10 Best Ways to Avoid Migraines

migraine_pain

The problem with migraine prevention is that because there are many factors that can contribute in getting a migraine, isn’t hard to find one easy fix to this problem.

You see, there are very many triggers for migraines, and there is no way any migraine sufferer can avoid them or else it would turn into a real exercise in becoming a hermit.

Seriously, who wants to spend the rest of their life living in a cave just to avoid headaches?  That being said, there are a few things you can do to avoid migraines that aren’t that complicated.

10 Best Ways to Avoid Migraines:

1) Cut the caffeine: Migraines and high levels of caffeine are linked hand in hand.  Here’s the other big issues with caffeine and migraine sufferers … they’ll suffer from a migraine when they drink too much caffeinated products, but they’ll also suffer from caffeine withdrawal if they cut out caffeine cold turkey. It might be wiser to cut back coffee slowly.

2) You might have to cut out artificial sweeteners: Aspartame found in products like NutraSweet or an artificial sweetener like Splenda has been the culprit for many people who have complained of migraines.   Go in search of why aspartame causes migraines and you will run into what seems like the biggest cover-up since Roswell.  Most of what you’ll read hasn’t been proven, but then again neither have the makers of NutraSweet proven that their product doesn’t contribute to migraines.  Avoid it and you may well avoid a horrendous headache.

3) Smoking and migraines go hand in hand: There are many reasons to give up smoking and now it seems that if you had not heard yet, smoking may be contributing to your migraines.   Now, if you are a smoker and you suffer from migraines, you might not be able to quit tomorrow, but this might be a great opportunity to open the dialogue with your doctor to find ways to help you quit.

4) You need to establish a regular sleeping routine: A regular pattern of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, on weekends as well as weekdays, can be of great benefit to a migraine suffer.

5) Your contraceptive pill might be causing you to suffer from migraines: Birth control pills and their effects on your hormones can be a major hazard when it comes to migraine pain.  That said, you don’t necessarily have to go off the pill entirely.  Some people have found that merely changing brands puts an end to their migraine misery.  If that doesn’t help, however, you might want to talk to your doctor to find other effective female contraception methods.

6) Change your lighting: Very bright lights can often trigger very severe migraines.  You might consider using the softer, filmy kind of light bulbs.  Whenever possible, use lamps instead of overhead lights.  If you spend a lot of time at the computer monitor, take frequent breaks and get as far away from the pulsating waves of the monitor as possible. Now, it might be impossible to get away from fluorescent lighting in an office space, so if you are particularly sensitive to lighting, you might need to speak to your doctor for ways of dealing with your migraines at work. I’ve known people to wear sunglasses at the office to tame the brightness of the fluorescent lighting.

7) Some of your favourite foods might be causing you migraine pain: Cheese, chocolate and wine may sound like the ideal ingredients for a romantic picnic or a laid back Saturday night at home with your remote and your favourite TV shows, but if you are prone to migraines the last thing you may be feeling is relaxed.   Aged cheeses especially are of concern because they contain the amino acid tyramine.  Chocolate contains phenylethamine.  Both of these chemicals contribute to migraines. Alcohol can be a migraine trigger for some migraine suffers.  You might need to test each food on its own to see if you react to any of them and then it’s time for you to open the conversation with your doctor to find ways of dealing with your migraines.  Your doctor might advise that you start working with a nutritionist to help tailor a diet that is migraine-friendly.

#8) Smells might contribute to your migraines: I’m allergic to most artificial smells and NOTHING will give me a headache than cheap perfume. Heck, many perfumes with certain strong scents will send me running the other way. While the perfume area in most major department stores is wear a lot of women love to spend their time, I usually avoid it like the pledge or if I have to walk through a perfume area, I’ll usually hold my breath and walk quickly. If your migraines are triggered by smells, you might want to see what your doctor suggests in terms of prevention. You might want to tell your friends, as there is no point in them giving you gifts that contain perfumes that might trigger severe headaches.

9) Exercise is the answer to all problems in life: Okay, that might be a bit of a dramatic statement, but exercising regularly helps to increase your cardiovascular capacity. Since improper blood flow is linked to recurrent migraines, 30 minutes of exercise a day will not only help you trim your waist line, it will also help you alleviate your migraines.

10) Flying might contribute to your migraines: Did you know that the lowering of cabin pressure on airplanes is a sure-fire migraine trigger? Now, you might not want to take a boat ride to Greece and of course you won’t be able to take a train or bus, but if you are travelling locally, it might be something to consider instead of flying.

Photo by lindyireland

If you’re looking for ways to de-stress, you can also read about meditation here: 31 stress-reduction tips and tricks to slow down life