5 Common Migraine Triggers
Anyone who struggles with migraines understands that the best way to deal with these headaches is to avoid them in the first place. This starts with knowing what can trigger your migraines.
What Helps Headaches?
Constant headaches can hinder your quality of life. When you’re in frequent pain, it’s hard to concentrate and stay focused – both at home and at work. You may find it difficult to engage in the activities you enjoy.
Headaches are one of the most common health complaints in the world. Tens of millions of Americans suffer headaches each year. Many of them don’t seek any medical treatment for their pain, even though they may benefit from it.
There are many possible headache causes. For example, lots of people battle with tension headaches related to stress. Headaches can be caused by internal factors, including blood pressure changes and diet, and external issues like allergies.
What helps headaches?
Some headaches are more stubborn than others, but there are some headache relief approaches that can greatly help. By using headache relief techniques regularly, you can help reduce the length and severity of headaches.
Great ways to alleviate headaches include:
Use Over the Counter Treatments Early
No matter what type of headache you have, one thing remains the same: The sooner you treat it, the sooner you can get relief. Be alert to the usual symptoms of your headaches and how they feel when they are just coming on. Then, use a common OTC pain medication such as ibuprofen, which blocks the release of certain substances related to pain and curbs inflammation.
Eat – And Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
Headaches are sometimes triggered by low blood sugar. A small piece of fruit, like an apple, provides natural sugars that can resolve the problem fast. Be careful not to overdo it on coffee: caffeine causes blood vessel constriction, which can spark headaches. Alcohol also causes headaches, partly through dehydration.
Get More Sleep
Lack of sleep can make you less resistant to the bodily changes and environmental problems that start headaches. Sleep regulates all the body’s major systems, so losing a night of shut-eye can cause serious problems: for one thing, it makes it harder to cope with stress and tension. Getting about eight hours of sleep each night can dramatically reduce headache frequency.
Take Time to Breathe
Since so many headaches are directly related to tension, addressing that muscle tension directly can be helpful. The fastest way to do this is to stop and make time for deep breathing. Taking long, slow, deep breaths to the count of ten has measurable physiological effects. It will help you feel calmer and re-evaluate what may be causing your symptoms.
Massage or Warm the Neck
The neck is one of the most common areas where people suffer excess tension. In addition, posture issues can make neck pain worse and leave you with headaches that come on more often. Luckily, the neck is also very responsive to relaxation techniques. Gentle self-massage can loosen tight muscles; as well as a hot pack. Massaging the temples can help, too.
What Should You Do if Your Headaches Are Severe or Don’t Go Away?
If you have ongoing, serious headaches – or your headaches seem to be getting worse –there could be an underlying neurological problem that needs to be addressed. For example, there may be a blood vessel abnormality in the brain producing painful pressure. Significant complications are more likely for those experiencing a migraine.
For help from expert neurologists, contact Complete Neurological Care today to find out your best treatment options.
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