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As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I talk often about stress management. We are nine months into trying to survive and navigate an international pandemic and with the holidays in full swing, stress is at an all-time high right now. However, learning how to manage stress is a skill that not everyone knows how to do and or can easily implement in their lives, even if they have the skills. But stress management is extremely important to your overall wellbeing and can even help prevent migraines. Educating yourself on possible treatment options as well as making a treatment plan to help you manage your stress and migraines, when one attacks, will help you manage and minimize the stress involved with the anticipation of one. Stress is unavoidable, but there are ways to manage stress so you can remain in control of it instead of letting it control you.
Do you know that 1 in 5 women suffer from migraines? More so, 1 in 16 men suffer from migraines and 1 in 16 children suffer from migraines. And the prevalence of migraine is highest among women aged 18 to 44 years. Are you someone who suffers from migraines or know someone that does?
A migraine is a genetic neurologic disease caused by a genetic mutation inherited from a family member who also experienced migraines that often requires a prescription. Many individuals will start showing symptoms as early as young childhood and it’s something that lives with you into adulthood whether it’s a few times a year or a few times a month. When you have a headache, if you have two of the three symptoms listed below, you more than likely have a migraine:
▪ Light sensitivity
▪ Inability to function–you want to lie down
▪ Nausea–not wanting to eat
To help manage migraines and come up with a treatment plan, experts like Amaal J. Starling, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology and Consultant, Department of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, suggests starting a symptom/headache diary; this can also help you begin to identify migraine triggers and possible lifestyle modifications and help you discuss your symptoms and treatment options with your healthcare provider.
As an educator, one of the original missions of my blog is to teach others on a variety of topics that will enhance overall wellness. Thus, I am proud to be partnering with Med-IQ* to educate you on some possible treatment options you can try for migraines and give you some stress management tools to help prevent a migraine from attacking during the holidays this year. My goal is to help you achieve optimal wellness from migraines and stress. And if you aren’t familiar with them yet, Med-IQ* is an accredited medical education company that provides an exceptional educational experience for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals.
As I mentioned in my previous blog “Everything you Need to Know About How to Manage Migraines and Minimize Stress” there are many things you can do to try and prevent a migraine like minimizing stress, getting enough sleep, eating regular meals throughout the day, drinking a lot of water, and exercising. Making changes in your lifestyle that focuses on preventing the triggers can help tremendously. In fact, some studies have shown that being on a plant-based diet can help minimize migraines. Limiting and avoiding processed foods, alcohol, and other foods that may trigger a migraine from starting should help. But what do you do when the migraine has already started?
5 Prevention and Treatment Solutions to Manage Migraines
It’s important to remember that a migraine is not a one-size-fits-all disease and treatment for a migraine doesn’t have a cookie cutter solution. Each person reacts to various treatment differently, so it’s imperative to be aware of prescription treatment options and realize that certain medicines work for some people and not for others. People with migraines should have realistic treatment expectations; a migraine is rarely, if ever, cured, but it’s vital to be aware of treatment options so migraine can be managed optimally.
Supplements
Supplements like Magnesium and B2 have been known to help migraines. Look at your multi-vitamin or see if you need to add these supplements to your daily routine. Talk to your neurologist, primary doctor, or health care provider before taking any new supplements to make sure taking them will be safe for your body.
Over the Counter Medication
There are various over the counter pain relievers that might help a migraine like Advil, Motrin, etc. Please check with your neurologist, primary doctor, and or health care provider to make sure one of these OTC options are suitable and safe for you to take.
Acupuncture
I loved doing acupuncture when I was trying to get pregnant with my second child. There are so many benefits and one of them is treating migraines. It can be expensive although some insurance companies cover some or all of the cost with possibly a co-pay depending on your insurance plan and medical necessity. Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine where needles are inserted into various and specific points on your body to relieve stress and pain. And yes, it even helps with fertility!
Triptans
There are 7 different kinds of triptans available, but research has revealed that they are not as effective for many patients; 30% of people reported side effects. For readers who are breastfeeding, it is useful to note that triptans can be taken when nursing. Side effects include dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, and more. Should be avoided in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease because these drugs affect blood vessels.
Ditans and Gepants
Ditans and gepants (aka CGRP antagonists) are new migraine treatments. Gepants UBRELVY (ubrogepant) and NURTEC (rimegepant) and ditan REYVOW (lasmiditan) are newly available to treat acute migraines (as they happen). According to an interview with Dr. Jessica Ailani, Director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center and Professor of Clinical
Neurology at Georgetown University Hospital, “Ditans and gepants are both medicines that can be taken as needed and swallowed in pill form or as a dissolvable tablet at the onset of an attack to treat symptoms like headache pain, light/sound sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting.” Unlike triptans, ditans don’t affect blood vessels and can be an option for patients who don’t respond well to triptans or don’t like the side effects of triptans. One consideration, however, is that ditans are a controlled substance and will limit patients’ ability to drive a car for 8 hours. Gepants are a once-daily treatment with low side effects; some patients report dry mouth, but there are no overuse problems with gepants.These new medicines are intended for people with 4 migraines per month, or 8 or more headache days per month, people who experience intolerable side effects from other treatments, and people who haven’t responded to other preventive treatments.
