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Feeling groggy, disoriented, and just plain slow? Brain fog is a common symptom of migraine disorder and many other forms of chronic pain. Or, you could be feeling the early symptoms of a common head cold, say researchers.

What is brain fog?

Brain fog is more than just simple tiredness; it’s normal to be tired if you haven’t slept enough, or if you’ve been running around all day nonstop. Chronic fatigue, however, makes you feel wiped out even when you’ve had a good eight hours of sleep.

Brain drain is one complaint that people with migraines and chronic fatigue have- that feeling of walking around in a daze, not being quick-on-the-uptake, thinking in slow motion.

For many, chronic pain and fatigue go hand-in-hand. One of the most common symptoms of illnesses such as migraine disorder, fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, and pernicious anemia is- you guessed it- constant brain fog, or “fibro haze.”

Sometimes, brain fog occurs because of reduced oxygen resulting from low red blood cells. Such is the case when vitamin B12 deficiency occurs with migraine.

(Read How do Migraines Create Vitamin B12 Deficiency?)

Coming down with brain fog?

According to a scientific study on the common cold and mood, overpowering fatigue may be the earliest sign of a head cold.

Days before you start noticing cold symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, or headache, you may already start feeling lethargic, depressed, cranky, or disoriented.

Studies show that a common cold affects your memory, reasoning skills, lucidity, mental focus, mood, and alertness.

So, fatigue symptoms that you’ve come to expect as a side effect of migraine, may actually mean that you need to slow down, take some vitamin C, and drink a cup of tea.

Your turn!

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

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Sources:

How a head cold will affect your brain

Effects of the common cold on mood, psychomotor performance, the encoding of new information, speed of working memory and semantic processing

Image(s) courtesy of Michal Marcol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 


 

One night of wining and dining can result in a raging hangover, even if alcoholic beverages aren’t among your typical migraine triggers. Below are some helpful tips for enjoying your New Years’ festivities, without suffering the morning-after symptoms of headache, nausea, and fatigue.

Note: For many migraine patients, there is no such thing as an acceptable amount of alcohol, as even a small glassful of wine or beer can trigger a severe migraine attack. This article is meant for people who get migraines, but are able to drink certain alcoholic beverages with moderation, without experiencing a migraine headache as a result.

Also read: 6 Reasons to Avoid Alcohol if you Suffer Migraine Headaches

Take extra vitamins, before and after

Alcohol is a diuretic that drains certain nutrients out of your body, the majority of which include vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. Out of all these vitamins, B complex disappears at a much faster rate than the others.

Vitamin B complex includes a combination of essential B-vitamins, such as riboflavin, cobalamin and folate. In order to reduce your chances of experiencing hangover after drinking a few beers, it’s important to supplement with extra vitamins, particularly B vitamins, before, during, and after a night of festivities.

Drink, drink, drink- but not coffee!

It’s an urban myth that coffee is the best thing to drink to combat a hangover. Actually, since alcohol and coffee are both diuretics, what you really need is lots of water! Drinking a cup of coffee, assuming it doesn’t already cause migraines, will only exacerbate the symptoms of dehydration that occur after excess alcohol consumptions.

For preventing hangovers, drink extra cups of water the day before a party, and especially the morning after. During New Years’ eve celebrations, alternate a glass of water between alcoholic beverages.

Think twice about NSAIDs

It may seem like a good idea to take a few Tylenols when your head is aching, but if the source of your headache is hangover, and not migraines, then you are advised to stay away from this typical OTC headache medicine. When acetaminophen combines with a certain alcohol byproduct, it can have a toxic effect on your liver. However, taken simultaneously with alcohol, Tylenol is less likely to cause liver damage.

Eat up!

You’re less likely to have a strong reaction to alcohol if you start the evening on a full stomach. To prevent hangovers or migraines after partying, make a point of having a healthy filling snack before going to a party, while the party is underway, and upon wakening the next morning.

Don’t mix it!

