Are teenagers responsible for their migraines? Chronic migraines among teens often occur because of risky lifestyle choices. Prevent these 3 teenage migraine trigger, and end your teen’s throbbing head pain.
Teen migraines- more common than you think.
Millions of people around the globe suffer from chronic migraines, and teenagers are no exception. Almost one quarter of all adult migraineurs claim that they had their first migraine headache during their adolescent years. Recent research states that approximately 10 percent of all teens get frequent migraines. As with adults, girls make up the majority teenaged migraine sufferers.
How do I know if my teen is having migraines?
Your teenager’s migraine attacks are probably shorter than an adult’s is, although the symptoms are likely the same. Some warning signs to look out for are:
- Recurring head pain that impairs her ability to function
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Light sensitivity
- Fatigue
- Aura, including visual disturbances, numbness, and slurred speech
Three factors that influence migraines among teenagers.
There are many possible triggers for migraine pain, including food, stress, lack of sleep, and hormones, but some alarming research links frequent migraines with these three teen health issues:
Smoking, obesity, and inactivity
Researchers in Norway interviewed 6,000 teens between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, hoping to prove a correlation between migraine headaches among youths and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking and obesity.
- Nineteen percent of the teenaged test subjects admitted that they smoked cigarettes.
- Sixteen percent were overweight.
- Thirty-one percent participated in physical activity less than two times per week.
- Of the girls, 36 percent suffered from chronic headaches the past year, where 21 percent of boys experienced regular head pain.
- Over 55 percent of teens who were obese, inactive, and smoked also experienced migraine headaches. Comparatively, 25 percent of “healthy” teenagers, teens who exercised regularly, were of average weight, and didn’t smoke, reported getting frequent headaches.
- Obese teens who smoked were about 40-50 percent more likely to suffer from migraines than their healthier peers were. Overweight smokers who also refrained from exercising more than twice a week were 70 percent more likely to get migraines.
Teen migraine treatments
Good news: about 40 percent of teens and children who suffer migraines lose their migraine symptoms once they reach their college years, and 60 percent say that their migraines have reduced in severity. Until then, neurologists advise teen migraineurs to make the following health changes:
- Quit smoking- aside from causing migraines, smoking cigarettes causes numerous health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, and a host of other debilitating, life-threatening diseases.
- Eat healthy meals that include low-fat protein sources, vegetables, and whole grains. Never skip meals. Eating regularly throughout the day boosts the metabolism, and prevents the body from needlessly storing fat calories.
- Exercise for at least 20 minutes, four to five times per week. Include a combination of aerobics and strength training.
- Sleep at least eight hours each night.
- Drink plenty of water, and avoid caffeinated beverages.
- Include vitamins and dietary supplements in your diet. For migraines, health practitioners advise magnesium, riboflavin, feverfew, butterbur, and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
For more info about migraine treatments, read:
New York Times- Patient Thanks Butterbur for Migraine Relief
Stay Hydrated without Drinking Water- 5 Hydrating Foods
Foods that Relieve Stress and Improve your Mood- The Fab 4
Sources:
Headaches in Teens- LIVESTRONG.COM
Lifestyle factors linked to teens’ headaches- Reuters
Obesity, Smoking Linked to Teen Migraines
Many Teens Lose Migraines As They Reach Adulthood