10 Things to Know About Chronic Migraine.Chronic migraine can be a debilitating condition that drastically reduces your quality of life. Migraines can be hard to manage, but if you are living with this disorder there are ways you can take care of yourself and improve your quality of life.
One of the first steps you should take is identifying what causes your headaches. This can be done by keeping a journal of all symptoms experienced.
- You’re not alone
If you suffer from chronic migraine, know that you’re not alone. Millions of people around the world deal with frequent headache attacks.
If you suffer from chronic migraines, it’s essential to keep a daily headache diary and visit your doctor as soon as the attacks increase. Doing this will make it easier to stop and reverse these attacks.
- You’re not alone in your pain
Chronic migraine pain can be debilitating, but it’s essential to remember that you are not alone in experiencing it.
Migraines can be managed through lifestyle changes and awareness of triggers. Unfortunately, this approach may prove challenging for some.
- You’re not alone in your triggers
Migraine triggers can be an integral part of managing this debilitating illness. Food, weather, hormones, stress and posture may all contribute to migraine attacks in some individuals.
Finding out which triggers are most pertinent to you requires keeping a diary. Keep track of your headaches, eating habits and sleep patterns to see if any appear consistently over time.
- You’re not alone in your medications
No matter the severity of your headache or migraine, there are medications available to help ease the discomfort. Your healthcare provider can determine which one is most suitable for you and provide a customized plan of action.
There are also preventive medications that may help reduce your migraine frequency. These include blood pressure-lowering drugs (like beta blockers), tricyclic antidepressants and calcium channel blockers.
- You’re not alone in your treatment
Receiving a diagnosis of chronic migraine does not mark the end of your search to understand and manage your frequent headache attacks: rather, it marks the beginning of finding and implementing an effective treatment plan tailored towards individual needs.
Thankfully, there are several methods for treating this debilitating condition. These include lifestyle and trigger management, acute treatments, as well as preventive medication.
- You’re not alone in your symptoms
Migraines are a relatively common issue that affects up to three percent of the population. They usually begin with an aura, which includes visual disturbances (flashing lights or zig-zag lines) or other neurological symptoms like numbness or confusion.
Migraines can cause intense, lasting pain that may last from four to 72 hours if left untreated. Not only that, but the disorder also impacts your mood, concentration and sleep patterns negatively.
- You’re not alone in your fatigue
Fatigue is a common complaint among migraineurs, and when combined with migraine it can be an especially debilitating condition. Finding relief through rest and relaxation is the key to keeping you calm; just make sure that your practitioner is friendly and accommodating if there are any surprises along the way! You might be amazed at what a supportive team of professionals can provide!
- You’re not alone in your depression
People living with migraine are not uncommon to experience depression. Estimates suggest that 40% of those affected by migraine suffer from some degree of mental distress.
Depression often presents with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fatigue and a loss of interest in what you once enjoyed.
- You’re not alone in your sleep issues
Sleep is a fundamental element for good health and wellbeing. Aside from your regular sleeping schedule, other factors such as stress levels and nutrition play an integral role in achieving optimal sleep quality.
Sleep quality has long been linked to better migraine outcomes. So how do you achieve it? Luckily, with some education and lifestyle changes like restricting caffeine consumption, creating a more organized bedtime routine, and getting more exercise into your day – all of which should promote better rest during the night.
- You’re not alone in your treatment options
Chronic migraine patients have several treatment options to choose from, including medications, lifestyle modifications and non-drug approaches such as relaxation techniques.
Treatment of chronic migraine is usually tailored to the pattern of pain, such as episodic or continuous headaches, their duration, and any triggers or factors that make them worse.