HEALTHY LIVING
Fix Your. . . Migraines
BY NICK TATE
WHY DO YOU GET MIGRAINES? Genetics: Science has yet to determine exactly what causes migraines, but they often run in families, suggesting a genetic component at work. Brian Grosberg, a neurologist and director at Montefiore Headache Center, tells Newsmax experts believe migraines are brain disorders, which distinguishes them from a typical headache. Foods: Chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, alcoholic beverages (especially wine), caffeinated drinks, cheese, and processed meats are common migraine triggers. Stress: Dawn Buse, a psychologist and director of behavioral medicine at Montefiore, notes that stress- related chemicals linger in the body leading to migraines. “We actually found after someone’s been in a stressful period for a while and then the stress is over, many people will have their attack as they start to relax,” she says. Menstruation: For many women, menstrual cycles can trigger migraines. As women near menopause, changes in estrogen levels may also trigger migraines. Environmental factors: Flickering lights, strong perfume, loud noises, changes in the weather, and other environmental factors are known to trigger migraines. That can make something as simple as a sudden flash of headlights on a dark road, bright images and loud explosions on a movie screen in a theater, or even a visit to the beauty counter at a department store a potential hazard for migraine sufferers.
WHAT TO DO Keep a food diary: Tracking what foods trigger migraines can help determine what to avoid. Experts recommend migraine sufferers limit consumption of processed foods, sodium, sugar, and caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Maintain healthy habits: Get regular exercise, sleep 7-8 hours a night, and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Manage stress: It’s impossible to avoid stress, but it’s important to manage it. One way: Practice some form of relaxation training — including meditation, yoga, or just making time for silent reflection or listening to soft music every day.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT helps patients understand that their thoughts and feelings influence their moods, behaviors, and ultimately their health. It is used to treat depression, anxiety, and addictions, as well as migraines. Cognitive behavioral therapists teach patients to identify and change thought patterns that lead to stress.
IS YOUR HEADACHE SOMETHING SERIOUS?
headache — even a migraine — is a manageable condition for most people. But some head pain can be a sign of a more serious condition, including a stroke, tumor, or blood clot. Any head pain that is sudden, unusually severe, or otherwise unusual in nature, requires urgent care.
A
Other warning signs that should prompt immediate medical attention:
84 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | MARCH 2015
Headaches that develop after age 50 or following a blow to the head; a major change in the pattern of your pain; discomfort that increases with coughing or movement; pain that gets steadily worse; headache that is accompanied by confusion, fever, stiff neck, memory loss, visual disturbances, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or seizures.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS: Drug treatment: Standard medications include a class of drugs called triptans. Triptans constrict blood vessels in the brain and relieve swelling, which is thought to lead to migraines. However, new therapies have become available in recent years, including other painkilling drugs and Botox, which the Food and Drug Administration has approved for treating migraines. Last year, the FDA also approved a nerve-stimulating headband called the Cefaly device to treat migraines.
SOURCES: Montefiore Headache Center, Harvard Medical School, Headache Institute at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center
WOMAN/JAMIE GRILL/GETTY IMAGES / DOCTOR/© MAURICIO JORDAN DE SOUZA COELHO/DREAMSTIME
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