I have always enjoyed some type of exercise during my lifetime. Between jogging, racket-ball, tennis, swimming, working out at the gym, or other activities, exercise has been a part of my life. There are great benefits from exercise; not only the cardiovascular kind but other real benefits like better and deeper sleep, weight loss, muscle toning, the ability to perform manual tasks more easily, and an overall sense of well-being. All these add up to a better frame of mind and body.
Those who suffer from migraine headache need to realize that exercise may be the right medicine for them. If you do not like the side-effects from migraine medicines, why not give exercise a try. Many sufferers are fearful to participate in a good work-out because they believe that exercising may trigger a migraine. Now for some, that may be true. But for many people with migraine, exercise may have the opposite effect.
RESEARCH WITH EXERCISE AND MIGRAINE
There has been a very thorough study in Sweden tracking the effects of exercise on migraine headache. In the study, three groups of people were treated for migraines using different methods. One group was given a migraine medication, the next group given an exercise regime of regular exercise for 40 minutes, three times a week, and a third group given relaxation exercises. The study lasted for three months and results were compiled for six months after the study was completed. The results showed that the rate and intensity of migraine headache fell in all three groups and each method was equally effective. They concluded that for people who want to avoid the side-effects of drugs, exercise may be a viable alternative for them.
In another smaller study, participants were studied before, during, and after a cycling session on stationary bikes. They cycled three days a week for three months. At the end of the study, the participants showed signs of improved cardiovascular health and a reduction in the amount and severity of migraine headache. The bottom line is exercise may help prevent migraines in some people.
Of course, as with any exercise program, check with your doctor to see if this is an option for you. Always start off slowly and take time to build up endurance. But most of all have fun with your exercise. You will enjoy it more, and it won’t seem like something that has to be accomplished. Instead, you will relax, enjoy, and get rid of those troublesome migraines.
Tags: headaches, migraine attacks, migraine treatment, Migraines, side effects, symptoms, treating migraines, vascular headachce
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