Migraines are debilitating, recurring headaches. They are often triggered by sensitivity to light or noise and strong smells and could be accompanied by nausea, vomiting or slurred speech. Keeping a detailed log of when and where all migraines have begun as well as what medications you have taken before or as a result of the migraine will help to determine the most common triggers that affect you. The National Migraine Association indicates that there has been a 60 percent increase in migraine sufferers from 1998 to 2008. Since migraines vary wildly from person to person, you should try multiple techniques to determine which methods are the most effective at stopping or preventing your migraines.
Step 1
Retreat to a quiet dark room. At the onset of symptoms, you should quickly isolate yourself in a dark room that has little to no extraneous noise.
Step 2
Practice stress relief techniques. You should focus on deep-breathing exercises. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for a count of five. The National Headache Foundation indicates that deep rhythmic breathing will help lower your blood pressure and limit the amount of external stimuli that your brain can register.
Step 3
Soak your hands or feet in warm to hot water. The Mayo Clinic reports that you can lower blood pressure in the head by drawing blood toward your warmer extremities.
Step 4
Place a cool cloth under your neck and over your eyes. Wrap a bag of ice several times with towels and place under your neck. At the same time, you should place a cool cloth over your eyelids. This will help lower the pressure building inside the head at the onset of the migraine, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Step 5
Eat every few hours. The Headache and Migraine Information Site indicates that preventing fluctuations in your blood sugar may prevent migraines from occurring. The body compensates for high blood sugar levels by increasing insulin levels. Insulin lowers blood sugar, causing blood vessels in the brain to constrict, producing migraine auras. If blood sugar remains low, the body will increase the quantity of blood flow to the brain and release hormones to trigger stored glucose release into the blood stream. This will increase blood pressure and dilate blood vessels in the brain, exacerbating head pain.
Step 6
Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine. Prevent dehydration from triggering migraines by drinking at least six glasses of water daily. According to the American Headache Society, excessive caffeine is one of the most common rebound migraine triggers. Since most over-the-counter pain medications contain caffeine, you should either limit or completely remove caffeine from your diet in order to not consume too much caffeine and trigger a rebound migraine.
Step 7
Seek medical advice. If migraines continue, consult a doctor who may prescribe beta-blockers, anti-depressants, or anti-seizure medications to ease pain or stop migraines from occurring.
Things You'll Need
- Dark room
- Warm water
- Ice bag
