Lifestyle front

The most common suggestions from the lifestyle front that we have been giving are: 1. hydrating yourself, 1.5-2L of water per day 2. Regular meals, don't skip meals, especially breakfast 3. Sleep habits: -going to bed and getting up at a regular time -review mattress and pillows -avoid day naps -write down worries and have a relaxation technique prior to going to bed 4. Regular exercise: 30mins, 3x a week 5. Review computer set up at work -have regular breaks 6. Limit caffeine to 2 cups a day 7. Regular relaxation 8. Neck physiotherapy if the neck is contributing to the headaches. The key principle that we are advocating is that there is a regular routine to your life. The more stresses there are to your body (sleep deprivation, low blood sugars, tension in the body), the greater the likelihood of a migraine trigger (wine, MSG, chocolate, change in weather)to result in a migraine. The aim here is to increase your resilience to your usual migraine triggers.

Sugary drinks

A can of 355 ml of fizzy drink contains approximately 9 teaspoons of sugar.

This creates a sugar high and labile blood sugar levels which can trigger and affect migraines frequency.

Overall management of migraines

We look at 3 aspects of headache management: lifestyle, abortive management and preventative management.

If one is really serious about making a difference to one's migraines, then one needs to be honest about what happens in your life. Your doctor can only help you along the way, but you are ultimately in charge.