5 Stress Management Tools
Here are some of my favorite and most effective ways to prevent and manage stress. There are many ways to practice mindfulness each day to help with stress so find what works for you and then keep doing it! Stress can come on anytime and anywhere, so keep these tools in your back pocket and use them regularly to prevent stress and or use in the moment when your stress sneaks up from behind and hits you in the spur of the moment.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
I use this a lot with my clients at the office and also with my kids before bed! Progressive muscle relaxation is basically a simple practice of tensing or tightening one muscle group, one at a time, followed by a relaxation phase with release of the tension. This is a short practice that may only take a few minutes or can be done slowly in more depth but usually won’t take more than 15 minutes or so. Start by inhaling and then contract one muscle group at a time for 5 seconds to 10 seconds, then exhale and then quickly release the tension in that muscle group. Give yourself about 15 seconds to relax and then move on to the next muscle group. Go through all of the muscle groups on your body.
Visual Imagery
Believe it or not, this is my favorite to use before taking a test or doing something anxiety provoking like going to the doctor or dentist. Close your eyes and imagine yourself at the beach. Imagine yourself hearing the sound of the waves, feeling the softness of the sand between your toes, and tasting the salt in the air. You can pick anywhere you want where you can feel immersed in the environment, but I typically suggest picking a peaceful place, possibly a favorite vacation spot. You can even pick a place like Disneyland if it makes you happy, but sometimes if you imagine it being loud and crowded, it can actually have an opposite effect, so try to pick somewhere where you may even imagine you are there alone!
Grounding Exercises
One of my favorite grounding exercises includes taking a few moments to meditate and reflect on your senses. This can be done first thing in the morning to kick off your day in the best way possible or when you start feeling your stress rising beyond the level you can regulate. Start by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Then slowly think of three things you can smell, see, hear, taste, and touch and really try to focus on each one without rushing. When you are done, take a few more deep breaths!
Taking Breaks
How often do you take breaks throughout your day? Or maybe I should ask, when is the last time you took a break? Sometimes all we need is a few minutes of peace and quiet before we feel regulated and can continue on with our day, but sometimes we may need a longer break – possibly a few hours or even a night away to really clear our minds and heal our bodies. This year has really pushed us to self care and prioritize our mental health, so incorporate breaks into your day and put them on your calendar if you have to. Talk to your spouse or partner about having a night off or even a night away and really unplugging from everyday stress and overstimulation from daily responsibilities. And do not feel guilty for focusing on you for a change. Moms especially tend to put everyone else before herself, but that’s hard to do if your tank is empty. Focus on filling it up and then you’ll be a much better place mentally and emotionally to parent at your best!
Fresh Air
I know this sounds too easy, but getting fresh air throughout your day can really help your stress management. If you can grab some exercise by taking a walk and getting some Vitamin D from the sun while you are outside, that’s a bonus! Have work to do? Consider doing it outside. I sometimes do a zoom call or write a blog in the backyard while my kids play. And if your kids are restless and misbehaving? Try taking them to run on the grass at a nearby park while you sip on some water or some coffee to recharge.
Med-IQ Survey
Are you a migraine sufferer or know someone who is? If so, Med-IQ is currently conducting an anonymous survey and would appreciate your input. The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Survey responses are shared only in aggregate. Your responses to these survey questions will provide Med-IQ with important information about your experiences with migraine and related care, which will help them develop future educational initiatives in this area. Once you’ve completed the survey, you will have the option of providing your email address to be entered into a drawing administered by SOMA Strategies to win 1 of 10 $100 VISA gift cards. If you choose to enter, your email address will be used only to randomly draw the winners and notify them of their prize.
Based on the results from the survey thus far include:
- 86% of respondents have never formally been diagnosed with migraine
- More than one-third of respondents said it took more than 2 years to receive their diagnosis
- Biggest triggers: stress (84%), weather (60%), and insomnia (72%)
I was compensated by Med-IQ through an educational grant from Allergan to write about the realities of migraine as a neurologic disease. All opinions are my own.
*Links to external sites are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. They are not intended and should not be construed as legal or medical advice, nor are they endorsements of any organization. Med-IQ bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of any external site. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
#migrainefacts2020
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