Does this sound like your life? …… Another weekend with more canceled plans. So let’s check out 7 migraine prevention hacks this week.

For those who suffer with frequent migraines, you know this one all too well. But did you know that when you have a “big event” planned, sometimes that can bring on big Migraine attacks.

According to the National Headache Foundation, “strong emotions are one of the many triggers that can bring on a Migraine attack (1).” You might wonder why—but sometimes even preparation for the event can cause anxiety, worry and stress— sometimes it’s the emotion itself that can bring on the attack.

It is so difficult when you miss out on the fun stuff and the social events you’ve been planning—maybe even for weeks. As a migraine sufferer, it’s very stressful when you can’t even fully commit to friends and family, and you are always afraid that a migraine is looming on the horizon.

Migraine Hacks for Keeping Frequent Migraines from Ruining Your Plans

Let’s think about a common scenario where a migraine does actually ruin your plans.

Imagine that your daughter is turning 16, and to celebrate this milestone, you are having a big pool party and inviting a bunch of her friends. You get all the planning done, stay up late wrapping presents, bake some special goodies, and then you get up early on the big day to finish up the final party preparations. Oh, you are so excited! Your daughter is going to have an absolutely fantastic time. It’s such a special occasion and you are fully anticipating the success it’s going to be. You are so busy that you skip breakfast because you just don’t have time. You’re focused on the food you have ordered (yummy pizza which the girls will love) as well as some of the healthier options you have thrown in just in case! You are on the go all morning and then at the last minute you are rushing out to pick up the beautiful birthday cake you put so much thought into. You rush home, make sure the pool is just right and then you turn up the music you know they’ll love and anticipate the arrival of these teenage girls. You just know they’ll have a blast.

Then here you are, 30 minutes into the party, and you recognize the signs of early onset Migraine. At first you try to ignore it hoping it’s nothing and it will just go away—but with the loud music and all the screams and laughter coming from inside the pool, it all just aggravates the situation. Then, after waiting as long as you can, you know there’s no escape, it’s turned into a full-blown migraine. You turn to your spouse and best friend and reluctantly ask them for help. And what do you do? Yep, you have to retreat to a dark room with an ice pack and medication. You sigh with annoyance and frustration because once again, that migraine has robbed you of your joy and excitement.

So let’s break this scenario down for a minute. Think of some of the patterns you have just encountered that have led to this attack:

• Sleep inconsistency
• Stress
• Skipped meal (breakfast)
• Pizza with aged cheese and meats
• Loud music
• Giggling girls
• Summer heat

What you have to remember is that migraine triggers are additive, and if there are too many at one time, they can put you over your “migraine threshold” and trigger just what you feared.

So with all this said, is there anything you can do to plan better so that you can enjoy yourself without setting off an attack?

Migraine Hacks to Avoid the “Big Event’ Migraine

In thinking about the mini scenario we played out above, all of these triggers were controllable. Let’s delve a little further into that and talk about some migraine hacks to help:

• Simplify the Plan: Fewer details and more simplification can reduce the risk of something going wrong, and can help keep your stress stabilized.
• Serve Migraine-Safe Foods: Instead of heading for the easy solution like pizza (loaded with migraine triggering additives), go for something like hamburgers or even tacos (kids seem to love it especially when you just have all the ingredients ready and make it a “fix-in-yourself” option.  Switch out the chocolate cake and ice cream for vanilla cake and ice cream.
• Eat Beforehand: Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast (like the migraine-friendly shake below).
  void Weather Triggers: Choose to plan an indoor party on hot, humid days instead of outdoors. Or if you know barometric pressure changes (storms, etc.) are in the forecast, be proactive with taking special care of yourself.
• Pay Attention to Your Sleep Cycle:  Plan in advance and don’t spend the last minute on those things you could have done ahead of time. Make sure you get adequate sleep and avoid staying up late. This is the healthier migraine-preventative option.
• Love that Music:  Although you may love that music, keep the volume down to a background level (especially if you are sensitive to sound associated with migraine).
• Be Proactive: Our bodies are amazing and when we listen to the queues they are sending us, we begin to more easily recognize those early-warning sign. So tune in to your body. Take quick action to avoid the onslaught of a bad migraine.

Pro Tip:  There are some great natural options you can choose when you catch it early without the necessity of medications. (Hit reply if you would like more information on some of these options.)

If you have frequent, chronic  migraines, always have a back-up plan when it comes to those special occasions, big events, or even making two plans for vacations:

Plan A assumes all goes well – you are healthy and Migraine-free and can fully enjoy the event.

Plan B is, of course, your back-up plan in case your worst fears are recognized. Some of your options might include (1) canceling the party; (2) finding a dark quiet room to hide out; (3) having people there as your backup to help you out; and (4) if you are not at home, go prepared with things you might need (e.g., an essential oil that helps, carry some medicine; take food or drink with you that helps alleviate the pain, etc.).

It’s interesting to note that according to the medical journal Headache, about half of all migraine sufferers delay migraine treatment (2) Why? Well, if you’re like me, you have probably found yourself thinking….(1)  you aren’t sure if it actually is a migraine, or (2) perhaps you want to wait to see if it develops into something more severe because you just hate to have to take that migraine medication. In reality though, the more you know, the better your chance you have of preventing another attack.

Recognizing your most frequent patterns and triggers is essential to getting better control of your pain. Keep your expectations realistic, but also allow yourself the time and effort needed ahead of time to take care of your own health so that you can prevent frequent migraines from interrupting your plans.

The more you know about your migraines, your triggers, your reactions to treatment, etc. the better off you will be. If you want to learn more about migraine triggers, hop on a free call with me and let’s break it down.  SCHEDULE >>HERE<<

REFERENCES:

1.    National Headache Foundation. Migraine Facts. headaches.org.
2.    Foley, K. A., Cady, R. , Martin, V. , Adelman, J. , Diamond, M. , Bell, C. F., Dayno, J. M. and Hu, X. H. (2005), Treating Early Versus Treating Mild: Timing of Migraine Prescription Medications Among Patients With Diagnosed Migraine. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 45: 538-545. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2005.05107.x.