Migraine Pain – Knowing The Ins & Outs

Knowing the “ins and outs” so to speak when it comes to migraine pain is the difference between just coping with migraine pain on a regular basis, or being able to properly identify the warning signs, triggers, and symptoms that go along with migraine pain in order to find the best form of prevention and treatment options.

Triggers

Triggers often begin with a specific source (of combination of several) such as physical, environmental, or physiological causes.  Triggers, just like warning signs, will vary among migraine sufferers. However knowing the particular triggers that often precursor a migraine will help in finding migraine prevention. The following list is not exclusive, but it does contain the most common migraine triggers.

• Sleep. For a person seeking migraine prevention 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 migraine pain and the other 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 and migraine pain can be maintained.
• Lighting. Bright, Intense, Flashing, or visually stimulating light sources can be a trigger for migraines. Avoidance of certain lighting is significant for individuals who need migraine pain lessened.
• 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 but in high doses can bring on migraine pain.
• Fasting. A steady nutritional intake is important for those suffering from migraines. Therefore, fasting is not recommended for men or women that need migraine pain treatment.
• Stress. Stress is a physiological trigger, and in the world we live in seems nearly impossible to avoid. While complete avoidance of stress may not be attainable, it is important for those that have migraine pain to learn how to deal with and manage stress.

Warning Signs

The best type of migraine prevention is having the knowledge of the certain warning signs that are associated with migraine attacks before they attack in full force.  Migraine triggers vary among individuals and especially fluctuate 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 which can help with migraine prevention. The following is a list of the most common warning signs associated with migraine attacks: Fatigue, Depression, Obsessive Yawning, Food Cravings (particularly those high in sugar or salt), Mood Changes, Irritability, and Drowsiness.

Migraine Pain Symptoms

The symptoms that go along with migraine pain are sometimes more unbearable than the head pain itself. Migraines but definition are much more than just the “normal” headache, and because of this many other symptoms occur in addition to the migraine pain. Some of these common symptoms include:

• Throbbing or Pounding in an intense nature which is located usually on one side of the forehand (unilaterally). Pain can also generate in the back of the head as well as above one eye. While most migraine pain is experienced unilaterally, studies have shown that about one third of migraine pain sufferers experience pain on both sides of the head, when this type of pain occurs it is referred to as bilateral migraine pain.
• Other migraine symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, paleness, coldness in the hands and/or feet, as well as sensitivity to light and/or sound.

Studies have shown that almost 40% of migraine sufferers will have preemptive warnings signs that occur before a full blown attack of migraine pain hits. It is important for migraine sufferers to be aware of these warning signs, triggers, and symptoms in order for prevention and treatment to be attained.

Migraine Pain Prevention

Avoidance of the certain triggers that can cause the migraine pain can be the best form of prevention. The causes of migraine pain will vary widely among individuals, the most common triggers include; hormonal, chemical, dietary, behavioral, or environmental factors. It is important for individuals who are seeking a treatment for migraine pain to notate the chain of events that happened, foods that were ingested, stress factors, or other environmental factors that might have taken place prior to the onset of the migraine headache. Knowing these factors can often lead to pinpointing the possible causes in order to help with avoidance of the migraine in the future.

Treatment

There are many different forms treatments for migraine pain ranging from therapeutic, supplemental, and of course the use of medications (both over the counter and prescription). Any individual who is experiencing regular or chronic migraine pain should first be properly evaluated to rule out any other problems or conditions. It is also very important that the migraine sufferer is aware of the side effects that are often associated with prescription medications. Any individual who is seeking treatment for migraine pain should be aware and of alternative treatments such as biofeedback, stress management, acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, or herbal remedies. These forms of alternative care have been proven highly successful and beneficial to those suffering from migraine pain.

Tags: Chronic migraine, constipation, Depression, emotional stress, Fatigue, headache, migraine, migraine attack, migraine headaches, migraine relief, migraine triggers, strange food cravings, triggers