Migraine headaches can be debilitating and painful. Although there are some medications available, which may prevent or reduce the severity of headaches, some individuals continue to experience the effects of migraines. Certain exercise and relaxation techniques, such as massages, help to relieve migraines in some people. Consult your physician if you have migraines headaches for specific treatment recommendations.
Identification
Migraine headaches are characterized by severe pain in your head that occur along with nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can be debilitating and may last from a few hours to a few days. The exact cause of migraine headaches is not known, however there are some potential triggers in people that have migraine headaches. Common migraine triggers include hormonal changes in women, reaction to certain food, stress, medications and changes in the environment.
Exercise
Research published in the journal”Cephalalgia” in 2011 investigated the role of exercise and relaxation on the number of migraines that participants experienced over a period of three months. Although physicians often recommend exercise to patients, researchers noted that there have been no previous scientific studies to indicate whether this was good treatment advice or not. Researchers divided 91 patients into three different study groups. One group participated in 40 minutes of exercise, three times a week. Another group practiced relaxation exercise and the final group took medications to control migraines. All three groups noticed an improvement in frequency of migraine headaches.
Fartlek
Fartlek is a type of interval training that was developed in Sweden in the 1930s. Fartlek means “speed play” in Sweden and it combines various intensities and lengths of exercise to receive both aerobic and anaerobic benefits. You can use Fartlek training for running, cycling or even swimming. Although researchers have not looked at Fartlek specifically for its effects on migraines, exercise in general benefits migraines suffers. Fartlek is also a fun way to incorporate different types of exercise into your daily routine.
Other Treatment
In the study published in “Cephalalgia,” researchers discovered that relaxation also helps migraine sufferers as much as exercise and medication. There are different ways to relax, such as using progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, meditation or receiving a massage. Different classes of medications help to reduce migraines as well, including over-the-counter medications and prescription pain relievers. Regular sleep patterns might also help prevent migraines, according to the Mayo Clinic. You should aim to get six to eight hours a sleep of night.
References
- Science Daily: Exercise Just as Good as Drugs at Preventing Migraines, Swedish Study Suggests
- MayoClinic.com: Migraines Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Migraines Causes
- Cephalalgia: Exercise as Migraine Prophylaxis: A Randomized Study Using Relaxation and Topiramate as Vontrols
- Univeristy of New Mexico: Calorie Burning: It's Time to Think "Outside the Box" 7 Programs that Burn a lot of Calories
- MayoClinic.com: Migraines Treatment and Drugs
- MayoClinic.com: Migraines Lifestyle and Home Remedies
