May 8th- Are you familiar with a recurrent throbbing headache, often in one side of the head, frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound?
For all people who have migraine, it may include a stage called aura, which is marked by visual disturbances (flashes, splotches, zigzags or shimmering colou-red lights surrounding a blind spot).
Migraine is a neurobiological disorder. “People with a genetic predisposition have a reduced threshold for the activation of the brain’s ‘pain centres’ and become hypersensitive to stimuli that cause pain,” says Susan Broner, MD, medical director of the Manhattan Headache Center in New York City.
How to solve migraines:
Dropping Oestrogen levels
“Before menstruating, women have a steep decline in oestrogen that appears to spark migraines,” says Andrew Michael Blumenfeld, MD, director of the Headache Center of Southern California. Low-dose oestrogen contraceptives may help.
Alcohol
If you get a “hangover” after one drink, you may actually be experiencing a migraine. Avoid alcohol that gives you a headache within eight hours of consumption. “The good news is that this cause tends to be very specific,” Blumenfeld says. “People may do fine with vodka rather than beer, for instance.”
Missed Meals
Fluctuations in blood sugar can cause a cascade of escalating pain that sets up your migraine response, so don’t go longer than three hours without food. Include a lean protein whenever you eat to help keep glucose levels steady, Broner says.
Sleep Disruptions
A 2010 study found that sleep-deprived rats experienced changes in key migraine-related proteins. Play it safe by being consistent with your sleep- and wake-up-time.
Lightning
Surprising new research from the University of Cincinnati found that lightning may trigger migraine headaches. After tracking the headaches of 90 middle-aged adults for several months, researchers noted that migraines were more common on days with lightning compared to days with more mild weather. The researchers theorise that it could have to do with electromagnetic disturbances, the turbulent weather associated with lightning or the production of noxious chemicals like ozone and nitrogen dioxide.
Caffeine
If you regularly consume large amounts of caffeine, you set yourself up for withdrawal headaches, which can stimulate your brain’s migraine centre and turn into migraines. Limit intake to 200 mg a day- that’s roughly one 230 ml-cup of coffee.
Natural Remedies:-
Ice Packs
Always opt for cold rather than heat to stop migraine pain. “Ice is an anti-inflammatory,” says Carolyn Bernstein, MD, clinical director of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Comprehensive Headache Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Supplements
In a recent study, patients who took 400 mg of Vitamin B2 daily experienced significantly fewer migraines after three months. CoQ10, another supplement, also proved effective in preventing migraines in a clinical study.
Relaxation Techniques
Massage can ease neck and shoulder spasms, while t’ai chi increases body awareness, making it easier to detect and treat an oncoming headache. Yoga and meditation, both of which focus on mindfulness, may also help.
Herbs
New recommendations from the American Academy of Neurology confirm that the herb butterbur (not available in India currently) can prevent migraines, possibly because it supports healthy blood flow to the brain.
“Depending on the frequency of attacks, the duration and associated symptoms, ayurvedic medicines Pathyakshadatryadi Kashayam or Dhanwantharam Gulika are also given (for 3 to 6 months) to reduce the recurrence of migraines,” says Dr Soumya Ranjanagi, ayurvedic physician at SOUKYA, Bengaluru.
Acupuncture
Several studies have found that it provides some of the same long-term results as drugs but without side effects. While this efficacy may be partly caused by the placebo effect, the treatment can still provide real relief.
