Definition Of Migraine
Migraine can be defined as a recurring type of headache that can cause moderate to severe pain that is throbbing. The pain is often on one side of your head with many other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and weakness and you may be sensitive to light and sounds.
Migraine affects on people can also vary as there are a lot of triggers, severe symptoms, and frequency where some of the people have more than one episode each week while others have them only occasionally.
What Are The Symptoms?
Migraines which usually being in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood can develop through the four stages that include prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome while not everyone who has migraines goes through all stages.
Prodrome
One or two days before a migraine, you noticed the changes that warn as further upcoming migraines including:
- mood changes that are from depression to euphoria
- stiffness of the neck
- frequent yawning
- increased thirst as well as urination
- craving of food
- constipation
Aura
For some people, aura might occur before or during migraines where it is the reversible symptom of the nervous system. They are usually visual but can also include other disturbances as every symptom begins gradually, builds up over several minutes, and lasts for 20 to 60 minutes.
Example include:
- visual phenomena that include seeing various shapes, flashes of light
- difficulty speaking
- hearing music
- vision loss
- weakness or numbness in the face
- uncontrollable jerking and other movements
- needles sensation in the arm or leg
Attack
A migraine usually lasts for 4 to 72 hours if it goes untreated as it varies from person to person. Migraines might occur rarely or strikes several times in a month.
During a migraine, you have:
- the pain on one side of your head
- nausea and vomiting
- sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell
- pain that throbs or pulses
Post-drome
After a migraine attack, you might feel drained, confused, and washed out for up to a day where some people may also report feeling elated. The sudden head movement might also bring on pain.
How To Get Rid Of Migraine?
A migraine is more than your usual headache which can cause extreme pain, nausea, and vomiting where the throbbing pain can quickly ruin your day and also interfere with your life.
As long as you know how to face this, you can tackle it from all sides and get back to your daily life. Take note of these simple steps to get rid of it.
1) Have a treatment plan
A solid plan can give you the power to relieve a migraine before it becomes severe as it is the most important weapon you have against future migraine attacks. Your plan will likely include taking medications when you feel a migraine coming but knowing which medication to take can lower your stress level helps in removing some of the guesswork of what you should do. Your plan may also include over-the-counter pain relievers or the medication prescribed by your doctor.
2) Treat it early
Timing is everything when it comes to relieving a migraine so take your medication as early as possible. If you had a migraine for a while, you may be able to easily spot your symptoms which allows you to be proactive, not reactive in treating the pain. You may need to keep your migraine medication with you all the time so that you can take them when you recognize the early stages of your attack.
3) Consider what caused it
If you determine the cause of migraine then you may be able to take additional steps to find relief. Some migraines can be triggered by a lack of food which causes hypoglycemia. So, if you think you are having a headache due to hunger then eat something that is easy on the stomach. Dehydration can also cause headaches and may worsen your migraine. So, sip slowly to avoid triggering nausea and vomiting.
4) Find a quiet, dark place to relax
Sensitivity to light and sound is also one of the most common migraine symptoms. So, get away from it if you can which helps you to get relief from pain and can alleviate stress. Try to take a deep breath from your diaphragm and feel the stomach rise with inhaling and fall with exhale which helps you to feel relax.
5) Try hot or cold therapy
If you have ever put an ice pack on an injury or a heating pad on a sore back then you will definitely know the power of temperature therapy where it can also help in migraine. An ice pack applied to the head offers soothing and relief from the numbness whereas a heating pad or hot shower is also therapeutic during an attack. They are safe and effectively complement your medication.
