Can Migraines Be Prevented?

Migraine. That word all in itself can bring feelings of fear and agony in the hearts of those suffering with them.  Can they be stopped or prevented though? This is the million dollar question. For individuals who deal with migraines, unfortunately they tend to occur quite frequently. Migraines can interrupt daily life and tasks, interfering with employment, time spent with family and friends, or even the simple tasks of household chores such as laundry or cooking dinner. Migraine Sufferers can use numerous sick days within a year because they symptoms associated with the migraine leave them to be simply nonfunctional in the requirements of their jobs.

Warning Signs

The best form of prevention in regards to migraine treatment comes in knowing the particular warning signs associated with a migraine before it attacks in full force.  Migraine triggers vary within individuals and especially differ when it comes to males versus females. When individuals take note of the following symptoms that often precursor migraines, they may in fact be able to recognize their personal warning signs and be able to stop the migraine before it starts.

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Obsessive Yawning
• Food Cravings – particularly those high in sugar or salt.
• Mood Changes
• Irritability
• Drowsiness

Triggers

Triggers often begin with a specific source (of combination of several) such as physical, environmental, or physiological causes.  Just like the warning signs, triggers of migraines will vary among individuals, and just like knowing the warning signs, it is also beneficial to those seeking migraine treatment to also know their personal triggers.  The following list is not necessarily exclusive, but it does contain the most common migraine triggers.

• Sleep. For a person seeking migraine treatment it is of vital importance that enough (but not too much!) rest is obtained on a regular basis. Studies have shown that a normal sleep habit can greatly reduce migraines and their symptoms.
• Hormones. This is especially true in regards to females. Monthly cycles can affect migraines because of the changes of estrogen within the body. If hormone levels can be evened throughout the month then menstrual migraines can be reduced.
• Lighting. Bright, Intense, Flashing, or visually stimulating light sources can be a trigger for migraines. Avoidance of certain lighting is significant in individuals who are looking for migraine treatment.
• Foods. Certain foods such as aged cheeses and chocolates are known to be migraine triggers.
• Caffeine. In small doses will not generally create a problem; however, in high doses can bring on a migraine.
• Fasting. It is important to keep a steady nutritional intake for those suffering from migraines. Therefore, fasting is not recommended for men or women that need migraine treatment.
• Stress. Stress is one of those physiological triggers, and in the world we live in seems just too hard to avoid. While complete avoidance of stress may not be obtainable, it is important for those that have migraines to learn how to deal with and manage stress.

Migraine sufferers will always be on the lookout for the next greatest migraine treatment. A plethora of treatments and therapies are available and sifting through finding what may or may not work can be a daunting task.  Migraine treatment can range from medication (both over the counter, and prescription), alternative therapies, as well as supplemental therapies. Every treatment option will have differing outcomes for each individual seeking migraine treatment.  It is important for migraine sufferers to try and avoid the triggers and know the warning signs before the attack takes place in order to lessen the occurrence of the migraines or at least decrease some of the painful symptoms once the migraine hits.

Tags: Depression, Hormones, migraine, migraine attack, migraine headaches, Migraine releif, migraine treatment, painful symptoms, physiological causes, triggers, warning signs