Preventing Migraine Crises Is Possible but it requires all your attention and efforts

Migraine attacks affect the lives of many of us. The “real” migraine, not to be confused with the “simple” headache, is a disease that can also be very disabling and that deserves all the attention of the people concerned, as well as careful management, both at the level prevention and treatment.

It is estimated that about one in five women and one in ten men suffer from migraines, with recurrent attacks of intense headache (headache), usually affecting half of the skull, but also, in many cases, nausea that can sometimes even result in vomiting.

Migraine gets worse with movement. Sufferers have hypersensitivity to light, noise and odors. The crisis, which can last from 2 to 72 hours, reaches its peak after 2-4 hours, with an average frequency of 1-4 critical episodes per month. This disease, which occurs mostly in adolescence, can also last for several years.

Migraine with “aura” (or “accompanied”) is preceded by sensory hyperexcitability. The patient feels a one-sided tingling in the face, one hand, half of the tongue, sometimes even motor symptoms, such as slurred speech or a slight paralysis of half of the body.

How is migraine explained?

The etiology of migraine is highly controversial and scientific research has already formulated various theories. In summary, it seems that migraine is due to an alteration in the stability of the blood vessels, in turn caused by some physiological substances, the so-called mediators or neurotransmitters.

The intracerebral phase of constriction of the small arteries precedes a dilation phase that causes the headache.
Migraines are inherited in 80% of cases. Sometimes hormonal elements are involved in women, since the crises are often linked to the premenstrual period. The crisis can be triggered by psychic factors and certain foods (see triggering factors).

Keep a diary

Migraine crises often manifest themselves according to stereotyped patterns, following specific triggers. Keeping a diary helps patients become aware of these phenomena, allowing them to take preventive measures in terms of lifestyle or eating habits. As weeks go by and as they accumulate information about the disease, people become able to tell when, how and maybe even why a migraine crisis occurs.

Triggering factors

Migraine attacks do not come on suddenly, but are the result of the accumulation of various catalysts, often over several days. Among the triggering factors we mention, by way of example, stress, strong emotions, excessive tiredness, a feeling of powerlessness in the face of difficult situations. For some people, migraines are typically psychosomatic illnesses.

Various foods and beverages may also be at the origin of the crises. According to some American clinical studies, histamine, a neurotransmitter present in many foods, is often involved in this process. It is not excluded that the ingestion of certain products causes the release of this substance in the body.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of such foods: smoked meats and fish, shrimp, cured meats, cheeses, soy, sodium glutamate (flavor enhancer), aspartame (sweetener), avocado, pineapple, citrus, alcohol. Thanks to the diary, migraine sufferers can also recognize the foods that cause them problems.

Crisis treatment

In the face of the crisis, it is often inevitable to resort to analgesics (paracetamol or aspirin) and antiemetics, useful not only to alleviate nausea and retching, but also to ensure a good absorption of painkillers. Patients almost always know other “tricks” to manage the crisis, such as lying down in a dark and quiet room, drinking black coffee with lemon juice, making cold compresses on the neck and forehead and massaging the temples with an oil based on essence of mint.

Emphasize prevention

At the level of prevention, non-medicinal measures must first be considered. The aforementioned diary makes it possible to identify the triggering factors and act accordingly, taking into account the specificities of each. For some people, better stress management is essential: learning to say no, carve out more free time, and be less demanding of yourself.

In other cases, although it is difficult, it is very important to identify the foods that trigger the crises. Many patients have also benefited from complementary medicine methods, such as acupuncture and hypnosis.

The prophylactic validity of a plant with antispasmodic and analgesic properties, petasite, has also been demonstrated. According to a recent German clinical study, the regular intake of an extracto of petasitis, for several weeks, allowed to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks by more than 50%, reducing their severity (for example, the use of analgesics decreased).

Globally, 74% of patients experienced a marked improvement in symptoms, without any side effects.
Petasite extract does not cure migraine attacks, but it may be useful for treating other spasmodic pains and so-called “tension” or “tension” headaches.

For a better quality of life

Migraines, which can also be very disabling, severely compromise the quality of life of those who suffer from it. The inability to work, social isolation and a lack of understanding on the part of those around us are difficult to accept and manage. These repercussions sometimes lead people to even greater isolation, with negative consequences in terms of self-esteem.

The prevention of migraine crises is therefore a very important challenge for those concerned, who recover the possibility of acting on this painful disease, reducing the unbearable feeling of being at its mercy “body and soul”.