While migraines can be mild and can pass by themselves, they can also be severe and demand medical attention. They are extremely painful and can last for hours or even for days. Researchers have been trying to find out what triggers migraines and what could possibly tame them.
Causes of migraines and how you can treat and prevent them
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
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Here are some factors that are linked to migraine attacks:
Relaxation
A study published in the Journal Neurology, says that being too relaxed can trigger migraine attacks. It explains that when we try to relax after allowing stress to build up for a long time, the relaxation acts as a trigger for migraine attacks.
During times of stress, a hormone called cortisol is produced in plenty to deal with the pain and may trigger a migraine in the period of relaxation. The study also says that instead of allowing stress to build up, people should try to relax during stressful moments.
Emotional abuse
Another study found that people who were emotionally abused as kids are more likely to suffer from migraine attacks. It pointed out that the association between abuse and migraine was stronger in case of emotional abuse than physical or sexual abuse.
Among the participants studied, 52 percent were more likely to suffer from a migraine than those who were not abused.
Asthma
If you are suffering from asthma and also have occasional migraines, your headaches might intensify and turn into chronic migraine. The study published in the journal Headache says that since both migraine and asthma both involve inflammation and smooth muscles either in blood vessels or airways, asthma-related inflammation may worsen migraine attacks.
Treatment
Treatment of migraines usually involves two methods.
Abortive therapy which is stopping the pain as soon as a person experiences it and preventive therapy which involves preventing the onset of migraines, both of which are medical methods that doctors chose to use.
While doctors might prescribe medicines to treat your migraine attacks, there are a few things you can do to prevent a migraine in the first place.
You should avoid all the factors that have triggered a migraine previously. For example, women who suffer from a migraine during menstruation should reduce their salt intake as it helps in decreasing water retention associated with migraine attacks.
Another measure would be to avoid alcohol as it expands blood vessels which lead to migraines. Along with these changes, you should also adapt a healthy lifestyle. Do not skip meals, exercise regularly and quit smoking.
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