Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Tips on Migraine-Proofing Your Home

Migraine, contrary to popular belief, is not just a severe headache. It is a neurological disease that is debilitating, disabling, and disruptive. Aside from the severely painful headache, migraine attacks are often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and blurred vision. It is bad enough for people who are suffering migraine to try and manage their symptoms in environments for which they have limited control over like their workplace or other public domains. As such, their homes remain to be their number one refuge when migraines attack.


If you suffer from migraine, there are ways that can help you keep your home family-friendly but migraine-proof as well. Live a comfortable and happy family life despite the migraine by following these tips:


1. Identify potential triggers in your home and keep them out.

Some of the most common migraine triggers are in abundance at home like fragrance, noise, stress, bright lights, and particular foods. While these are common triggers, not all are applicable to every migraine sufferer. Some people experience excruciating headaches when they smell strong fragrance while others do not. Other migraine sufferers might react strongly to noise while some may find bright lights more irritating. Identify the things and situations that trigger your migraine by recording attacks in a journal. This will help you spot patterns and keep the triggers out of your home.


2. Set aside a room to serve a migraine refuge.

This can easily be your bedroom or a small corner in a low-traffic area in your house. Put up dark curtains or blinds to keep the room darkened but install a small lamp for subdued lighting. A comfortable bed or chair can serve as a place to rest and lie down during an attack. If you are easily troubled by noise, you can put in a CD player with soft music or a relaxation CD. Put anything else that makes you more comfortable inside the room but remember to avoid clutter as this can cause stress.


3. Keep a private medicine cabinet.

Migraine pain medications are strong and can cause severe side effects on people who do not need them. As such, it is important to keep your migraine drugs out of the way and in a safe place. The drawer in your nightstand is a good storage space especially if you can lock it. Keep your medicine drawer stocked by learning a safe way to purchase from an online pharmacy that can sell you pain medications at affordable prices.


4. Simplify household chores.

There are a lot of household chores and doing them all on the same day will only mean that you have to do some of them again the next day. Simplify matters by making lists of tasks that need to be done on a daily basis and tasks that need to be done on particular days. You can do this on a computer so you can change the tasks accordingly. Instead of shouldering everything, assign tasks to the members of the family and put this list where people can easily see it. This way, your home can still run smoothly and remain friendly to you instead of becoming a cause of stress when you're unable to do or oversee chores due to migraine attacks.


5. Stock up on anti-migraine foods and fluids.

When migraine attacks, you are less likely to have the appetite to eat a full meal, much more prepare something healthy. Stock your kitchen and pantry with small but healthy snacks like fruits and precut vegetable sticks so you can grab one easily for nourishment. If you have difficulty eating during migraine attacks, stock up on natural fruit juices and low sodium and low fat canned soups and stocks so you can still get adequate nourishment. Keep in mind also to drink plenty of water as hydration is necessary to prevent migraines.



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Kristine Anne Gonzaga is a content writer and researcher who specializes in health topics and health-related issues. She delights in finding tips and ideas on simple and practical healthcare and sharing them through her writing.

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