Migraine is a neurological disease characterised by a pulsing sensation and debilitating throbbing pain, usually on one side of a person's head. Apart from the severe headache, migraine can be accompanied by other symptoms such as numbness of hands and feet, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity when exposed to smell, light, and sound. As a result, migraines can have a profoundly negative impact on an individual's everyday life.
Migraines can be caused by various factors such as physical activities with rigorous exercise, light, and hormonal changes. This type of severe headache can lead you to alter your lifestyle to curb the occurrence of its attacks and avoid its triggers. Migraine attacks can last for quite some time, ranging from hours to days, and the pain can be debilitating to an extent it interferes with your daily activities. Fortunately, medication can help avert migraines or make them less excruciating. Apart from drugs, other migraine management tips include lifestyle changes and self-help remedies. Here are some suggestions for migraine relief.
1. Plenty of Rest in a Dark Room
Sensitivity to light is a common migraines trigger, with studies suggesting around half of migraineurs are photophobic. Migraine attacks can worsen if an individual is exposed to sunlight as many people suffering from migraines are photophobic, and light can be painful to them. For this reason, they withdraw to a quiet, dark room whenever they have a migraine attack. Resting in a dark room is a typical self-care practice among individuals suffering migraines. Additionally, they wear sunglasses and tinted glasses to avoid light triggers.
2. Consume Magnesium
Low magnesium is linked to migraines and headaches. It is estimated that most individuals do not get adequate magnesium through their diets. Therefore, individuals with migraines are encouraged to consume magnesium-rich diets or take supplements that contain magnesium traces.
3. Drinking Plenty of Water
One of the most popular migraine reliefs is drinking a lot of water. Apart from water being life, taking a lot of water can prevent and relieve migraines by preventing a common trigger of migraine attacks, which is dehydration. You can avoid dehydration by drinking adequate water before and after physical exercise. In addition, it is especially important to drink sufficient water during hot and humid weather. Health experts recommend drinking eight glasses per day, which equals half a gallon or about two liters.
4. Consuming Ginger
Research has found that consuming ginger reduces migraine severity by increasing levels of the chemical messenger serotonin. Maximising the serotonin levels in an individual's brain can assist in stopping migraine by reducing inflammation and restricting blood vessels. Additionally, ginger tea helps minimise vomiting and nausea during a migraine attack.
5. Taking a Warm Bath or Shower
Warm baths and showers are considered heat therapy for migraines. A warm bath can stop pain signals from traveling to the brain and increase blood flow, which can help soothe muscles, hence relieving migraines. In addition, warm showers and baths are good for relaxing tense muscles.
6. Exercising Regularly
The human body releases certain chemicals that block pain signals to your brain during physical activity. The chemical is also responsible for alleviating anxiety and depression, the two conditions that worsen migraines. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercising and diet offers additional benefits in managing migraines. However, vigorous exercises can trigger migraine; thus, it is essential to ease into the routine gradually. The best choices for countering migraines are walking, cycling, and swimming.
7. Temple Massage
Massages can help in decreasing and relieving pain. For example, temple massage can help reduce migraines, and it directly reduces stress, anxiety and pain, and the frequency of migraines.
Conclusion
Migraines cause incapacitating pain that can prevent you from leading your daily life. They have several triggers such as depression, anxiety, rigorous exercises, and hormonal imbalance. Migraine attacks can be overwhelming and leave you at the emergency department if they are not well managed. Several self-care tips for migraine relief are drinking ginger tea, massaging temples, taking a warm shower, and resting in a dark room. However, if the migraines persist, seek the help of a medical practitioner.