Do you sometimes feel a throbbing pain on one side of your head that later radiates to the whole head? And is it accompanied by nausea or blocked nose or even diarrhoea? If yes, then you could be suffering from a condition called migraine. In its severest form, it can cause blurred vision, dizziness, imbalance, speech difficulty and even high blood pressure. If left unattended, it can tell badly on the productivity of executives.
How to keep migraine at bay
- Avoid erratic eating and sleeping schedules, particularly if you are prone to migraine
- Eating the right food is important. Carrot juice or beetroot juice should be made regular breakfast items
- Avoid spicy and oily food. Eat sprouts, fresh fruits, greens at least once a day
- Check your blood pressure regularly. Sometimes a rise in BP leads to migraine. At times, migraine increases BP
- Regular outdoor exercise helps. Also consult a yoga expert for specific breathing exercises
|
But what really is migraine and how is it distinguished from other types of headaches? The condition is caused by an abnormal dilation of blood vessels in the head which get constricted in the surrounding cranial area. This cranial pressure is what causes a throbbing headache.
Often, a migraine attack tends to be confused with other types of headaches such as tension headaches (caused by faulty seating positions and staring at the computer for long periods) and cluster headaches, where the jabbing pain constantly shifts its locus in the head and neck. These can be relieved by light neck exercises and changes in working postures, along with medicines.
Migraine, on the other hand, causes periods of intense flashing headache interspersed with dull pain, irritation from bright light and loud sound. The pain pattern can persist for several days.
According to Dr A. Gunasekaran, a neurologist at Chennai's MIOT Hospitals, which has a special headache clinic, severe headaches lasting for up to a month are reported. In such cases, medicines - both abortive and preventive - are prescribed for six months. However, a permanent cure still eludes this condition.
"Migraine is as much an organic disease (like family history, hormonal imbalances in women) as a lifestyle disease. Obesity, irregular sleeping hours, improper eating habits can undo the best effort of medicines,'' says Dr Gunasekaran.
So, how does one deal with a migraine attack? If the headache comes during the night, then get up immediately, inhale steam and try to sleep in a sitting position. If it strikes during office hours, drink a lot of water and no more than two cups of tea. Also avoid chocolates, cheese, butter and alcohol. Have light food. Of course, take pain pills that suit you best but pace them while doing important office work. This way you will reduce your pills intake.
For those with long and frequent bouts of headache, with no particular physical conditions like brain lesions, the underlying psychosomatic cause can be traced through relaxation techniques, counselling and hypnosis to arrive at a definitive cure. But this calls for an honest look within one's self.
