Living with migraines

Headaches come and go, but a migraine can interfere with your daily activities. Sometimes it is so bad that you cannot even get out of bed. However, living with migraines does not have to be all dark and gloomy. You can manage your condition and live a productive life.

Migraines can affect many aspects of your life. A migraine attack can disrupt your planned activities, affect your social life and make you sensitive to light and the slightest sounds. 

Dealing with a migraine that refuses to go away can be overwhelming. Also, migraines have a negatively effect on your mental health and increase your chances of having a depression.

Your healthcare provider will be able to help you make life easier.

While staying in bed and under your bedsheets all day may sound like your best option, these are other ways to live well with migraines:

Seeing your healthcare provider regularly can help you understand your migraines better and explore new treatment options. This can lead to improvements in your productivity and a improve your quality of life.

Knowing your own triggers, including stress, can help you take steps to avoid migraine attacks. You may keep a diary to track the things that have triggered your migraines and to learn to avoid them.

There are no diets for migraines, but eating a healthy diet will promote your overall good health and reduce your sensitivity to pain which helps you cope better.

Drink at least 2 -3 litres of water daily, many people find this helps reduce their stress and headache frequency.

Get enough sleep. Your brain and body need a good night's sleep (7-8 hours every night). Don't skip sleep or take coffee (or other stimulants) to remain awake.

Physical activity can also help keep you well and help you resist a migraine. Exercise may improve your ability to withstand pain as well. Start with moderate exercises, because sudden and intensive activities can trigger a migraine. Do not exercise when you already have a migraine as this may make it worse.

Seek support from family members, your healthcare provider or a neighbour. Having a friend you can talk to about how you feel can help take your mind off your migraines. You may also seek support from people who have or are going through similar conditions. They are more likely to understand and can give very helpful coping tips.

Managing a migraine may include taking medicines to prevent them occurring as well as medicines that can stop your migraines from getting worse. This is usually not expensive. However, there are times when you may require hospitalization due to the severity of the migraine attack, and this can be expensive.

Migraines can sometimes go away for an extended period or become less severe. Continue to live a healthy, active lifestyle and  avoid your triggers. See your healthcare provider if you experience any new symptoms or when your migraine attacks worsen.