Tag severe migraine

We’ve all had it before…

A headache that appears for no reason and is not only annoyingly painful, but it also spoils our day. Now, imagine headaches that are so painful that they make you feel nauseous, lose vision temporarily and even vomit.

That’s what people suffering from severe migraine headaches go through. Besides that, they may also feel weak, irritable and unwell.

Millions of people suffer from migraines and the majority of them are women because they are 3 times more likely to have migraines than men.

Not All Migraine Headaches Come About Equally

There are different types of migraines and they affect different people differently. The symptoms displayed often vary amongst individuals. That is one of the reasons treating migraines is so difficult and coming up with a cure is even tougher.

Till today, doctors aren’t able to pin point why some people are more prone to migraines than others. While genetics has been highlighted as a reason, there are still no concrete findings as far as triggers and other reasons go.

Some of the Migraine Headaches People Suffer From:

1. Benign exertional headache

This is a vascular headache that may occur when a person exerts themselves through some physical activity such as running or lifting something heavy. Some people have had this migraine just from coughing or sneezing.

2. Hemiplegic migraine

This migraine causes a temporary paralysis in the muscles on one side of the body. People who experience this migraine may also have impaired vision and feel giddy due to vertigo.

3. Status migrainosus

This is an extremely severe migraine that usually requires the sufferer to be hospitalized. The only good thing about it is that it is a rare condition.

4. Ophthalmologic migraine

If a migraine causes pain around the eyes and causes the eyelids to be droopy, you most probably have ophthalmologic migraine. It is also accompanied by temporary vision loss.

5. Basilar artery migraine

This type of migraine is the result of problems with a blood vessel at the base of the skull. Adolescent women or young female adults are more prone to this type of migraine. It’s accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms such as impaired vision, vertigo, loss of motor control, etc.

6. Headache-free migraines

These are migraines that have other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, temporary vision loss, etc. but there are no headaches.

Migraines do have some similar symptoms to headaches. However, normal headaches do have symptoms that are quite distinctive and this helps doctors diagnose whether you’re having normal headaches or migraines.

Cluster headaches are vascular headaches that are known to strike a couple of times a day. They usually appear suddenly and on one side of the head.

There is a stabbing pain behind the eye and the pain is so severe that the eyes may tear up and even the nose will run. This usually happens on just one side. Alcohol and smoking have been linked to cluster headaches and men are more prone to them.

Tension headaches are becoming more and more frequent nowadays and this could be due to the high levels of stress and fatigue most people face. Tension headaches may be caused by other health problems too such as poor posture, bruxism, arthritis, etc.

Both cluster headaches and tension headaches can be treated with over-the counter medication and tend to go away quite fast. Migraines are usually much more severe and may require prescription medication. You should always consult a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and confirmation.

Migraines are possibly one of the very few problems that makes taking a hammer to your own skull seem an appropriate solution. They are uncomfortable, painful and can feel debilitating if the headaches are intense enough.

There are many guides available online and offline about preventing migraines holistically and leading a healthy, balanced and wholesome lifestyle. While all these guides are beneficial, when you have a severe migraine headache, the first thing you will want is for the pain to go away.

Preventing Severe Migraine Headaches

The first method to get rid of a migraine is to use medicine. It is a technique because it works. Sometimes the pain can be so bad that all you can think about is the pain. Forget the yoga mat. What you need is immediate medication to get the pain under control.

So, consult your doctor and get medication. He or she will most probably prescribe you beta blockers, anti-depressants or nasal sprays. The beta blockers will keep the blood vessels dilated while the anti-depressants will regulate the serotonin levels in the brain. The other methods also work to shut down the pain receptors in the brain. This will alleviate your misery considerably.

Now that we’ve looked at medication, it’s time for the other 4 methods. All these 5 techniques are aimed at preventing migraines. Prevention is better than cure. Just by adhering to the 5 tips, you will reduce your chances of getting migraine headaches considerably.

The second method will be to use lavender oil that has been shown to be very calming and beneficial for people suffering from headaches and migraines. You may choose to inhale the vapors oil by diluting a few drops of oil in boiling water or you may apply the oil topically. Do NOT consume lavender oil orally.

The third tip is to clean up your diet. You want to reduce or totally avoid food that is high in caffeine, refined sugars, additives, etc. Processed foods and junk food are triggers for migraines and a host of other health problems. The cleaner your diet, the healthier you will be and the less migraine headaches you will have.

The forth tip is to learn to relax. Practice meditation techniques or yoga to quiet the mind. We live in a rat race, fast paced world. Everything seems to rush by and this can be overwhelming to our senses and is stressful.

Studies have shown that relaxation techniques have reduced the number of migraines and the severity of the episodes too. The serotonin levels in the brain are higher and this prevents painful headaches from occurring.

The fifth method is to monitor your lifestyle closely. Very often, before you get a migraine headache, there will be preceding symptoms. These symptoms are often triggered by something else. While to a certain extent it could be due to genetic reasons, in many cases, there are other factors too.

Write down what you do daily from the food you eat to the duration and quality of sleep you got. Are you happy, sad or stressed out. Write them all down so that when you get a migraine headache, you can look back and see if it was something you did that may have caused it.

Over time, you may notice a pattern and actually see that there is indeed a trigger. For example, when you do not sleep enough, you may be getting migraines more frequently. Then, you will just need to get more sleep.