I’ve been struggling with previous 4-5 days, experiencing a severe headache to migraine daily during that time. As a chronic migraine sufferer, I have learned a great deal about migraines over the decades I have experienced them. I have a myriad of tips and tricks to reduce pain and basically just ways to help me get through the day.
Honestly, my house and backpack look really bizarre from an outside perspective. I have this magical cooling pillow in my refrigerator, around 5 bottles of lavender essential oil (and probably 3 peppermint oils), two types of migraine meds I carry with me at all times, and more.
As I become older, I am more interested in overall prevention and in a better place to track possible triggers. I have established several of my triggers at this point (hormones, weather, and caffeine), but I am concerned about my recent increase in frequency. As a result, I’ve been looking for different information on migraine causes.
I want to start with a couple key articles to introduce you, if you are unfamiliar with migraines (or mislabel your headache as a migraine):
This is a good intro into the world of migraines from the other folks that experience them. While I feel obligated to share my diagnosis with others, I rarely feel the need to go into a full discussion because after 18 years of the diagnosis and discussion, I’m honestly tired of it. If you want to know more about my experience, I’ll happily share, but otherwise I tend to keep my mouth shut.
I feel obligated to include this particular article because I’ve been having to explain the difference and defend the diagnosis of a migraine since I was eight. I’ve been suffering with them since I was four.
So, without further ado, here’s a look at some of what I’ve been reading (spoiler alert: I can feel a migraine coming on and won’t be elaborating much):
This article is about a migraine-specific elimination diet.
This is a list of recommendations for chronic migraine sufferers (defined as 15 migraine days within a month).
In all honesty, despite 22 years of experience with migraines, I am still not 100% sure of all my migraine symptoms. I typically experience a handful of symptoms at most, primarily unilateral (or occasionally bilateral) head pain, weakness, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Until I read this, I didn’t even begin to think about some of the other possibilities of symptoms. It turns out I have a few other symptoms I never really realized, like sensitivity to smell.
I hope you found this information to be helpful.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links listed on this page, I may receive a small commission.
Do you experience migraines? What is your strangest trigger?
I feel your pain. I have suffered from them for years as well. I use to get them multiple times a month. I was an avid soda drinker; drinking two to three cans a day. I finally decided to give up drinking soda and it did wonders. Hormones is my other trigger. I still get them once a month and haven’t found a way to prevent it from happening. Some times they last a day other it could be several. My family doesn’t understand as they are not victims to migraines so I like you often just keep my mouth shut and suffer through. Uhhh it is a frustrating diagnosis.
I’m so proud of you for giving up soda! Diet Dr. Pepper is my vice (I’m a non-coffee drinker). I have tried numerous times but as caffeine withdrawal is a major trigger for migraines, I feel stuck in a Catch-22. I also have hormonal triggers, as well as barometric triggers. I completely understand your struggle of the silent suffering of migraines. #solidarity (don’t judge my use of hashtags)