Mixing various types of alcohol in one drink is murder on your stomach, and it won’t help your migraines, either. Go easy on your tummy- stick to all-natural juices mixed with a splash of clear alcohol, as opposed to syrupy Long Island Iced Teas or Margaritas.

Your turn!

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

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Sources:

10 Healthy Drinking Tips

Image(s) courtesy of Pixomar/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Looking for an online migraine diary? There’s an app for that. Today’s iPad has great services for migraineurs and other people suffering from chronic headaches. From keeping track of migraine medications to remembering important doctor appointment, here are 10 iPad apps that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without.

Why iPad?

It’s a fact- 488 million Facebook users connect via mobile phone app, and about half of all Twitter followers use their mobile phones to chat. If you’re a migraine sufferer, that can add up to intense headaches and eye pain caused by hours spent glaring at a tiny screen.

That doesn’t mean you should give up on all the great benefits the modern iPhone age has to offer. Migraineurs can benefit greatly from apps like “My Migraine Triggers,” “Drug Interactions,” and an assortment of other programs designed to help you watch your diet, practice relaxation, and schedule appointments with your headache specialist.

Manage your Migraines from your iPad or iPhone- Five Useful Tips

Best advice- keep using your smartphone for talking or texting; to prevent headaches and eye soreness, upgrade to the large-screen iPad for on-the-go internet surfing.

Don’t have an iPad yet?

Enter to win an iPad 2 by joining the Migravent iPad 2 Giveaway on Facebook. Increase your odds of winning by inviting friends to enter- share your “lucky URL” for extra ballot entries.

10 iPad apps for migraine patients

1- My Migraine Triggers– Using a migraine diary is an excellent way to identify possible migraine triggers. Keep track of important data like diet, migraine medications, stress levels, sleep schedules, and bits of information that influence migraine attacks.

2- Drug and Prescription Medication Reference Guide – More than 15,000 pharmaceuticals and 1,200 drug manufacturers are included in this handy medical resource.

3- Drug Interactions– Easily look up which migraine meds carry drug interaction warnings, from a list covering over 200 million possible generic or brand name drug interactions.

4- All-in Yoga– Stress is one of the most common migraine headache triggers. Learn how to relax your body and mind by practicing these essential yoga moves.

5- Awareness- Keeping a positive attitude is half the struggle when you suffer from chronic pain. The Awareness app sends you inspirational messages to help you through your hectic schedule.

6- HealthTap– Want to ask a healthcare professional a question about migraine symptoms or natural headache supplements? Members of HealthTap get quick, real-time access to a comprehensive database of US-licensed practitioners.

7- ZocDoc– Find the nearest doctor or dentist wherever you are, and schedule an appointment with one tap! This is a great backup plan for when migraines strike while traveling.

8- Cook IT Allergy Free– If you’re following a migraine-friendly diet, this is the app for you. Gain access to an exclusive collection of recipes, all categorized by allergen avoidance, ranging from gluten-free, nondairy, nut-less, and eggless.

9- iSleep Easy App– Insomnia is a major cause of fatigue, stress, and headaches. Get help falling asleep and waking up refreshed by using the guided meditations included in this app.

10- Cozi- Brain fog, fatigue, and memory problems are standard symptoms when you suffer from any kind of chronic pain- migraines, fibromyalgia, or gastritis. Don’t rely on your own memory for important dates like doctor’s appointments, work meetings, or the like. Keep track of all the important events of your life with the Cozi calendar app.

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

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Like this? Read more:

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What are migraine attacks, and how are migraine headaches different from other chronic headaches, or occasional headaches?

What makes it a migraine?

Migraine is a collection of symptoms that occur as a result of a brain disorder; hence migraines are considered a neurological illness.

Migraine headaches differ from other types of chronic headaches in that they begin in the brain. While tension headaches and stress headaches are caused by muscle tautness and anxiety, the source of migraines is much more difficult to track, as it may be rooted in various biochemical reactions that occur in the nervous system. While scientists understand that migraines occur in the brain, they do not yet understand why migraines happen.

