Migraines:A Headache like No Other

A Headache Calendar May Help Identify Your Triggers

Barbara K
Barbara K, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Nov 18, 2006 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
A migraine headache is like no other, Symptoms include throbbing pain on one side of the head, abdominal pain and vomiting. For many there is a preheadache phase which can include flashes of light, bright spots, distorted visions, smelling peculiar odors, and in my case my hair hurts! An ordinary headache or even a very mild migraine might pass if you lie down in a darkened room and don't move. Placing a cool cloth on your eyes, taking an over the counter pain reliever, trying to relax may all help with a mild migraine, but if you find you are having more headaches of greater severity it is time to see your health care provider. What is a severe migraine? It is an unbearable hammering on one side of the skull, it is acute awareness of the odor of everything in the room . Softener sheets, face soap, toothpaste,deoderants, rug deoderizers will all induce vomiting during a severe migraine.

Keeping a headache diary can help you indentify possible triggers. Get a calendar with plenty of space for each day. Record everything you eat , your sleep patterns, work and home activities, and exercise patterns. Women should also make note of menstrual cycles as hormones can trigger migraines. Food triggers can include red wines, chocolate,aged cheeses, nitrites(bacon,hotdogs,bologna etc.) caffeine,artificial sweeteners and smoke. Keeping track of my life on the calendar
helped me identfy red wine,cheese,and artificial sweenteners as my triggers.

On days bright light is painful and my hair hurts, I know there is strong possibility of suffering a migraine. However I have cut down to maybe two migraines a year instead of a couple every month. I don't miss those emergency room visits at all. Your doctor may precribe meds to take for migraine pain or medicine to take very day to prevent migraines. Don't be discouraged. It may take months to track down all your triggers but each one noted and eliminated from your life brings you that much closer to being pain free.And being pain free is what its all about.

Published by Barbara K

I have published poetry in small journals,worked at K-Mart,made evening gowns, cooked in nursing homes,lived on a poultry farm, raised three children..  View profile

  • A migraine is very painful,and invoves only one side of the head.
  • Keeping a headache calendar will help you pinpoint triggers.
  • You may need to drop some foods or activities to eliminate migraines.
Your doctor can prescibe medicine to reduce the pain, and also medicine to prevent
the migraine but you will always need to avoid the triggers.

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.