Two out of 100 people suffer chronic migraine worldwide.
It is logical that those affected try to find solutions to their suffering by modifying certain daily habits.
However, caution is needed, as there are many myths circulating around supposed remedies that are often not supported by science.
Chronic migraine is defined as a primary headache (headache not caused by another underlying disease) with some peculiarities.
It must last for more than three months with 15 days or more of headache each month.
Of these episodes, at least eight must present migraine characteristics and meet certain criteria:
As you can imagine, these symptoms take a toll on personal life, work productivity, leisure time and psychological well-being. So, What can affected people do?
Below we will see what is true in the most deeply rooted popular beliefs.
There is a belief that exercise can trigger a migraine attack or make it worse if you have one.
However, several studies have shown that lPhysical activity reduces the number, the intensity and duration of the episodes.
It is best to combine aerobic exercise (such as swimming, walking or running) with strength training and follow these precautions:
Some diets have been widely advertised as effective antidotes to migraine without scientific justification to support this.
This is the case of the ketogenic diet (keto) –high in fat and low in carbohydrates– and low-sodium menus.
What has been shown is that certain dietary habits can improve symptoms and even reduce the frequency of episodes. These include:
In addition, it is advisable Don’t skip meals, stay hydrated and moderate coffee consumption to one cup a day, as this dose can have an analgesic effect.
Yes, there is scientific evidence that Sleep deficit can increase the number and intensity of migraine attacks.
In turn, this worsens the quality of night’s restwhich ends up creating a vicious circle.
Some recommendations for maintaining adequate sleep hygiene are:
Apart from pseudotherapies, some tools have scientific studies that support their usefulness.
This is the case of the therapeutic education and education in chronic pain, that help to understand what chronic pain means and offer different strategies to deal with it.
In addition, relaxation techniques such as Mindfulness, yoga and deep breathing are capable of reducing stress and therefore improve the quality of life of people with migraine.
In any case, consulting a specialist and relying on evidence-based information is always the best strategy.