For most people living with migraines really doesn’t mean living as much as it means managing your migraines and the pain they bring. Many migraine sufferers adopt strategies or develop coping mechanisms to handle their head pain in order to get some relief. You may be able to stop migraines before they start with these prevention strategies from Dr. Budler.
Recognize your triggers. Migraines happen when the trigeminal nerve is stimulated. The trigeminal nerve is the main nerve of the face and head and helps to control actions like chewing and blinking. When this nerve is stimulated, it sends messages to other facial nerves to start a pain response. Because the triggers that kick off migraines vary widely from person to person, it is important to understand your specific triggers so you can avoid them. Some examples of common migraine triggers include different foods, food preservatives, perfumes, fluorescent lighting, and stress. Some patients keep a journal of their diets, behaviors, and environmental experience as a way to track and find out their triggers so they can help reduce exposure and possibly reduce migraines.
Stop Smoking. Smoking can also be a trigger for migraines. It can cause the trigeminal nerve and other nerves to activate, which can kick off a pain response. Also, smoking is just really bad for you and can increase your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
Get moving. Increasing the frequency in which you exercise may help head off your next headache. Physical activity has been found to be beneficial in reducing tension, which can cause severe headaches. Migraine patients are cautioned to first discuss their plans for exercise with their doctors and to ease into their new activity routine slowly. This is because exercise that is high intensity can actually bring on a migraine. Also, adding in exercise to your routine at random is also discouraged, because it can also trigger headaches. Establish a walk, jog, or swim routine that you can stick to help reduce tension and headache pain.
These strategies for prevention may not work all the time and may not work for all migraine sufferers. Prevention strategies, in combination with self-care treatments, may only provide temporary relief from pain. Dr. Budler offers SPG block therapy for migraine patients for long lasting benefits.