Migraine Awareness Week – Potential Triggers and Top Tips!

It has been reported that around 200,000 people suffer with migraines a day in the UK and it really can stop people in their tracks, forcing them to retreat to the bedroom, dim the lights and stay there until it is over. Understandably, this is likely to have a significant impact on work and home relationships.

As it is national Migraine Awareness Week I wanted to provide some insight as to why migraines may start in the first place, along with some self-help tips with the hope that if this is something that you or a friend or family member struggle with, it may be of help.

Like anything when it comes to health, we like to ask the question ‘why?’ Why do we get migraines in the first place?

There can be a number of triggers, so today I wanted to share a few common ones along with some simple tips you could look to implement in your own life.

Routines
A key trigger for the start of a migraine can be linked to a change in routine with sleep. It may be tempting after a busy week to schedule a lie in at the weekend, or on the other hand, you may end up having a couple of late nights. But too much or too little sleep, in comparison to your usual routine can be the trigger for a migraine to start.

What can you do? Where possible, try and stay consistent with your everyday habits such as sleep, and other key activities like meal times regardless of what day it is. It sounds simple, but it can really help to prevent those migraines from starting.

Water
You have likely heard us talk about this before, but we promise we mention it for good reason! Water. It really is the driving force for nature, and that includes for us humans! Water is essential for helping to keep the discs hydrated which are found in your spine. These discs help to distribute the compressive loads and allow you to continue to move optimally.  If we are dehydrated, the discs won’t function as well and this may lead to increased tension around the area and pain. If it impacts the neck, it could end up being the trigger for a tension type headache, leading to a migraine.

What can you do? Keep a water bottle with you and sip it frequently during the day (unfortunately fizzy pop and soft drinks won’t do). Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea also do not help with this as they are actually classed as ‘diuretics’, which mean that they encourage your body to get rid of water, and will therefore increase dehydration!

Reducing screen use
We understand that many of you have to use computers and mobile devices for work. But unfortunately, these items omit blue light.  Focusing for long periods of time at a screen can not only cause the eyes to strain, but can also be the trigger for migraines.

What can you do? Be mindful about the length of time you spend in front of the screen. Ensure you get up and move away from the screen as often as possible, or at least move your eyes away from the screen regularly. You could also try purchasing some ‘blue light glasses’ which help to block some of the light. There are mixed reviews about the effectiveness of these, but if it is something you suffer with it may be worth a try.

Posture
This follows on well from the previous area of screen use. The use of screens, whether it be desk based or on our mobile device can have a real impact on our posture. Looking down at your phone creating the well known ‘text neck’, or at your laptop or screen, will naturally cause flexion in your neck and create a forward head posture – moving your head away from your body. This will increase the tension in the muscles at the back of your neck, and if sustained for long periods of time or done consistently over time, can create long term changes to how this area of your body works. This increased tension or reduced function of the spine, can be a trigger for a ‘tension type headache’ which may lead to migraine.

What can you do? When using your phone or device, try to lift it up to your eye line so you are not flexing your neck. If you are sat a computer all day, take a moment to check it is set up correctly. Does your screen need lifting slightly so you are not looking down? If you use a laptop, you can purchase a stand at quite low cost to help elevate it up, along with a keyboard and mouse so you are not hunched over when doing work. Also why not set a timer, so every 20 minutes you stand up and move around? This will help reduce the tension build up and keep your body mobile.

Unfortunately there is not a one size fits all approach when it comes to migraines and headaches, but hopefully this provides some areas for you to focus on. If you do have concerns about your migraine or headaches and have not yet sought advice, I would recommend you contact your GP or chiropractor to have an assessment.* Like anything, the pain and discomfort is there to let us know that something is not quite right, so please listen and be kind to your body.

If you would like some more top tips to help manage your headaches, feel free to check out our previous blog on headaches here!

I hope you have an amazing week ahead.

Yours in health,

Sarah

*Whilst the majority of headaches are not sinister, there are some that need urgent attention. If you experience the following symptoms, please seek medical attention urgently by calling 999.

• Sudden onset and it is the worst pain ever.
• Experience slurred or garbled speech.
• Paralysis (loss of movement) in 1 or both arms or 1 side of the face.
• Experience a headache with high temperature, stiff neck, double vision or rash.