Many people don’t think much about what causes headaches because they are such a common ailment. However, identifying the reason for your headache can help you ease the discomfort and prevent it from recurring.
Migraines are the most prevalent headaches. They recur frequently and can degrade a person’s quality of life, so determining the reason and taking preventative steps is critical to ensuring your wellbeing.
Here’s everything you need to know about migraines.
Causes of Migraines
According to the NHS, the specific origin of migraines is unknown to science. Several triggers can induce these mild to severe headaches in one in every five women and one in fifteen men due to the aberrant brain activity that affects your brain’s blood vessels and neurotransmitters. Some common migraine triggers include:
- Alcohol abuse
- Smoking
- Strong smells
- Certain medications like contraceptives
- Lack of sleep
- Stress
- Hormonal changes
- Dehydration
- Extreme weather conditions like severe heat
- Bright lights
Symptoms of Migraine
A day or two before the headache, you might notice migraine symptoms onsetting. You might experience neck stiffness, irritability, hyperactivity, frequent yawning, food cravings, depression, and other such symptoms during the prodrome stage.
If left untreated, symptoms like vision loss, light flashes, tingling sensations in your legs, arms, face, and difficulty speaking may develop.
The attack phase is the most severe, with symptoms like severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, increased sensitivity to sound and light, and so on.
Treatment for Migraines
You can effectively control your migraine by addressing symptoms before they appear and avoiding triggers. The following are a few lifestyle adjustments that can help you manage your migraine attacks.
1. Unwind In a Dark Room
You become more sensitive to sound and light when you have migraines. To counteract these effects, unwind and rest in a dark and quiet place.
2. Utilize Temperature Therapy
Apply cold and hot compresses to your neck and head. Ice packs provide a numbing effect, which helps to reduce discomfort. Heating pads, on the other hand, can help relax stiff muscles. Hot showers can help similarly relieve pounding headaches.
3. Stick to A Regular Sleep Schedule
Regardless of holidays or weekends, you must get up and go to bed at the same hour every day. If you have to nap during the day, keep it short. Naps that last longer than 20 to 30 minutes can affect your nighttime sleep schedule.
4. Eat Right
Your eating habits have a significant impact on your migraines. Be consistent with your eating habits. If you go too long without eating, your migraines will become more severe.
5. Over-The-Counter Medicine
Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help prevent migraine headaches and reduce the frequency with which they occur. You must not make it a habit, but these can be helpful when the situation gets out of control.
If you experience frequent migraines, head over to 5 STAR CLINIC LTD, a leading pain treatment center in Preston. The experts at the clinic offer pain management therapies to treat your migraines without any medications.
The clinic also offers a range of other treatments, including hypnotherapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture treatments, and massage therapy.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.