5 Migraine Misconceptions you shouldn’t believe

The definition of “chronic migraine” is applied if you experience 15 or more migraine days in one month, with migraine headaches lasting at least 4 hours, for at least 3 consecutive months.

Headaches from stress, muscle pain, or congestion are conditions that are easily treated by alleviating the underlying cause.

To alleviate migraine illness, you need to find out which specific triggers (“migraine triggers”) are the stuff that set the migraine attack into motion.

What are migraine triggers?

Migraine triggers don’t really cause migraines, per se, but collectively increase your odds of ending the day with a raging migraine attack.

Anything that raises your risk of having another “migraine day” is considered a trigger. If drinking coffee results in a severe migraine later in the day, as it does for some migraine patients, then coffee is your migraine trigger to be avoided.

Other migraine triggers are harder to identify- they may lurk in your environment. Weather changes, strong scents, bright artificial lighting, and even stress are common triggers that exacerbate migraine illness.

11 Headache Triggers you Never Thought Of

To avoid migraines, one of your greatest tools is trigger avoidance. It won’t cure the illness, but it will make life more manageable.

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

Top 25 Natural Migraine Treatments: Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Migraine Pain Relievers- Tips for Safe Headache Relief

Image(s) courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While there are no medications formulated exclusively for migraine headaches, many patients have successfully decreased migraine attack incidents through the use of various drugs intended for the treatment of other illnesses, such as heart disease, epilepsy, and depression.

However, there are no guarantees when it comes to preventing migraines, save for the fact that some migraine medications may cause harmful side effects which exacerbate symptoms such as painful headache, nausea, and constant fatigue, in addition to posing severe health risks.

Related: Over-the-Counter Migraine Drugs- What are the Risks?

Listed are some of the most popular migraine prophylaxis and pain relief treatments, including their risks and benefits.

OTC migraine pain medications

Example: Tylenol, Advil, Excedrin, aspirin, and naproxen.

Pros: Inexpensive, readily available without prescription, widely accepted.

Cons: Overuse may cause rebound migraine headaches, in addition to damaging the stomach, esophagus, and liver.

Tips: Take with food, use as instructed, and track dosage in migraine diary.

Narcotic pain drugs for migraine

Example: NSAIDs combined with codeine, opioids.

Pros: May provide strong migraine relief where other attempts to treat migraine headaches have failed.

Cons: High risk for overdose, drug dependency, rebound headache, dizziness, and intense drowsiness.

Tips: Use as instructed by physician, resist taking extra doses.

Ergotamine

Example: Cafergot, DHE.
Pros: For migraine patients suffering from nausea, ergots may be taken as a nasal spray.

Cons: Side effects such as nausea and dizziness, and may not be taken if you suffer from heart disease or high blood pressure; also, not the most effective medication for migraines.

Tips: Do not take if you experience hypertension or have a history of heart disease.

Triptans

Example: Sumatriptan, rizatriptan, zolmitriptan.

Pros: High success rate, and may be taken as pill, injection, or nasal spray.

Cons: Potentially hazardous when combined with medications for depression, heart disease, or hypertension.

Tips: Consult your migraine doctor if you currently take medicine for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or depression.

Calcium channel blockers

Example: Verapamil, amlodipine, diltiazem.

Pros: Safe for migraine sufferers with high blood pressure.

Cons: Constipation and decreased heart rate.

Tips: Migraine sufferers who have a history for cardiovascular health problems should consult their doctor before beginning calcium channel blockers as medication for migraines. Also, natural digestive aids should be taken to treat stomach pains and bloating from constipation.

Beta blockers

Example: Acebutolol, bisoprolol, atenolol.

Pros: Safe for migraine sufferers with high blood pressure.

Cons: May not be combined with medications for depression or asthma.

Tips: Migraine patients suffering from severe depression or asthma should seek alternative migraine medications.

Antidepressants

Example: Sertraline, amitryptiline, Buspirone.

Pros: Effective for patients suffering from depression as comorbidity to migraine headaches.

Cons: Effectiveness decreases in time, and may cause fatigue, weight gain, and decreased sex drive.

