Do You Suffer From Migraine Headaches

Are you suffering from chronic migraine headaches and don’t understand why it is happening and want to know how to manage it? The purpose of this article is to help you find the fundamental cause and how to limit the occurrence of this debilitating condition.  Migraine headaches are caused by inflammation of the intracranial vessels. Stress, food sensitivities, hormone imbalance and other substances can be the fundamental reason a migraine is experienced.

Diagnosis

The primary way a physician diagnoses a migraine or any headache is the history of the condition and symptoms. Imaging is normally not indicated unless a more serious pathology is suspected. Age, the location of a headache, triggers, provocations, and the character (throbbing, stabbing, aching) are important in the diagnosis.

Migraines are classified into two categories. Common migraine is one type and Classic is the other. The difference between them is a Classic migraine has a prodrome period with an aura while the Common type does not. Below is a list of characteristics and symptoms.

Symptoms / character

1. Prodrome/Aura
   1. Visual changes before or during a headache
   2. Sensory loss around the mouth or down the arm
   3. Difficulty speaking
   4. Hearing impairment
   5. Vertigo
2. Throbbing or pulsating pain that increases in severity
3. Pain that lasts for hours to several days
4. Photophobia – fear of light
5. Recurring
6. Chronicity
7. Family history of migraines
8. Nausea
9. Located on one side of the head
10. Onset in early teens/adulthood
11. More common in females
12. Less common symptoms can include neurologic deficits: numbness, difficulty speaking, clumsiness, weakness
13. Made worse by walking, exercise, loud noises, bright lights
14. A migraine during menstruation

Treatment

Migraines have different types of treatment. There are medications that can be taken to prevent migraines, which are taken on a regular basis. Medications that help manage symptoms during a migraine, which are taken when a migraine starts. Then there are natural ways to prevent migraines with the main focus of eliminating or at the very least reducing the occurrence. Chiropractic care can help relieve the pain of migraine headaches. The best way to prevent migraines is to avoid the triggers that cause them. It’s not as easy as it sounds. It is common to have multiple triggers and can be hard to determine what they are. However, below is a list of common migraine triggers to test. This isn’t an all-encompassing list, and some people may have more unique triggers.

Migraine Triggers

1. Beverages
   1. Alcohol
      1. Red Wine, beer, sherry
   2. Caffeinated beverages
      1. Tea, coffee, soda
   3. Any beverage with chocolate
      1. Mocha, hot cocoa
   4. Food
      1. Fruits
         1. Overripe bananas and avocado, plums, figs, raisins, and oranges
      2. Veggies
         1. Sauerkraut, olives, pickles, raw garlic, onions, and nightshade veggies
      3. Beans (all types)
      4. Grains
         1. Freshly baked yeast bread, corn, and wheat
      5. Dairy
         1. Aged cheese
         2. Cultured dairy products like buttermilk, and sour cream
      6. Eggs
      7. Meat
         1. Aged, canned, cured, or any processed meat
         2. Many types of processed meat have nitrates, nitrites, tyramine which is a common trigger
      8. Miscellaneous
         1. MSG, Nutrasweet, yeast, fermented food, nitrates, nitrites, tyramine, meat tenderizers, and aspirin with added caffeine
      9. Environmental
         1. Weather changes
         2. Bright lights
         3. Odor/Pollution
      10. Sleep changes
      11. Stress
      12. Overexertion from exercise
      13. Hormonal
          1. Estrogen

How to manage all these triggers

As you can see this is a long list and it is hard to avoid all of these especially the environmental factors, and females with estrogen as a trigger. The best way to start avoiding triggers is to know what your triggers are, so pay attention and if you notice you are getting migraine headaches when you eat chocolate, cheese or anything else that isn’t on this list then that is more than likely a trigger and you should try to avoid that going forward. For some, there might only be a couple of food sensitivities or triggers but be aware that it is more common to be sensitive to more than one food and often as many as 10.

More Treatment Options

Here are other measures that can be beneficial in managing migraine headaches therefore most of these help reduce inflammation which as mentioned earlier is the main cause of migraines.

1. Treatment of myofascial trigger points – these are nodules or knots found in muscles and cause tension and pain that contribute to headaches
2. Spine checked for motion restrictions – a restriction in the spine lead to tension in muscles and changes in posture which can lead to chronic headaches
3. *Vitamin D3 – anti-inflammatory and immune system support
4. *Magnesium – Mg deficiency has been found common among people that suffer from headaches as well as in females with menstrual migraines
5. *Omega fatty acids – anti-inflammatory effect
6. *Probiotics – anti-inflammatory effect
7. *Turmeric or ginger supplement – anti-inflammatory
8. Implement an anti-inflammatory diet, which includes lean meats, good fats, lots of vegetables, and fruit. Eliminate or at least minimize high carb foods including grains, bread, candy, potato chips, crackers, and other junk foods
9. Implement regular exercise into your lifestyle that includes both aerobic (cardio) and weight bearing (body and/or added weight) exercise
10. Relaxation and stress management
11. **Therapeutic grade essential oils are reported to help reduce Migraine symptoms – use as an inhalation/aromatherapy, or direct application

*Supplementation should always be discussed with a physician to ensure the right supplement is taken to a therapeutic dose, and to check that there are no interactions with medications.

** Even though essential oils are a natural product it doesn’t mean that caution should not be used when utilizing them as a therapeutic treatment option. The application of some oils need to use a carrier oil due to it’s potency and not all essential oils on the market are therapeutic grade. Be sure to do your own research and consult a professional.

***The onset of a new or chronic headache should always be evaluated for red flags that could indicate a more serious pathology such as meningitis, tumor, or subdural hematoma. Always see a physician if there are any changes or any new symptoms.