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Though migraines often occur without warning, some symptoms may manifest an hour or so before the actual attack. Typically, an aura, an altered sense of visual perception, occurs that includes blurred vision, blind spots or jagged lines. Difficulty in forming words or stuttering may also be an early warning.
“Never ignore the early signs,” Elliott advised. “Triptans need to be taken early in the migraine attack to be most effective.”
Elliott said there are also medications proven to decrease migraine frequency. These include beta-blockers for hypertension, tricyclic antidepressants and anti-seizure medications for treating epilepsy.
What you can do
After having your condition diagnosed by a doctor, neurologists suggest a four-step program to help prevent or lessen the frequency of attacks.
| 1. Keep a diary to identify triggers: |
a. |
Learn what foods are associated with your migraines and avoid them.Chocolate, for example, has been known to be a trigger along with aged cheese, alcohol, foods containing monosodium glutamates and nitrates. |
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b. |
What time of day did the migraine first start? Keeping track of the time might be a clue. |
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| 2. Partner with your doctor to try new medications as the Food and Drug Administration approves them. |
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| 3. Learn to take it easy. Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers. Learning to cope may help reduce the frequency and severity of the attacks. Stress relievers include yoga, massage therapy and meditation. |
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| 4. Practice a healthy lifestyle: |
a. |
Exercise moderately three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. This helps ward off headaches through the production of pain-relieving endorphins. However, exercise will not stop an attack once it is in progress. In fact, it makes it much worse. |
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b. |
Skipping meals affects blood-sugar levels and can cause headaches. |
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Stay hydrated by drinking eight to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Dehydration is a proven trigger. |
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Stick to a regular sleep pattern. Getting up and going to bed at different times and missing sleep have been linked to headaches. |
Employing new therapies have reduced the frequency and severity of headaches for Wilganowski, who now goes months without missing a workday.
“Since finding the right medication, my life has definitely gotten better.”
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Why are women
more susceptible? |
Researchers aren’t sure, but migraines may be related to fluctuations of estrogen, which has a powerful effect on many brain chemicals.
Clue: A majority of women experience migraines during periods of hormonal flux between puberty and menopause, but about two-thirds experience a dramatic decrease in frequency after menopause. |
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