Do you’ve a comprehensive knowledge about your migraine?

Understanding the disease is part of treatment and care. If you’ve any questions or doubts, let your doctor know.

Do you have a clear idea of the circumstances that trigger migraines? If so, can you avoid them?

Stress, tobacco, alcohol, insomnia…!

To relieve better, we must already understand better. This is why we invite you into the twists and turns of our skull. Let us look at these different ailments, their causes and effects, as well as the ways to relieve them as naturally as possible.

What are the causes of migraine?

Migraine ultimately affects relatively few people (and fortunately!). According to Inserm, migraine affects about 12% of adults, mostly women, between 30 and 40 years. In younger children, it is rarer since only 5% of children can suffer from migraine. But what is going on in our body to trigger such a reaction?

Heredity

If your parents are often prone to migraines, then you may have genetic predispositions. Means, there’re more chances to develop migraines in you.

The hormones and the female hormonal cycle

Some women are prone to migraines primarily during their menstrual periods. Women on hormonal contraception often see their migraines decrease during menstruation. Similarly, women in the pre-menopausal period may have more chances of migraine due to the fluctuating estrogen levels.

Physical and emotional factors

Overwork, fatigue, or even significant physical exertion can sometimes cause a migraine attack. Finally, intense or flickering light can cloud our senses and cause an extreme headache. Similarly, your migraine tendencies greatly influence your strong emotion (negative or positive).

What to do in case of migraine?

Besides medication, which treats the background of migraine or crisis, lifestyle tips can be helpful. The persistence of headaches considerably handicaps your ability to concentrate. Even it transforms your minutes into hours, so to end your ordeal.

Although it is difficult to prevent a migraine attack from occurring completely, we can at least reduce its intensity. Here are the main recommendations for living better with your migraine:

• Diet: If you’ve identified the foods that are likely to trigger a migraine attack, make sure to eliminate them from your diet. In some people, the way of eating can also be a factor of migraine. So remember to drink a lot during the day to stay hydrated. Also, avoid skipping meals: your body may be fragile and more disposed to migraine.
• Physical activity: Regular physical activity is imperative. This activity is sufficient for its anti-stress and relaxing properties. Indeed, regular sports practice allows 8 out of 10 migraine sufferers to eradicate migraine attacks.
• Proper Sleep: Regular sleep schedules enable your body to rest and prevent the onset of migraines of fatigue.

Your Habits:

• Tobacco: It is advisable to quit smoking. It is an advice for anyone who smokes, but especially to a migraine sufferer.
• Alcohol: Take 2 to 3 glasses of wine a day with one or two days a week without consumption. Alcohol can be a source of headache.

Woman’s life:

• The pill can’t change crises, or worsen, or improve. On the other hand, in migraine sufferers, the combination of pill and tobacco increases the risk of stroke.
• Pregnancy reduces the frequency of migraine attacks. In case of persistence, it is necessary to adapt the treatment.

Your sleep:

• If the pain prevents you from sleeping, talk to your doctor. Don’t take hypnotics (drugs that act on sleep) without the consent of your doctor, knowing that it is better to act against pain.
• Conversely, it is insomnia that causes you migraine attack. Here again, consult with your doctor before taking a hypnotic.

Weather:

Hot Weather: no special instructions except to hydrate well.

Cold weather: be careful to protect yourself from the cold, which is never an ally of migraine sufferers.

Types of Treatment:

There are now two types of treatment for migraines:

1. Abortive treatments to prevent a migraine
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve pain during an attack.

In recent years, non-drug methods have emerged to help people with regular migraine headaches. So osteopathy, hypnosis or even an electric pulse headband have started to prove themselves.

Migraine: when to consult?

Headaches can be symptoms of more severe illnesses. So it’s best to see a doctor if the ones you’re suffering from:

• Follow the rhythm of your heartbeat;
• Last more than 24 hours and do not respond to painkillers;
• Are accompanied by dizziness, nausea or vomiting;
• Are becoming more frequent and severe;
• Are accompanied by fever and pain in the neck
• Appear while you are pregnant;
• Create a pain as it prevents you from working and perform daily tasks.

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