Waking up in the middle of the night with a migraine is not one of my favorite ways to start the day. I'm used to having migraines because they've been part of my physical challenges for over three decades. Even so, the pain they cause reminds me that I probably need to change something.
The migraines I have are caused by:
- Nitrates (in ham, bacon, hot dogs, etc.)
- Prolonged sunlight
- Diminished sleep
- Poor stress management
- Hormone changes
- Emotional triggers
- Too much external stimuli
- Strong smells like perfume, diesel fumes and tar fumes
- Change in weather
Looking at this list, I can identify two possible causes: Diminished sleep and change in weather.
Every migraine can be measured on a scale of 1-10. One being the lowest pain and ten being the most painful. Most of the time my migraines are 6-7 on the scale. Most of the time they will go away on their own. If they don't I have medications that will dissolve them within 20-30 minutes.
The key is to medicate the migraine as quickly as possible. By this I mean as soon as it starts. Since migraine is distinctly different from a common headache, migraine sufferers can prevent the pain from becoming full blown and disabling.
Learning your body's signals is key to effective migraine management.
