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Here are a few tips to help prevent a workout from causing a migraine, such as staying hydrated and sticking to a protein-rich diet.
Regular exercise is known to have a positive effect on the overall health of individuals including those with migraines.
Several studies have reported that aerobic exercises can help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks although, for some people, physical activity or exercise can be a triggering factor of a migraine episode (exercise-induced migraine).
The benefits of exercise are way too important to be avoided.
Here are a few tips to help prevent a workout from causing a migraine:
- Stay hydrated:
- Drink sufficient water before, during, and after the exercise.
- Make sure that you are not fluid-deficit and keep a watch on signs of dehydration (feeling thirsty, decreased sweating, dry mouth, and tongue).
- Diet:
- Intense exercise can make blood sugar go down, so ensure there is enough fuel beforehand by eating one to four hours before the workout session.
- Protein-rich foods such as protein bars or nuts are good snacks before exercise.
- You may have an apple, three to four dates, or whole wheat crackers before your workout.
- Start and end gradually:
- Always start with a warm-up, and then gradually increase the intensity of exercise.
- Avoid very hard activity or vigorous exercises initially when you have just started to work out.
- Go for a comfortable pace, with a slow and steady increase in the minutes of exercise and the number of sets performed.
- Decide the right type of activities that are perfect for your body such as walking, cycling, jogging, and stretching
- Once done with the session, cool yourself by slowing the workout intensity, stretching, and taking rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
- Workout environment:
- Do not work out in an extremely heated room (may cause dehydration).
- Make sure that the temperature of the room is well-maintained and is free of strong odors.
- Talk to a doctor:
- Despite taking all the efforts, if you still get headaches every time you exercise, consult a healthcare professional who may recommend a daily preventive migraine medication.
- Avoid self-medication.
- Do not exercise with an active migraine episode because it may worsen the attack rather than improve it.
What is a migraine?
Migraine is a common debilitating neurological disease characterized by a one-sided throbbing pain in the head, nausea, and visual disturbances triggered by movement, light, smells, and sound.
It is estimated that migraine is the sixth most disabling disease in the world, and about 12 percent of Americans get migraine headaches.
Women are about three times more likely than men to experience migraines.
Migraine is a primary type of headache, which means it is not caused by or related to any other underlying medical condition.
Risk factors that make someone more vulnerable for migraine headaches include:
- Gender: Women aged 15 and 55 years are more likely to develop migraine than men.
- Genes: About 80 percent of people with migraine have a first-degree relative with the condition or a family history of the same.
- Stress: It can act as a causative and triggering factor.
- Smoking: Smokers are more prone to migraine headaches than nonsmokers.
What triggers a migraine?
Commonly reported triggers of migraine include:
- Stress (emotions such as anxiety, worry, and excitement can increase muscle tension, dilate the blood vessels, and release chemicals, leading to an attack)
- Missing or skipping a meal
- Sensitivity to certain foods such as aged cheese, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, food additives such as nitrates, and fermented or pickled foods
- Caffeine (excessive coffee consumption or withdrawal from caffeine can cause headaches)
- Routine use of pain-relieving medications
- Bright lights
- Loud noises
- Not getting enough sleep
- Overexertion
- Being tired
- Smokes, perfumes, and strong odors
- Excessive dieting
- Not drinking enough water
- Change in weather conditions such as storms, strong winds, or changes in altitude
- Hormonal changes such as menstrual periods or menopause
- Certain medications
How does exercise affect migraine?
Regular exercise plays a crucial role in cutting down the number and severity of migraine attacks through:
- Relieving stress by releasing tension in the muscles and releasing endorphins, which are natural painkillers of the body.
- Helping get good and adequate sleep.
Stress and lack of sleep are often triggering factors for migraine episodes.
Some researchers say that sudden bursts of very intense exercise, extreme weather, or other stressful conditions are to be blamed for “exertion headaches” (that may go away by rest or once a person is used to the conditions) that people may mistakenly believe to be migraine.
18 symptoms of migraine
Symptoms of migraine include:
- Throbbing or pulsating headache (mostly one-sided, shifting from one side of the head to the other or affecting the front or back of the head)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Tingling and numbness
- Tiredness
- Sensitivity to light, noise, and smell
- Visual disturbances
- Irritability
- Difficulty speaking
- Blurred vision
- Upset stomach
- Abdominal pain
- Decreased appetite
- Pale skin
- Neck stiffness
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Insomnia
- Feeling warm (increased sweating) or cold (chills)
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8 types of migraine
Eight types of migraine include:
- Complicated migraine (migraine with aura): About 15 to 20 percent of people with migraine experiences aura.
- Common migraine (migraine without aura): It is the most commonly found type of migraine, wherein no aura phase is evident.
- Silent or acephalgic migraine: Aura symptoms are not typically followed by headaches.
- Hemiplegic migraine: Headache is associated with temporary numbness, extreme weakness on one side of the body, a tingling sensation, loss of sensation, and dizziness or vision changes and hemiplegia (temporary paralysis of one side of the body).
- Ocular or retinal migraine: It is a partial or complete loss of vision in one of the eyes, along with a dull ache behind the eye along with a headache.
- Chronic migraine: It is a headache that occurs at least 15 days per month with at least eight days of headache with migraine symptoms for three months or more.
- Migraine with brainstem aura: It is headache along with other symptoms such as vertigo, slurred speech, double vision or loss of balance, ringing in the ears, and vomiting.
- Status migrainosus: It is a rare and severe type of migraine that lasts longer than 72 hours.