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Living a productive life necessitates prioritising our health; one crucial component of this is learning how to manage migraines.
A migraine often causes a severe, excruciating headache that may continue for several hours or sometimes even days. This pain can make it hard to function.
In this blog, we will look at how to recognise a migraine with the help of an online GP consultation and how to treat it once you have it.
How To Know If You Have a Migraine, What Are The Symptoms?
During a migraine attack, a hammering or pulsating pain is often felt across the forehead, around the eyes, or sides of your head. The headache worsens with time. Furthermore, any motion, bright light, loud noise, or activity can aggravate the pain. Additionally, with a migraine, vomiting and nausea are frequent.
Migraines might occur once in a blue moon, a few times a year or even daily. Generally, women are at greater risk than males to suffer from migraines.
You might have a migraine if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Pain that becomes worse during physical activity.
- Intense pulsating or gradual pain on either or both sides of your head.
- Scalp tenderness.
- Tiredness and/or perplexity.
- Clogged nose.
- Feeling chilly or sweaty.
- Neck pain or stiffness.
- Lightheadedness.
If you feel like you might have a migraine but are unsure, you may confirm it through an online GP consultation.
What Causes Migraines?
Medical professionals are still learning about the many elements that contribute to migraines. Migraines seem to be triggered partially by variations in the quantity of a bodily chemical known as serotonin.
Serotonin has various functions in the human body, including influencing blood vessels. The vascular system constricts (shrinks) as serotonin levels rise and dilates (swells) as serotonin levels drop. This swelling might cause discomfort or other complications.
According to a study, migraines may have a hereditary component, which means they can be passed down in families. Researchers have found some migraine-related genes, but it is still unclear why they affect some individuals more strongly than others.
A report also shows that the likelihood that one might get migraines is 50% higher if either of their parents gets one. If both the dad and the mom suffer from migraines, one’s chances increase to 75%.
Women are far more likely than males to suffer from chronic migraines (that occur for fifteen days or more per month). This is most likely due to hormones. Hormones change during the entire period of your cycle each month. They may also change if one is pregnant or experiencing menopause.
Can I Get a Migraine?
You might be at risk if you fulfil any of the following conditions:
- Family history: If either / both of your parents suffered from migraines, you are considerably more likely to suffer from them as well.
- Gender: Women are at greater risk than males to suffer from migraines.
- Age: Although most individuals experience their initial migraine around adolescence, migraines may begin at any stage of life, generally before age 40.
When individuals communicate their symptoms to their doctor, it becomes a crucial step in identifying the presence of migraines. Following this, the healthcare professional may ask questions about your medical history to gather further information.
To rule out other potential causes of discomfort, the doctor might request imaging tests such as MRI and CAT scans and blood tests. To gain a deeper understanding of the migraines’ patterns and triggers, patients may be advised to maintain a migraine notebook.
What Medicines To Take If You Get Migraines
If your headaches occur more than twice a month, migraine medication may be beneficial. Additionally, if your headaches make it difficult for you to function, you might consider using these medications. These medications may need to be used daily, regardless of whether you have a headache.
Prescription pharmaceuticals frequently used for managing various diseases may be utilised as migraine preventive meds. These medications may include anti-seizure meds, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, botox injections and CGRP medications.
Thanks to various online health platforms, you can get online scripts for these medications from the comfort of your home.
How Can You Treat Your Migraines
Whether you get cluster headaches, tension headaches, or migraines, the frequency and severity of these pains are greatly influenced by your lifestyle.
Here are some actions you may do to avoid headaches and/or migraines or, at the very least, lessen their frequency.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking damages your lungs. It may also make other symptoms, such as headaches, worse.
- Don’t eat specific things: A migraine may be brought on by foods like old cheeses, chocolate, and alcohol. Reduce the frequency of consuming particular foods if you know your sensitivity to them.
- Set up a sleeping routine: Sleep provides deep relaxation, prevents despair and anxiety, and keeps your body’s immune system healthy. Maintain a consistent sleep routine by falling asleep and getting up consistently at a fixed time every day. It’s a fact that irregular sleeping patterns, little sleep, or excessive sleep can cause migraines.
- Frequently have balanced meals: An excellent method to avoid migraines is to eat a diet high in healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and whole grains while minimising items that set off an attack. Don’t miss meals either. You become hungry if you skip meals, and hunger might cause a migraine.
