Seven Tips for Migraine Management

Migraines can make you feel like you have no control over the pain. When they strike. Where they happen. How long they will last. 

Migraines lie. You do have control. You can identify when a migraine may come on and maybe even stave them off. Here are seven tips to help you regain a sense of control over your pain.

Take note of your triggers. This is likely the most important thing you can do for yourself. Keep track of what is going on before a headache or migraine comes on. What are you physically doing? How did you sleep the night before? What have you eaten? How’s your stress level? What season is it? Are you sick? Experiencing allergies? When you recognize triggers or patterns, you can work to avoid them.

No smoking! Besides all the other negative health effects of smoking, using nicotine contributes to headaches and migraines by constricting blood vessels in the head. 

Get moving. Exercise helps you feel good, improves blood flow, and relieves stress. These are all things that can keep headache and migraine at bay! Try going for a short walk today!

Find your zen. Stress correlates with headache and migraines. It’s one of the factors we ask you to track! Yoga, meditation, breath exercises, and talking with someone are ways to keep stress levels down and migraines at bay. Also, getting a good night's sleep helps too! 

Work out the kinks. Neck and shoulder tension can cause migraines. Sitting at a desk all day, looking down at a phone or device, or stress can cause that exact tension.  Start receiving regular chiropractic adjustments and talk to our exercise physiologist, Mark, about specific stretches and exercises you can do to alleviate tension. You can also schedule time with our massage therapists to focus on the neck and shoulders.

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Dehydration is a key factor for migraines. The body requires a proper balance of fluid and electrolytes to function properly. When the body is dehydrated, the brain can temporarily contract or shrink from fluid loss, which causes a headache that can turn into a migraine. Properly hydrating, especially on hot days, days you are sweating a lot, or when you are ill, can prevent dehydration from turning into a bigger problem.

Rely on routine. Keeping a set routine can help keep your migraines in check! It could be a sleep schedule, taking daily medicines/vitamins, or exercising. Be sure to track when you break routine and see if this results in a headache or migraine. 

Be diligent in these tips, especially the tracking! This will give us data to help determine if the pain you’re experiencing is chronic or episodic migraine and if you qualify for Botox for Chronic Migraine. As always you can call us at 301-762-6686 for a consultation with our Nurse Practitioner to go in depth into your overall wellness and whether Botox will be right for you.