Migraines and how I manage them

A migraine ,for me, is one of the worst types of pain you can ever experience. It's a nightmare and the worst part is, it doesn't go away as fast as a nightmare would. I've had episodic migraines for a long period of my life and I can finally say that I've had my fair share of experience to be able to write about it.

There is a considerably growing percentage of people ,mostly teens and adolescents, with migraines and I'm sure most of you have experienced at least one in your lifetime. It gets pretty hard to deal with especially if you have no clue of whats happening to you and what you can do to help yourself. I will share with you what I've experienced so far and how I manage my migraines and hope that something from my experiences will help you with yours. 

What are migraines

Medically defining , a migraine is a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision, so says Sir Google.
But it's not just nausea and vision problems it brings with it. There's more and they vary with every individual. They may include :

• vomiting
• blurred vision
• photo-phobia (increased sensitivity to light)
• increased sensitivity to sounds
• inability to perform tasks and regular activities due to pulsations of pain
• lightheadedness
• sweating, temperature changes

A migraine can last from 4 to 72 hours . The severity may vary with time and individual. The pain is described as severe, throbbing and pulsating due to its vascular origin ( meaning that the pain originates due to changes in the vessels ) , which means that any stressful physical activity or activities that increase the pressure in your vessels ,like bowing down, will increase the pain.

There are also some people who can experience and identify certain signs and symptoms that INDICATE that they're going to have a migraine soon.

• Some people experience them one or two days before an attack. This phase is called Pro-drome. It includes mood changes ,constipation, food cravings and increased feeling of being tired.

• Some people experience signs right before a migraine attack . This phase is called Aura. It includes light sensitivity, blurry vision, seeing bright spots and flashes, lightheadedness, sensations of pins and needles on their limbs, increased irritability, difficulty speaking .

There are also symptoms that an individual may experience in the last phase of a migraine.This phase is called Post-drome. It includes moodiness, light sensitivity, dizziness, confusion and weakness.

Causes and triggers

Though genetics and environment are definite to play a role , the exact cause of a migraine remains unknown. However, certain factors that my contribute or trigger a migraine headache have been identified.  They are the following.

• hormonal changes
• hunger
• loud sounds 
• bright lights
• strong smells
• intense physical activity
• stress
• lack of sleep
• too much sleep
• caffeine
• depression
• certain medications

Risk factors

Certain risk factors have also been identified which are helpful to indicate people to be careful if they are prone to having migraines. These risk factors include:

• Family history
  As genetics plays an important role , if your parents have a history of migraines, you are most likely to be prone to them as well.

• Age
  They are most probable to start during the adolescent years, peak in the 30s and then decrease in occurrence and severity as one gets older. 

• Gender
  Women are three times more prone than men. Even more as they age and hormonal changes start to occur.
• Occupation
  Having a prolonged stressful, busy routine, working in intense climates and intense physical activity can also lead to migraine headaches soon in the future.

How I manage episodic migraines:

NOTE: Having Episodic migraines mean that you get 0-14 migraines in a month. Chronic migraines are characterized by 15 or more headaches per month.

Avoid obvious causes

Identify your risk factors and if you think you may be prone to having migraines, be extra careful and avoid the obvious and usual causes (listed above).

Observe and find out your specific cause

Apart from the usual causes, some people have their own specific factors that trigger migraines. For example, eating chocolate triggers my migraines, having milk early in the morning is also a trigger for some people. Some people also report having migraines when they have cheese. So , observe what part of your diet or routine triggers your migraines and avoid it as much as you can.  

Catch it early

If you experience Aura symptoms or just start to feel the pain kicking in, don't wait for it to hit its peak. Be aware and take immediate actions whether it's getting away from the trigger factor, resting or taking medication. The sooner you catch it, the less pain you will have to tolerate.  

Avoid the aggravating factors

If the migraine has already started, avoid going near the aggravating factors to prevent it from getting worse , like caffeine ,exertion activities and bowing down etc.

Ice therapy

Cold stimuli are a help. They basically distract the brain from the pain to "oh that's cold !", temporarily relieving the pain to a considerable extent. Apply ice packs and ice towels to the head or the target area and let it work its magic !

Don't hesitate to move

Typically, physical activity aggravates the pain. But sometimes, a little bit of movement and work can distract you from the pain. If you can, try to move around and indulge yourself in a light activity that you enjoy. It might help.

Drink more water

Yet again, water saves the day. The more water you drink, the more bathroom visits you will make, the quicker the pain will get better because of reduced pressure in the vessels.

Eat (and eat the right foods)

Not eating , because your head hurts, will make it hurt even more. Hunger aggravates the pain . But make sure you eat the right foods. Eat healthy. Fatty and processed foods or artificially sweetened foods have been reported to increase migraine pain.  

Stay still and breathe

If it hurts too much or you feel too weak to do anything, just close the curtains, dim the lights, shut your eyes and lay down . Rest as long as you want to and relax as much as you can. Avoid thinking about stressful things and try to remain as calm as possible.

Medications

General categories of medicines that you can take for a migraine include :

aspirin

ibuprofen

acetaminophen

naproxen

muscle relaxants

Consult your doctor for preventive, acute or chronic migraine medications before self-prescribing any medications.

Sleep on it

As hard as it gets with the pain, I try my best to sleep through my migraines, because when nothing is helping I know that it will go away with its time and while I wait, I try to spend most of that time sleeping to skip most of the painful duration.

There is no doubt in saying that no information is ever enough for a person going through a migraine and no amount of tips and tricks are ever enough but I hope that some of these ways will help you during your struggle.