How to Live With Migraines Every Day

Living with migraines on a daily basis is as frustrating as it is painful. While migraines may elude one's control, migraine sufferers have some options for empowerment at their disposal. Record-keeping and personal medical care can instill a sense of manageability and hope.

Instructions

• 1

  Educate yourself about migraines. Migraineurs (migraine sufferers) feel imprisoned by migraines and the threat of migraines. Though migraines are debilitating without effective treatment, migraineurs can empower themselves. Expert information about migraines opens the door to physical and emotional relief. The National Migraine Association, Migraine Awareness Group: A National Understanding for Migraineurs (MAGNUM) website (migraines.org) provides migraine treatment and management information.

• 2

  Keep a migraine journal. Using a monthly calendar page, note each day with and without a migraine. Assign an intensity level of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most severe. Note the duration of the migraine. List triggers that may have contributed to the migraine. Use MAGNUM's free downloadable migraine triggers workbook. A headache journal is an important factor in finding a migraine solution.

• 3

  Find a neurologist who is competent in the treatment of migraines. According to MAGNUM, neurologists acknowledge migraine disease is "grossly misdiagnosed, underdiagnosed, misunderstood." Knowing what questions to ask and what signs to look for will help you find the migraine care right for you. MAGNUM advises to listen for a neurologist to ask in-depth questions about how you experience migraines. Questions include, but are not limited to: what type of pain you experience, how long the pain lasts and where is the pain located. A migraine-savvy neurologist will also discuss triggers, such as foods and weather patterns. A note: There seems to be disagreement even among migraine specialists about what role, if any, stress plays in migraine events. Your journal should help you isolate the stress factor in your individual experience. A medical migraine expert will discuss your migraines at length as well as perform a physical and neurological examination. Go to a first appointment with all relevant information. Bring a list of prescriptions and supplements you take. Include dosages.
  As the appointment proceeds, pay attention to the doctor's responses. You are evaluating her as much as she is examining you. If the doctor seems uninterested in migraine medication or does not respond to the intense nature of migraine pain, take that into consideration. Do you want a doctor who does not comprehend the misery that plagues your life? Let the doctor know you want to participate in your migraine management.

• 4

  Learn about alternative remedies. For example, you may experience treatment and preventative relief from herbs, biofeedback, yoga and diaphragmatic breathing. Ask your neurologist for guidance. This is an area your migraine specialist will understand and support.