Manage that migraine

Not everyone in the office suffers from migraines, however those that do each have their own ways of dealing with them.

Usually hereditary, migraines are a lot worse than your average headache and can cause dizziness, nausea and even vomiting.

The frequency of migraines differs from person to person, they run in my family yet thankfully I’ve not had too many to deal with.

According to Susan Haydon, support services manager at The Migraine Trust, the headache may last from four to 72 hours, which means being able to manage its risk and come up with coping strategies can be vital for sufferers.

Migraine triggers can be anything from stress, bright lights or even hunger, so avoiding these factors could help, Ms Haydon suggests, although there are a number of treatment options available as well.

Asking everyone in the office it seems that painkillers can sometimes do the trick.

As a migraine is happening the expert recommends paracetamol, aspirin, or anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen or triptans, “which are not painkillers but bind to serotonin receptors and constrict swollen blood vessels in the brain”.

Preventative medicines could also be beneficial to reduce frequent migraine attacks, so for cases like this you might find it better to head to your GP to discuss the options.

Chances are they’ll prescribe betablockers, anticonvulsants, amitriptyline or pizotifen in severe cases, all of which should be a big help.

As well as heading to the doctors, there are tricks migraine sufferers could try at home.

Ms Haydon advises that “maintaining a routine for activities such as eating and sleeping can be a lifestyle adjustment that may help to reduce attacks”.

Having a better daily routine can also help sleep patterns and reduce stress levels, so it’s easily a win-win idea.

I’ve shared this advice with the rest of the team but what do you make of it? How do you manage your migraines?

Posted by Margo Hunter