How To Get Rid Of A Migraine
Migraine is one of the most common types of headaches often described as sharp, “pounding” and throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head that may be associated with bright spots of light, blurred vision, blind spots or other visual hallucinations.
The exact causes of migraines are not fully understood yet, however, it is known that migraine involves changes in chemicals (drop of levels of serotonin) and blood vessels in the brain. Another cause of migraine can be hormone imbalance. For example, about 70% of women, who suffer from migraine headaches get them during or right after menstrual period.
If you want to learn how to get rid of a migraine, you will have to what triggers them.
Migraine attacks may be triggered by stress, bright light, loud noises, smells (paint, strong perfume, fumes from car heaters), too much or too little exercise, smoking, alcohol, illegal drugs and certain foods such as chocolate, coffee, tea, cheese, meats containing nitrates (salami, bacon, hot dogs), citrus fruits. Sometimes just by eliminating things that may trigger your headaches you can noticeably decrease the frequency of migraines.
The best approach to get rid of migraines is “preventive”. It means that while taking over-the-counter or prescribed medications during migraine attacks may be helpful to eliminate the symptoms and temporally reduce pain, they are not effective in curing the causes of migraine. Besides many pain-killers and prescribes drugs have some serious side-effects like sleep disturbance, memory problems, dizziness, sexual performance problems and fatigue.
Safer and more effective non-drug treatments include:
o Acupuncture and acupressure – two very similar therapies that help to treat the underlying causes of migraine.
o Hypnosis can be beneficial in reducing pain and identifying the triggers of migraine.
o Relaxation therapy like yoga, meditation helps to calm down the mind, promote muscle relaxation and increase a feeling of well-being.
o Massage helps to decrease muscle tension and improve blood circulation.
o Hot and cold showers reduce pain during migraine attacks.
o Aromatherapy. As certain smells can trigger the migraine, there are some smells that help to prevent or decrease it. For example, lavender, rosemary, chamomile and peppermint oil can be used during massage, added to a hot bath or simply used for inhalation to decrease worry, pain and lethargy.
o Herbal remedies. Feverfew, if taken regularly for a few weeks, is proven to prevent blood cloth and relief migraines. Other herbs that have been used for centuries for treating migraines are ginger, kava kava, St. John’s wort, chamomile and fennel.
o Right diet. Avoiding foods that may trigger migraines and incorporating more fresh fruit, vegetables and grains into the daily ration decreases your chances of getting a migraine attack. It is also important not to skip meals as well as avoid overeating.
Living with frequent migraine headaches can be frustrating. Good news is that you don’t have to put up with headaches any longer. Take a conscious action to eliminate migraine permanently from your life. It if not as hard as it seems!
How To Get Rid Of A Migraine by Arina Nikitina
