Treating And Preventing Migraines Without Medication
Migraine headaches are a serious medical problem. More than 28 million Americans suffer from this condition, and female sufferers get them 17% more often than males. The condition is treatable when diagnosed; however, less than half of the people suffering from migraine headaches are diagnosed with the condition by their physicians.
If you suffer from migraines, you must wonder why people call them "migraine headaches." They are not confined merely to the head; they can take over your entire body for hours or even days at a time, making it difficult to lead a normal life. You want to do anything you can to treat your migraine and prevent it from happening again.
Symptoms
Every sufferer knows the familiar migraine symptoms. Your stomach is upset, and you might have diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea. Because of these symptoms, when you feel a migraine coming on, you want to make sure you are close to a bathroom.
Decreased blood circulation may make your skin look pale. It doesn't matter if you have gloves on, or how many pair of socks you are wearing. Your hands and feet become noticeably colder than the rest of your body.
Like other sufferers, you have problems with your vision when you feel a headache coming on. You experience blurred vision, and your eyes become so sensitive to light that you want to wear your sunglasses indoors, even in dim light, to ease the pain. One side of your head throbs while the other side tries to figure out what's going on. For half a day to several days, you're out of it. All you want to do is lie in a dark, quiet room and wait for the migraine to pass.
Treatment
Help is available if you want to treat your migraines without taking medication. You can use an icepack on the head to ease the pain; practice relaxation exercises and biofeedback techniques to train your mind to ignore the pain, or just sleep until the pain goes away. Some sufferers get relief from pain with acupuncture.
Non-medication techniques can also prevent migraines. The best way to avoid this condition is to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you smoke cigarettes, quit. Avoid eating sharp cheeses, nuts, and lunch meats, and stop drinking wine, as all these substances contain elements that can trigger migraines. Drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and exercise moderately several times a week to reduce the risk of headaches coming on.
