Tag headaches

It’s a proven fact that women are 3 times more prone to migraines. If that wasn’t bad enough, menstruation also has an impact on migraines. Some women have the worst of both worlds between typical migraines and menstrual migraines combined.

Migraines by their very nature are a complex condition that doctors are still trying to understand. Different people have different migraine triggers and even the symptoms may differ greatly. It all depends on the person.

One lady may feel fine after 30 minutes while another may feel nauseous, have partial vision loss and even feel debilitated to the point where she can’t function normally. It all depends on the person affected.

About Half of All Women Experience Some Form of Menstrual Migraines

About 50 percent of women experience migraine before and during their menstrual cycle. This is due to the hormonal changes within the body at this time. Most of the time they would have had their first migraine attack during the onset of puberty when they had their first period.

It can be extremely stressful and traumatic to have both migraines and periods at the same time.

The migraines are triggered by fluctuating estrogen levels and the release of a fatty acid known as prostaglandin. The best way to find out if there is connection between your menstrual cycles and migraines will be to keep a journal and record down migraine attacks and the date and time they occur.

Track your menstrual cycles and see if a pattern emerges over a period of 3 months.

Menstruation may be a trigger for migraines but there is also a condition known as menstrual migraine. It is the result of falling estrogen levels and menstrual migraine has 2 subtypes. There are menstrual migraines with aura and menstrual migraines without aura.

It has been noted that migraines without aura usually precede menstruation 2 days earlier and tend to occur right up till the third day of the period.

There are treatment options available to women suffering from menstrual migraines and your doctor will be the best person to advice you. In most cases, over-the-counter medication is not going to be enough to deal with menstrual migraines because it is hormone related.

The treatment your doctor will prescribe you will depend on the severity of the migraines, the regularity of your menstrual cycles, the type of periods you have and other factors that must taken into consideration too.

If a woman has heavy periods accompanied by painful migraines, the doctor will usually prescribe an anti-inflammatory painkiller. Low levels of estrogen will mean having to get more estrogen into the system.

This can be done through oral supplement, gel or skin patches. It is best to top up your estrogen levels before and during your period. Using estrogen gels are an excellent way for the body to absorb estrogen into the blood stream.

You must exercise caution when taking estrogen pills and they should be avoided if you are pregnant or trying for a baby. Once again, you should speak to your doctor. Don’t take any chances and self-medicate. Menstrual migraine symptoms can be alleviated to a large degree if you are well-prepared. So, do what needs to be done so that you will not be subject to excruciating headaches. Forewarned is forearmed.

Migraine sufferers are constantly looking for ways and means to prevent migraines from occurring. The pain from these headaches can be so bad that their daily life is affected and they are no able to function properly due to the suffering.

Acupuncture, migraine surgery, medication, yoga, etc. are all techniques employed to either keep migraines in check or to keep them at bay.

Over the years, studies and tests conducted have shown that certain herbs and supplements are highly effective in the battle against migraines. They are considered as holistic methods of treatment and seem healthier than the medication that a doctor would prescribe.

It would be worth noting that while these supplements and herbs are effective, in times of immense pain, you should consume the medication that your doctor has prescribed for you. Natural supplements and herbs can work in conjunction with your medication. There is no need to suffer unnecessarily.

The most common supplements used are riboflavin and magnesium, while the most commonly used herbs are butterbur and feverfew.

Most Common Supplements for Migraine Help

Riboflavin which is a form of vitamin B is found in foods such as eggs, meat, nuts, green leafy vegetables, etc. It is effective for people who have migraine headaches due to low levels of riboflavin.

Studies have shown that daily consumption of riboflavin decreases the frequency of migraines.

Your body can get magnesium from consuming foods such as nuts, spices, green leafy vegetables and tea. Some articles may recommend coffee as a source of magnesium. This is true but it is best to avoid coffee because it also contains caffeine, which is a migraine trigger. If you want the energy of caffeine but don’t want the bad side effects, try a functional whole food product that contains guarana.

It is best to get your magnesium from consuming food. When you consume magnesium supplements, there can be side effects such as diarrhea. Furthermore, the magnesium supplements have been known to react with antibiotics and cause muscle problems or blood pressure issues.

Most Common Herbs for Migraine Help

Feverfew is an herb with a name that sounds as if it was taken out of a Harry Potter novel. This herb has been used since the time of our forefathers to treat a variety of health problems such as asthma, menstrual cramps, headaches, etc.

It would be a good idea to speak to your doctor first before you start chewing away on the feverfew leaves. Certain health problems such as diabetes and liver problems can be exacerbated by consuming feverfew.

Butterbur is another name that usually pops up when talking about natural remedies for migraines. This herb has also been used for ages to treat pain and fevers. Nowadays, it is most popular for treating migraines and is sold commercially.

The butterbur plant contains toxic substances that will affect your liver. So, do not just grab a butterbur plant and whip up a salad with it. You will need to purchase the butterbur supplement which has the toxic substances removed.

These are just some of the natural methods used to treat migraines. There are many more out there. You may do your research online for holistic migraine supplements and treatments to see which suit you best and give them a try for a while. It will take time before you see results but if you stay the course, you might see the positive results you’re looking for.

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.