Tips for coping with migraines

Recognising your triggers is the first step to living with migraines. Triggers can be different for everyone, but there are a few common themes, such as caffeine, chocolate, and bright lights.

Triggers are the ‘catalyst’ for your migraine, causing the blood vessel constriction and subsequent pain. Recognising your triggers and knowingly avoiding them is the first step to tailing off your migraine problems.

My patients tell me for less severe migraines, they have to use their mental strength to deal with the pain. Not entirely ignoring it, as migraines are a serious condition and need to be managed, but not dwelling constantly on the pain either.

When avoidance fails, my patients have told me they found these coping techniques helpful:

1. If the pain is mild enough to be tolerated, you can take Ibuprofen and paracetamol and carry on, trying to avoid dwelling on the pain of the migraine.
2. If it’s a more severe migraine, then it would still be helpful to take the Ibuprofen and paracetamol, and still try to ignore the migraine as best you can, but stop trying to work through the pain. Retreat to your bedroom for a while, and avoid bright light and other triggers.
3. When the migraine becomes unbearable, or the migraine comes at such a speed you can’t take any precautions, it would be wise to take a zolimitriptan (Zomig).

I hope your found this article helpful. If you have tips of your own for dealing with migraines, or have a question about my treatments, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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