General Tips Migraine

• Sit in a quiet dark rom.
• Have a regular hot bath (relax).
• Regular cardiovascular exercise e.g. jobbing, walking, cycling, swimming (not too strenuous) or do a sport one enjoys to ease stress and tension and hence reduce headache.
• Have an exercise programme (avoid heavy weights, heavy objects)
• Bright lights can trigger a migraine. Consider wearing sunglasses or dimming the lights when possible if one senses that the lights around are too bright.
• Air conditioned rooms can cause a migraine due to cold environment and the noise from the unit/fan.
• If loud noises or certain sounds trigger ones migraines, try to keep one’s environment quiet.
• Holding a phone to your ear for a long time or wearing headphones can trigger a migraine, consider using a speaker when one has prolonged phone calls to avoid holding the phone close to ones ear.
• Consider a healthy diet
• Lose weight if overweight
• Consider a head massage
• Consider:
  • Aromatherapy
  • Homeopathy
  • Yoga
  • Tai-chi
  • Pilates exercise
  • Reflexology
  • Acupuncture therapy
• Consider breathing exercises
• Have regular breaks.
• Consider hot/cold compress and/ or ice wrapped in a cloth if have neck or shoulder pain-(do not use if sensitive to temperature change)
• Avoid foods that trigger migraine, talk to dietician if omitting multiple foods I.e.
  • Cheese​
  • Nitrate containing foods
  • Chocolate​Pickled
  • ​Red wine​Fermented, marinated foods​
  • ​Caffeine​
  • Nuts
  • ​Smoked fished​
  • Peanut butter
  • ​Processed meats​
  • Sweeteners
  • ​Avocado ​Monosodium glutamate (MSG)​
  • Banana​ containing foods
  • ​Citrus fruits​
• Treat migraines as soon as possible, don’t delay.
• Take medication with you all the time.
• Avoid dehydration, cut down on alcohol, tea, coffee (caffeine drinks) and drink plenty of water.
• Try to be calm throughout day and have a daily routine.
• Try to have regular sleeping patterns.
• Don’t skip meals.
• Have plenty of fresh air.
• Avoid bright/flash lights/and noisy environments.
• Encourage to keep a diary to identify trigger.
• If depressed, See a specialist.
• Obtain a diary to identify triggers (www.migrainetrust.org)
• Allergy tips

If Migraine due to vision problems

• One should have routine eye tests at least every two years but if one has concerns one should book an eye test at any point
• Persons over 40 years should have eye test at least every 2 years and you must tell drivers authority if it affects your driving

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Exercise your eyes

Focus change

This exercise works by challenging your focus. It should be done from a seated position.

• Hold your pointer finger a few inches away from your eye.
• Focus on your finger.
• Slowly move your finger away from your face, holding your focus.
• Look away for a moment, into the distance.
• Focus on your outstretched finger and slowly bring it back toward your eye.
• Look away and focus on something in the distance.
• Repeat three times.

Near and far focus

• This is another focus exercise.
• As with the previous one, it should be done from a seated position.
• Hold your thumb about 10 inches from your face and focus on it for 15 seconds.
• Find an object roughly 10 to 20 feet away, and focus on it for 15 seconds.
• Return your focus to your thumb.
• Repeat five times.

Figure eight

• This exercise should be done from a seated position as well.
• Pick a point on the floor about 10 feet in front of you and focus on it.
• Trace an imaginary figure eight with your eyes.
• Keep tracing for 30 seconds, then switch directions.

20-20-20 rule

• Eye strain is a real problem for a lot of people. Human eyes are not supposed to be glued to a single object for extended periods of time. If you work at a computer all day, the 20-20-20 rule may help prevent digital eye strain.
• To implement this rule, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Vision therapy

• Vision therapy may include eye exercises, but only as part of a more specialised treatment program done under the supervision of an eye doctor, optometrist, or ophthalmologist.
• The goal of vision therapy can be to strengthen the eye muscles.
• It also can help to retrain poor visual behaviour, or help with eye tracking issues.

Healthline : Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O.D. — Written by Corinne O’Keefe Osborn — Updated on September 29, 2018

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• One can suffer headaches due to dry eyes

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Natural treatments and tips (DR Axe)