Tips: Seek professional counseling and experiment with stress reduction techniques, in addition to tracking antidepressant usage with your doctor.

Anti-epileptic medications for migraine

Example: Topamax, Valproate.

Pros: Effective for treating migraine patients with epilepsy or bipolar disorder, and generally high success rate, when compared with other prescription migraine medications.

Cons: Risk for birth defects if taken during pregnancy, plus long-term side effects such as memory loss, fatigue, “brain fog,” and dizziness.

Tips: If taking Topamax for migraines, tell your doctor if you experience side effects such as vertigo, forgetfulness, or constant tiredness that don’t occur with migraine attacks.

Related: Migraines and Epilepsy: 10 Quick Migralepsy Facts

Natural migraine medications

Example: butterbur, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, riboflavin.

Pros: Effectively target migraine triggers and underlying health issues that cause headaches, as opposed to merely treating the symptoms; may be taken safely by most individuals of any age, without the risk for harmful side effects.

Cons: Magnesium sometimes causes constipation. Health benefits from natural supplements for migraines are rarely instant, and may require some time before any change in migraine severity or frequency is noticed.

Tips: Consult your doctor before starting any new migraine treatment, including natural supplements for migraines. Track improvements by using a migraine diary.

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

10 Deadly Migraine Drug-Grapefruit Interactions: Expanded List

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Image(s) courtesy of akeeris/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To avoid headaches and nausea on date night, don’t see a 3D movie. Just when you thought it was safe to go to the movies, a new filmmaking technology used to enhance the movie-going experience may also enhance your migraine experience, giving you headaches, nausea, and dizziness when you least expect it.

The $15.00 migraine, plus popcorn

Recently, film reviewers who received a free early showing of “The Hobbit” left the screening with a headache and feeling sick to the stomach…and it wasn’t just from too much buttered popcorn and soda.

Fans who left the theater reported symptoms attributed to motion sickness: strong migraine-like headaches, nausea, and dizziness.

The cause: the filmmaker’s choice of using a 48-frame-per-second technology, as opposed to the standard 24-frames per second. The result is a sharper, more realistic-looking Golem for your movie ticket, plus a gratuitous headache.

Many reported feeling severe headaches and a sense of disorientation, especially following scenes that included close-up shots and high-speed movements simulating video games.

“You have to hold your stomach down and let your eyes pop at first to adjust,” reported one moviegoer.

Plus, your eyes hurt

This isn’t the first time that a popular 3D movie left ticket-payers with splitting headaches and nausea.

For many, movies like Avatar and Transformers are painful to watch, particularly if you have minor eye problems or migraine disorder.

Health experts explain that 3D technology exacerbates even mild eye problems, such as a slight muscular weakness or vision disorder.

If you already suffer from migraines, or have a yet-undiagnosed vision problem, then you’re even more likely to experience side effects like dizziness, headaches, eye strain, and nausea after watching a 3D film.

Please tell us…

Do you experience headache pain while watching 3D movies?

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

What Causes Migraine Dizziness?

5 Migraine Misconceptions you shouldn’t believe

Are Migraines linked with Epileptic Seizures? It’s Genetics

Sources:

3D Movies and Headache Pain

‘Hobbit’ Headaches: Reports New Film Sickens Fans

Image(s) courtesy of frankie_8-FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This holiday season; surprise somebody suffering from migraines with a gift that really keeps on giving…the following migraine self-help books, natural headache remedies, pain management tools, and migraine awareness apparel are just one click away, on Amazon.com.

Best gifts for migraine patients

Sure, you can give a fruitcake or a necktie…but if you’re going to buy a holiday present for somebody, why not choose something that shows that you care, that you know what they really need?

All migraine patients want relief from endless headaches, nausea, and eye strain. The following is a list of products that aid migraine headache patients, including remedies that provide real relief, books that educate, and items that help by raising migraine awareness.

