marcoujor: Musings on Migraines

​Over the last ten years, I have experienced migraine headaches. A migraine has a way of running the show I call life.

When I suffer a migraine, I cannot endure light, noise, food, even coffee. After I’m sure the nausea et al phase has passed, I will take one OTC Excedrin Migraine tablet.

The headache and recovery time takes me about 12-hours. Afterwards I am physically exhausted, as though I had run a marathon.

​​In checking out the Migraine Research Foundation website, I found an incredible amount of information available. Check out some of these sobering statistics from their Facts page.

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Everyone either knows someone who suffers from migraine, or struggles with migraine themselves.

• Migraine is the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world.
  
• Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine.
  
• Amazingly, 12% of the population – including children – suffers from migraine.
  
• 18% of American women, 6% of men, and 10% of children experience migraines.
  
• Migraine is most common between the ages of 25 and 55.
  
• Migraine tends to run in families. About 90% of migraine sufferers have a family history of migraine.

​Most people don’t realize how serious and incapacitating migraine can be.

• Migraine is the 6th most disabling illness in the world.
  
• Every 10 seconds, someone in the U.S. goes to the emergency room complaining of head pain, and approximately 1.2 million visits are for acute migraine attacks.
  
• While most sufferers experience attacks once or twice a month, more than 4 million people have chronic daily migraine, with at least 15 migraine days per month.
  
• More than 90% of sufferers are unable to work or function normally during their migraine
  

​I can personally relate to most of these statistics.  Over the years, I’ve identified triggers that can predict, even anticipate, a migraine. Some triggers are in my control and some are not.

I considered the following migraine triggers found on the Mayo Clinic website:

Foods. Aged cheeses, salty foods and processed foods may trigger migraines. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger attacks.Food additives. The sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in many foods, may trigger migraines.

​I steered away from artificial sweeteners after learning their dangers in Nutrition class. As much as I love Chinese food, there are some restaurants (now avoided) that are sure to give me a headache, presumably from high amounts of MSG.

I have banned processed foods from my diet over the last few weeks and have felt a resurgence of energy and no headaches.

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Drinks. Alcohol, especially wine, and highly caffeinated beverages may trigger migraines.

​Alcohol is not an issue for me. I got a handle on my coffee consumption after some long years on evening and night shifts. My limit is two enjoyable cups in the morning. Ironically caffeine is a major ingredient in my OTC pain medicine but coffee turns my stomach when experiencing a migraine.

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Stress. Stress at work or home can cause migraines.

I know that stress in life is inevitable. That being said, I’m all about mindfulness, relaxation and holistic methods.

My gravitation towards ‘peace at all costs’ is directly related to my intolerance for needless stress. My coloring pencils get a workout when my mind is heavy with worry.

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Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can induce migraines, as can loud sounds.

​For me, this occurs after the migraine has started. As much as I love the sun, I must retreat to ‘vampire mode’ with shades drawn and some soothing ocean sounds (from my bedside clock).

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Strong smells, including perfume, paint thinner, secondhand smoke and others, can trigger migraines in some people.

My eyes begin to burn and tear up at any overpowering scent. I feel as close to fainting as one can get at the dispersing of incense at holiday Masses or funerals. As such, I am avoidant of strong smells and / or gravitate to fresh air as soon as possible after the exposure. ​

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Changes in wake/sleep pattern. Missing sleep or getting too much sleep may trigger migraines in some people, as can jet lag.

​Sleep and I have a love/hate relationship (truly another story for another time). For me, migraines are most likely after a long stretch of work hours. With my schedule, this is sometimes unavoidable. I’ve found that knowing this is more than half the battle. I tend to schedule an ‘off’ day as soon as feasible after a marathon. The nurse in me will push through until that rest day before entertaining the thought of a migraine.

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​Changes in the environment. A change of weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine.

​When we have consecutive days of rain or high humidity, I am prone to migraines. While the weather is out of my control, I strive for balance in the temperatures in my home - avoiding extremes on either sides of the thermometer.

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​Some recent feedback reminded me that I connect best with readers when sharing my experiences.  As a teacher, I want to share what I continue to learn in my journey of dealing with migraines, hopefully to the point of total elimination.

Hoping you will join me on next week’s desk post  when I interview a good friend, who has tried a different strategy for dealing with her migraine pains.

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ShoutOuts

☙RC Helicopter Fail via molometer

☙ It's Not My Imagination via WarnerWords

☙ Character Building for Novels via Fireside with Rolly
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☙ #OrganicAlternatives: Tasty twists on Pond Water tea! Via flashPress

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Until next week, keep healthy and happy.

Hugs,

mar  ​