I didn’t use natural stuff in the past but this one works. The way this works is as a preventive medicine. I always have a bottle of these on hand and my sons will take them as well.
When a migraine occurs you can use one of these:
Heat therapy, a hot shower makes some migraines go away and some people prefer rice bags, which you create and pop in the microwave for a few minutes. The heat stays in the rice bag half an hour or so, so I find it better then trying to stand in a shower. I don’t know about you, but a real bad migraine will make me dizzy somewhat.
Cold therapy, sometimes an ice pack is what is needed. I find it totally helpful on my upper face. In an earlier article I wrote here someone suggested popping the rice bag into the freezer to use as an ice bag and let me tell you it works fantastic.
Pressure Therapy: a few years back I met Charlie who is a long term victim as I am, and he told me his method. He says that when he gets a migraine he will pressure on his head by wrapping a towel around it. The trick is to make the towel or piece of material tight on your head thereby creating a pressure wrap. This seems work for him, I tried it but I prefer my heat or cold therapy.
Menthol Oil:
A nurse at work whose father was a patient would come in to the facility nightly put a dab of menthol oil on her father’s temple. She would put a dab on either side of his temple and she said this worked for him for most of the 92 years that he lived. If she still did this when he could no longer make his needs known, I believe as a nurse she knew it worked.
Over the counter medicines
Take them but chase them down with a cola. The caffeine, aspirin and Tylenol combination actually helps to ease a migraine that is thumping.
Turn the radio of fan on make sure it is on white noise, also called static. The fan will make the same sound and will help you out. No clue why but it does work for some migraines.
Neck Massage
My ex husband used to rub my neck applying pressure to ease a migraine, now days my children will rub my neck. It does help and the one doing the massage will feel the knot of bunched up muscles. The pressure will make your head feel as if it will burst when the massage first begins but please figure out a way to keep the massage going within a few minutes you will begin to feel better.
What can family members do when your loved one is experiencing a migraine?
1.) Leave them alone and let them recover.
2.) Keep the noise to a minimum. However do not whisper to a sufferer.
3.) Make the bedroom dark as you can, but make sure they can still see a bit for safety reasons.
4.) Get to know the food triggers and limit them yourself; this will help the sufferer immeasurably knowing the pain foods are not served on a daily basis.
5.) Educate yourself on migraines so that you can help your loved one effectively.
6.) Be there as a right hand, silently helping them with meds, cool drinks, heating the rice pack, ice packs or what ever else you can do to help.
7.) Don’t take their bad attitude to heart, please know that our headaches are awful and what ever we say in response to you is ONLY a reflection of the pain we are going through. We still love you and appreciate you.