1- Headache Reliever TM

2- The Headache Hammock

3- WellPatch Cooling Headache Pads

4- Badger Mind and Body Balm

5- Elasto Gel Hot / Cold Sinus Mask

6- Sea-Band Adult Wristband

7- Bed of Nails Acupressure Pillow

8- Migraine Glasses: MigraLens

9- “I’m Beating My Migraines” T-Shirt

10- Tummy Drops- Ginger

11- Harney & Sons Fine Teas, Chamomile

12- Heal Your Headache: The 1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Pain

13- Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches

14- The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health

15- Migraine-Free Cooking!

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

A strong correlation exists between migraine headaches and hypertension, according to numerous studies on high blood pressure in patients of chronic headache disorder. To find out why hypertension occurs with migraines, and to prevent life-threatening symptoms related to high blood pressure, it’s important to understand the risk factors involved.

Migraine headaches and Hypertension meds

According to this study on migraines and hypertension, medications prescribed for hypertension may cause painful headaches as a side effect. Also, if you know that you battle with high blood pressure, it’s important to know the effects of certain migraine headache medications on hypertension, as certain drugs used to treat migraines may worsen a pre-existing condition of hypertension.

“Many of the drugs used to treat hypertension may cause headache and some agents used to treat migraine headaches can exacerbate hypertension and so careful consideration of the therapeutic options is important.”

Although certain migraine drugs work to prevent migraines by regulating healthy blood pressure, that is not always the case. There are many other types of migraine medications that work to prevent migraines accessing various biochemical reactions, some of which may cause blood pressure to rise.

Migraine drugs that cause hypertension

Medications used by migraine headache patients that may cause hypertension include:

• NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and Naproxen
• Decongestants for treating migraines triggered by sinus headaches, including Sudafed
• Vasoconstrictors for migraine, including Ergotamine (Cafergot, Ergomar)

What Causes Migraines? The Long and Short Answers

Manage migraines and hypertension, naturally

To manage hypertension and migraine headaches, it’s crucial to seek natural alternatives to prescription medications whenever possible, in order to prevent side effects that only exacerbate migraine headaches or raise your blood pressure.

To lower blood pressure while treating migraines naturally, try the following:

• Avoid high-sodium foods, including canned vegetables
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise daily
• Find ways to reduce stress
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Quit smoking
• Increase your intake of natural vitamins, herbs, and minerals that are known to regulate healthy blood pressure and benefit migraine patients.

  These include potassium, coenzyme Q10, butterbur, garlic, magnesium, and B vitamins, such as folate and riboflavin.

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

Top 25 Natural Migraine Treatments: Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Do you get Cold Feet over Migraines? Could be your Migraine Medication

Sources:

Migraine and hypertension. Is there a relationship?

High Blood Pressure and Migraine

Medications That Cause High Blood Pressure

Image(s) courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 


 

If you take the following migraine drugs, avoid all grapefruit products. Recently, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an updated list including dozens of medications that can have deadly drug interactions when consumed with grapefruit juice or pulp, including many migraine prophylaxis drugs that are often prescribed for patients of chronic headaches.

For 20 years, physicians have known about the potential risk for toxic poisoning when certain medications come into contact with the otherwise healthy citrus fruit. Currently, there are more than 80 pharmaceuticals that carry drug interaction warnings regarding consumption with grapefruit juice products.

Out of 85 grapefruit-drug interactions that produce harmful side effects, 43 are potentially fatal.

And the list is growing. In just four years, the number of medications, including migraine drugs, which can result in death when taken with grapefruit, has more than doubled.

The list includes many medications that are often prescribed for migraine prevention, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, heart disease medications, antihistamines, and anticonvulsants.

Top 25 Natural Migraine Treatments: Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

If you take the following migraine drugs, then please check ingredient labels for grapefruit, and ask your doctor about the potential for drug overdose.

