Treating your migraine headache effectively

THE SUDDEN onset of migraine means a dark room, bed, and a cool towel for most of us. While these seem to come out of nowhere, many will find that there are usually some signs that a migraine attack is on its way. These signs can reveal a pattern in your symptoms, and even provide you with preventative tools for managing migraine.

Everyone has different triggers, but there are a few common culprits that affect a large number of people living with migraine. When you can identify your triggers, you are one step closer to effectively managing your migraine and avoiding future attacks.

According to Dr Orlando Thomas, medical doctor and functional medicine practitioner at Thomas Medical and Shockwave Centre, perhaps the biggest culprit of all – stress – is a trigger for almost 70 per cent of people with migraine,. One study revealed that 50-70 per cent of people had a significant association between their daily stress level and their daily migraine activity.

“When you add the perpetual worry of when the next attack will strike, it can start to feel like a never-ending, exhausting cycle,” Dr Thomas said.

“You can cope by making a list of the things known to cause you undue stress and tension, and then work towards reducing these triggers in your life. Biofeedback, relaxation therapy, meditation, exercise, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can be extremely helpful in managing stress,” he added.

There are also a number of herbs that are useful, including soursop leaf, ashwagandha, chamomile, and valerian root, to help you to sleep and relax your stress hormones.

“Getting in your daily vitamin intake, including Omega-3, magnesium, dark chocolate, vitamin B2, melatonin, can influence the dopamine and serotonin levels in your brain. Practise relaxation exercises, deep breathing, meditation, and avoiding oral contraceptives that are known triggers for migraine,” Dr Thomas said.

Migraines can be a symptom of a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, but even mild head trauma can trigger severe headaches. The onset of head pain typically happens within about a week of the accident. Over the following weeks and months, it may become worse and more frequent.

“Persons with head injury, concussion, whiplash, and all types of muscular skeletal pain syndrome, if you have had these, then you may want to have them treated properly. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, and physical therapy reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraine,” Dr Thomas said.

Delayed or missed meals often result in a drop in blood sugar, which can trigger migraine. This is often the most important trigger in children, particularly when they are going through a growth spurt or involved in strenuous exercise.

Many children will come home from school with a bad headache if they have not had sufficient food during the day. But insufficient food may also be an important migraine trigger in adults, too.

Missing breakfast typically triggers attacks late morning, while missing lunch may trigger attacks late afternoon. If attacks are present on waking, it is worthwhile considering the time you eat your evening meal, which may be quite early. A bowl of cereal the last thing at night might be all you need to prevent morning attacks.

Many people with migraine find that they need to eat frequent snacks every four hours or so during the day to avoid the peaks and troughs in blood sugar. Sugary snacks and chocolate are fine to eat, but at the end of a meal and not in place of one.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com