Migraines are caused by the swelling of blood vessels in the brain when serotonin levels increase. Changes in weather or altitude, strong smells, bright lights and missed meals are just a few examples of what can trigger migraines. If you suffer from migraine headaches you know they are incredibly painful and can be extremely debilitating. Help is available and there are things you can do to identify and prevent frequent migraines.
Step 1
Keep a health journal. Make brief notes about the environments you're in each day and how you generally feel. Include lighting exposure, scents or odors, foods you ate, whether or not you wore perfume and so on. Doing so can help you to identify triggers that may be causing your migraines.
Step 2
Learn relaxation techniques. Because serotonin is a chemical that affects your mood, being able to calm yourself down when you feel a migraine coming on prevents serotonin from rising rapidly and fueling a migraine.
Step 3
Take a prescription medication such as Inderal or Depakote. Be sure to take these medications exactly as prescribed to prevent migraines.
Step 4
Educate others about your triggers. If you know that certain perfumes trigger your migraines, let your family members or coworkers know. Take sunglasses with you to avoid drastic changes in light sensitivity.
Step 5
Work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan taking situational factors into account. For example, exercise is helpful to some people in preventing migraines but certain exercises can bring on a migraine for others. Additionally, some women experience migraines as a result of increases of estrogen from birth control; talk to your doctor about what form of contraception is best for you.