1. Nimodipine (Nimotop), a calcium channel blocker/migraine drug
2. Nifedipine (Procardia), calcium channel blocker/migraine drug
3. Nisoldipine (Sular), calcium channel blocker/migraine drug
4. Ergotamine (Cafergot, Ergomar), vasoconstrictor/migraine drug
5. Amitryptiline (Elavil, Endep, Vanatrip), a tricyclic antidepressant/migraine drug
6. Sertraline (Zoloft), antidepressant/migraine drug
7. Buspirone (Buspar), anti-anxiety/migraine drug
8. Simvastatin (Zocor), statin used to prevent stroke, possible migraine drug
9. Lovastatin (Mevacor), statin used to prevent stroke, possible migraine drug
10. Atorvastatin (Lipitor), statin used to prevent stroke, possible migraine drug

Natural migraine treatment

To prevent dangerous side effects from prescription migraine drugs, health experts recommend incorporating natural alternative medical practices into your daily migraine management routine, as a means of lowering your dependence on migraine drugs, avoiding migraine triggers, or detoxification.

Natural supplements that benefit migraine patients include butterbur root extract, magnesium, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.

Also read: Why use Natural Migraine Treatments?

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

Migraine Pain Relievers- Tips for Safe Headache Relief

Over-the-Counter Migraine Drugs- What are the Risks?

Sources:

Grapefruit Drug Interactions: Fruit Reacts Dangerously With Expanding List Of Medications, Study Says

Grapefruit, Medicine Interaction Warning Expanded

Image(s) courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 


 

Do you ever get strong migraine headaches, just when you’re trying to wind down after a long day? Let-down headaches (weekend headaches) occur after work, holiday festivities, or long periods of stress. Here are some tips for avoiding let-down migraine headaches during those few moments of peace and quiet.

Relaxation, interrupted

It’s the worst possible time to get a migraine attack. (Assuming there is ever a convenient time for a headache.)

You’ve had a hectic day; your children missed breakfast, you forgot to pick up your dry-cleaning, you worked on your feet from morning to late noon, and your boss asked you to work overtime…at the last minute. And your babysitter’s studying for finals.

So, you stick some frozen chicken nuggets in the oven, put out the paper plates, and wait for the household to settle down.

At long last, you’re ready to flop down on your nice soft bed and turn the lights out. You feel the stress melting out of your pores.

You’re all set to put your anxieties behind you and enjoy some peaceful moments of solitude, focus on the now…

And that’s when the migraine headache strikes.

Like the end of a Spielberg horror film, let-down headaches always attack when you’re most vulnerable- when you’re weak, tired, achy, stressed, jittery, and ready to call it quits.

You think the horror of the day is over, but it’s only about to begin.

Oh, the pain

Suddenly, your head feels heavy. Pain radiates down your skull, a throbbing headache that pulses in your veins, increasing by the minute.

Your eyes suddenly hurt, and small shafts of light feel like a knife jabbing into your forehead.

You feel more fatigued than you imagined possible. Nausea hits you in the stomach, and the urge to vomit is imminent.

You feel dizzy, like the room is spinning. Your hold out your right arm and it seems like it’s too far from your body.

You’re not sure if you’ve been lying here for a few minutes or an hour. Time loses all meaning.

And still, the excruciating head pain shows no sign of diminishing, even after you take four extra-strength Advil tablets.

Can Anxiety Attacks cause Migraines?

Why me?

Let-down headaches occur more often than many migraineurs realize. It has been scientifically proven that when stress levels decline, migraine sufferers experience an increased risk for migraine attacks.

By using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), researchers who examined 17 migraine headache patients estimated that let-down migraine headaches occur within 12-24 hours following the end of a stressful period.

Just when you’re trying to relax, wind down, or cheer yourself up, that’s when you are 20% more likely to have a sudden migraine headache.

To prevent let-down migraine headaches, researchers from the study advise migraine patients to maintain regularity in their lives as a means of avoiding migraines caused by fluctuations in stress, energy, hormones, blood sugar, and mood.

“Awareness of mood and stress may improve headache prediction and provide targets for behavioral or pharmacological interventions.”

Please tell us…

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.

Like this? Read more:

Migraines and Work Stress:Surprising Symptoms

Managing your Mood with Migraines: 4 Simple Surefire Tips for Happiness

Sources:

Study Holds Up ‘Let-down Headache’ Hypothesis

Image(s) courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net