Maya, a 42-year-old corporate advisor would often have to skip work due to her recurring severe headaches. She would suffer from severe hammering pain in the left side of her head and face for the last seven years. Maya has always been an active, career-oriented woman.
One day during a meeting, while giving a presentation, she experienced sudden shooting and hammering pain in her head and couldn’t tolerate any noise or light around her. She started perspiring profusely and her eyes started watering. She excused herself and rushed home. The pain lasted for the entire day. She just wanted to sleep in a dark room without any disturbances.
After a few days when she went shopping with her friend, Samaira for the whole day, she had another severe episode. On seeing her state, Samaira got worried and rushed Maya to the nearest hospital. On complete examination and detailed case taking, it was understood that Maya was suffering from Migraine. The headaches were brought on by tension and work stress or exposure to the sun.
Maya was treated for her migraine with Homeopathy and she started feeling better within one month of treatment. She started making note of her triggers which included lack of sleep and excessive stress and tension taken before her presentations. She also observed that staying out in the sun gave her a splitting headache. She discussed these triggers with her physician and tried avoiding them as much as possible. With regular treatment and necessary preventions, Maya was relieved of her migraine attacks and could now focus on her work in a much better and efficient way.
What Is Migraine?
Migraine is a neurological disorder that causes multiple symptoms including intense, debilitating headaches, nausea, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light), and phonophobia (sensitivity to sound). Migraine is often genetic and runs in families affecting all ages.
Migraine is diagnosed based on clinical history, symptoms, and by ruling out other known causes of headaches.
Migraine Triggers
The causes of migraine are not known, although it is suspected to result from abnormal brain activity. This affects the way nerves communicate and thereby affecting the chemicals and blood vessels in the brain. The following triggers are known to set off migraines –
1. Hormonal Changes
Women tend to experience migraine more often than men, due to the constant hormonal changes.
2. Emotional Triggers
Emotional factors like stress, depression, anxiety, excitement, shock, etc. can trigger a migraine attack.
3. Physical Causes
Extreme exhaustion and fatigue, insufficient sleep, shoulder or neck tension, bad posture, physical overexertion are some of the physical causes known to cause migraine. Low blood sugar levels and jet lag may also act as triggers.
4. Environmental Triggers
Strong smells, bright lights, flickering screens, smoke, loud noises etc. can set off a migraine attack.
5. Diet
Alcohol, caffeine, chocolates, cheese, citrus, etc. are known to contribute as triggering factors for migraine. Irregular eating habits and erratic mealtimes along with dehydration is also known to cause migraine.
Treatment Of Migraine
There is no single cure for migraines in modern medicine. Treatment is aimed at preventing a full-blown attack and relieving the symptoms. Homoeopathic medicine is known to bring about a complete cure and no relapse of symptoms of migraine. Consult your physician for the best treatment suited to you based on your signs and symptoms.
How To Prevent A Migraine Attack?
- Identify your triggers and keep track of them based on the intensity and frequency of headaches caused by them.
- Avoid your potential triggers. Do not consume cheese, coffee, chocolate etc. if they trigger your migraine attack. Try eating in smaller quantities to reduce the frequency and intensity of your headache.
- Reduce your stress levels and learn to accept things calmly. De-stress in a way that suits you and select a hobby which makes you feel happy.
- Drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated.
- Maintain a regular sleep pattern and get adequate sleep daily.
- Regular physical exercise will help keep your mind calm and your body fit.
Home remedies for a migraine attack –
- Apply an ice pack on your forehead, scalp or neck to get immediate relief from pain. You can also try a frozen gel pack or a washcloth on your head.
- Bright light and noises are known to trigger a migraine attack. So, find a dark, silent spot and try to calm down and meditate. This can help speed your recovery.
- Improve your diet by eating dark-green veggies, whole grains, nuts. These foods are known to prevent severe migraine attacks.
- Go to sleep during a migraine attack and try to improve your sleeping pattern by aiming to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
- Learn to relax – whether it is yoga, meditation, or light soft music, choose your relaxing mechanism and practise it daily.
- Apply dried ginger paste on your forehead or drink a ginger-brewed tea for some relief.