Migraine headaches affect up to 15% of the population, affecting women approximately 18% and men 8%. It is deemed to be a significant disabler due to its impact on quality of life, especially when chronic. It is estimated that 1-2% of migraine sufferers are suffering from the chronic variant, i.e chronic migraine.
Chronic migraine is defined as 15 or more migraine attacks per month for three months or more.
Broadly, there has been consensus that migraines are caused by vascular dysregulation, contrarily to e.g tension headaches which are usually caused by muscular dysfunction.
This conclusion was especially easily drawn due to the fact that increase in heart rate and physical activity is virtually always the trigger of the migraines, and also because earlier drugs that caused vasoconstriction relieved the migraine.
Migraines are very debalating and usually present with an aura prior to the pain,such as blurry vision,dizziness and loss of balance,feeling nausea, or vomiting is not uncommon although these symptoms usually come during the attack and not prior to it.
There are triggers usually associated with migraines such as flashing lights,blue light such as cinema and tv screens,and stress,in some cases certain foods such as chocolate and cheese can trigger migraines
There are different types of headaches and migraine is just one type, headaches can also be caused by dysfunction of the neck such as osteoarthritis, bulging discs and a dysfunctional sternomastoid muscle in the neck, muscular issues in the shoulders like hypertonic or weak upper trapezius muscle in the shoulders, either way, dysfunction in the neck and shoulders will cause migraines and other type headaches.
I am a firm believer that pain is a symptome and all of the above mentioned can cause migraine and headaches but i believe if we can address the root cause of the pain the pain will go.
So i would advise anyone who suffers with migraine or headache to please try find the root cause and you will inevitably find that around the time of when the headaches started you will find there more than likely there will be some form of stressor in your life. So if you can identify the stressor and deal with that you will find that the migraine will disappear.
For example as i said earlier the general medical consensus is that migraines are caused by vascular deregulation, usually vasodilation which is where the blood vessel dilate which increase blood flow,ie inflammation which in turn will cause pain.
Now ask yourself what causes this dilation of the vascular system, et me tell you, STRESS.
This is the body’s fight or flight mechanism to protect itself.
We create our own stress by what we think and do, example negative thought, living in the past, worrying about the future, not exercising, poor diet and negative thoughts to name just a few.
Drugs and anti-inflammatory medications only treat the symptoms of migraine
If you want the migraine to go away permanently you will have to treat the root cause and if you look deep within yourself and find the stressor and treat that the migraine will surely disappear.
Here are some tips to help alleviate migraine and headaches
1 Lose all fear, Don’t be afraid, embrace fear and see it as a challenge.
What is your fear telling you,find out why you are in fear and deal with that issue,in other words ask yourself why you are fearful and then get rid of it,be courageous and fight your fear,
DONT BE AFRAID OF ANYTHING OR ANYBODY
2 Stop been self critical.
Don’t be too hard on yourself and stop judging yourself remember you are only human and we all make mistakes and have error of judgments,just acknowledge them,learn from them, and move on.
SO STOP SELF CRITICIZING.
3. Practice meditation and breathing exercises and neck and shoulder stretches.
4. Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water at least 2 litres per day, hot water no cold and avoid iced drinks.
