Migraine is the most tormenting type of a headache attributed to disorders of the nervous and vascular system. Efforts have been taken to find safe and efficient drug-based prevention and treatment possibilities however it offers an incomplete solution. Migraine control is very complicated, and it is worthwhile knowing that besides drugs there are plenty of other paths leading out of the migraine maze or at least mitigate its impact.

Have you heard of a migraine diary?

Writing this kind of diary could become a good source of discoveries both for you and your doctor who helps you managing migraine. You will benefit from a diary if you keep it on a regular basis for at least 6 months. Make sure to put down a date and circumstances under which the headache started. It will help you to find the causes triggering or affecting this debilitating headache. There are some common triggers:

• Stress;
• Menstruation periods;
• Changes in a sleep routine;
• Intense fatigue;
• Some foods and drinks;
• Too much caffeine or withdrawal from it;
• Skipping meals or fasting;
• Weather changes;
• Sports;
• Smoking;
• Bright, flashing lights;
• Some smells.

How do these migraine triggers work?

The simplest way to think of a trigger is to imagine it as a light switch. When you switch it on, an activity is started in the brain that can potentially lead to ache or other migraine symptoms. Meanwhile, it is not as simple as that, because one trigger may happen to activate migraine one day and do the opposite next day. It means that there could be several triggers and they can interact.

Triggers can also vary from person to person, yet the majority of them is related to some kind of stress regardless if:

• physical, dehydration, lack of sleep or hormonal changes;
• emotional, such as anxiety;
• changes in environment, i.e., weather.

Do not give up your hopes for complete ridding of migraine! Devote it some time and attention and it will repay abundantly. Manage this debilitating headache through keeping your own migraine diary and find out more about migraine and other preventive measures in our website section Live easily! Check out migraine-related articles under hashtag #migraine! Remember also that food is our medicine, and it takes some changes in our menu and in some cases adding supplementation to reduce frequency, duration and intensity of migraines and headaches. Sometimes this strategy works so well in reducing the frequency of migraines that former patients tend to forget about this unpleasant fact in their lives.

Live easily!