After having my third child my hormones were all over the place and I started getting horrendous migraines every month around the first few days of my period. It was incredibly debilitating, I would be at work and have to lie in a darkened room until it wore off because the pain was so bad I couldn’t even drive home. It would only go away with two lots of painkillers and time. I learned to know the triggers and to take medication the minute I felt a headache coming on. If I left it for even a short period I was done for. I still get them now but not as regularly. I’m not an expert but I have found the following helpful:
Cold compress
Let’s start with the basics. A cold flannel, damp towel, whatever you can grab, something cold on your head will help ease the pain.
Keep hydrated
Always keep a bottle of water on the go, and keep your fluids up. If you don’t like plain water, add cordial or sugar-free squash. Tea and coffee will keep you hydrated, but beware of too much caffeine which can trigger a migraine. If you find you are sensitive to too much caffeine, go caffeine-free.
Don’t let your blood sugar drop
Try to eat at regular intervals and avoid high sugar snacks which can provide an initial high but then you will crash down. Slow-release carbohydrates and proteins are best.
De-stress regularly
I’m not talking about going on a spa break every 5 minutes, but if you find yourself the victim of tension headaches, try a regular ‘de-brief’ of your body. Think about your shoulders, are they tense, are you holding yourself in an awkward position? If you sit at a desk for work get up at regular intervals and stretch, do some deep breathing exercises and drink some water.
Try different pain relief methods
It might take a while before you find what works for you. I found that paracetamol-based medicine didn’t work for me, whereas anti-inflammatory pain relief like ibuprofen did if I took it when I felt a migraine coming on. There are some alternative non-medication pain relievers out there like Paingone which provides natural pain relief for migraines. If you find none of the over-the-counter medicines or simple methods aren’t working for you then contact your GP for advice. They may be able to prescribe you some prescription-only migraine-specific medication and refer you for tests.
Keep a migraine diary
If you are getting regular migraines, start marking them on a calendar or in a diary. Are they like mine linked to your cycle, or are they after drinking or eating certain foods or drink? Were you doing a particular activity that day? Pinning it down to certain triggers can help you eliminate them, or at the very least be prepared for them.
I hope you have found these suggestions helpful, if you are concerned about your headaches, please seek medical advice.
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