MIGRAINE HEADACHES

A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so bad that it interferes with your daily activities.

Nearly everyone experiences head pain once in a while. However, there are different types of headaches. The cause, duration, and intensity of this pain can vary according to each type.

Migraine is an often-lifelong neurological disorder characterized by recurrent moderate to severe headaches, usually on one side of the head. Headache is a term used to describe a variety of different pain symptoms that originate from different parts of the head.

Headache is a nature’s warning that something is wrong in the body. Headaches can be symptoms of illness while migraine is an illness.

Common causes of headaches: –

Allergy
Emotional reason
Eye strain
High blood pressure
Low sugar
Hangover
Infection
Nutritional deficiencies
Tension
Presence of poison or toxins in the body
Migraine

Migraine is characterized by recurrent attacks of moderate to severe throbbing and pulsating pain on one side of the head. The pain is caused by the activation of nerve fibers within the wall of brain blood vessels traveling inside the meninges (three layers of membranes protecting the brain and spinal cord).

As per ayurveda migraine is caused by an imbalance of vata and pitta doshas. When vata is aggravated, pitta the fire element moves towards the head causing dilation of blood vessels, which brings on migraine

Diagnosis and management of migraine:-

1.When to suspect migraine-

Recurrent headache from moderate to severe intensity.
Visual aura
Family history of migraine
Onset of symptoms at or around puberty

2.Dignosis of migraine-

Record medical history
Apply diagnostic criteria
Examine patient to exclude other causes
Use neuroimaging only when second headache is suspected

3.patient centricity and education-

Provide appropriate reassurance
Agree on realistic objectives
Identify predisposing or trigger factors
Follow strategy to individualize therapy according to symptoms and needs

Symptoms of migraine: –

Moderate to severe headaches
Pounding or throbbing sensation
An inability to do usual work
Pain on one side of the head
Nausea with or without vomiting
Sensitivity to light
aura (disturbances including flashes of light, blind spots, and other vision changes or tingling in your hand or face).

Causes of migraine: –

Sensory simulation such as bright light, strong smell or loud music, stuffy rooms and temperature.
Emotional triggers such as chronic stress, depression, anxiety and excitement
Physiological factor is normally due to hormonal changes such as period induced migraine or thyroid problem
Medication such as sleeping pills, HRT and birth control pills
Nutritional factors such as magnesium deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, or low levels of B12.
Food intolerance- dairy food, chocolate, msg, fish, certain beans etc…
Poor gut health or longer gap between meals
Wrong sleeping patterns including oversleeping
Consumption of alcohol
Lack of hydration

General guidelines to manage migraine at home :-

Drink water especially if you have vomited
Rest in quiet dark room for fast recovery
Place a cool cloth on head
Avoid smoking or drinking coffee and caffeine drinks
Avoid consumption of alcohol
Try to sleep

Lifestyle changes that may help: –

Avoid triggers that bring on migraine
Get regular sleep and exercise
Slowly decrease the amount of caffeine consumed everyday
Learn and practice stress management. (meditation, exercise)

Space element in treating migraine: –

Start short fast-citrus juice diluted with water may be taken 6 times a day. A proper diet should be followed. Fasting should be done under guidance as fasting can sometimes trigger migraine attack.

Air element in treating migraine:-

Deep diaphragmatic breathing is very effective in preventing migraine
Practicing pranayama
Air bath
Some yoga postures for migraine- Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend), Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose), Shishuasana (Child Pose), Marjariasana (Cat Stretch),Paschimottanasana (Two-legged Forward Bend), Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), Padmasana (Lotus Pose), Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Note: – it is not recommended to exercise while experiencing a migraine attack. But regular exercise makes the body release endorphins, chemicals that fight pain.

Water elements in treating migraine: –

Hydration- drinking water helps flushing out toxins
Wet pack on head and stomach
Eye pack with cucumber and rose water
Cold compress on neck and temple area
Hot fomentation on abdominal area
Taking bath in room temperature water
Water rich food must be included
Cleansing enema with water at 98.6-degree F
Steam inhalation with essential oil.

Earth elements in treating migraine:-

Earthing
Applying mud pack on stomach and eyes
Food to relieve or prevent migraine attack-

Ginger, peppercorn, tulsi leaves, bishop weed, cayenne pepper, chamomile tea
Pineapple, papaya
Application of betel life or paste of cloves and salt crystals mixed with milk
Maintain body’s alkalinity
magnesium rich food subsides migraine attacks and vitamins helps in absorption of magnesium
Avoid trigger food and prevent nutritional deficiency is very important

Fire elements in treating migraine:-

There is Agni not only in your belly but throughout your body, regulating, transforming and carrying out chemical reaction. Imbalance of Agni can cause migraine attack.

Sun exposure
Surya Upasna
Surya namaskar

Vitamin D reduces the frequency of migraine attacks.

Essential oils for headaches:-

Lavender essesial oil– soothes stess and anxiety. Research has shown that it’s so calming that, when combined with a massage or some gentle pressure, it can ease stress that could cause the tension in the back and neck muscles that ends up causing a headache.
Peppermint essential oil- reduces pain and inflamation.Peppermint oil contains menthol, which helps your muscles relax and eases pain.
Eucalyptus essential oil- improves blood flow. It has the power to open up nasal passages and clear the sinuses, relieving some of the tension that causes throbbing head pain.
Rosemary essential oil-reduces pain through regulating blood flow. rosemary essential oil can be a powerful anti-inflammatory that also boasts pain-relieving properties. It is often used to improve circulation and treat headaches