4 Ways to Alleviate and Prevent Menstrual Migraines Without Pain Relievers
Menstrual migraines are more severe headaches that occur between 2 days before your period and in the first three days of your period. These migraines are caused by the decrease in estrogen levels prior to your period. Menstrual migraines can be tricky to treat because the same medicines that work the rest of the month may not work to alleviate the headaches. Here are some ways to alleviate or prevent menstrual migraines other than pain relievers:
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1. Reduce Your Stress: In life, you juggle different responsibilities between family and career. So, reducing your stress can definitely be easier to said than done. However, there are stress-reducing lifestyle changes that can ease menstrual migraine symptoms. Quitting smoking, decreasing alcohol intake, exercising and establishing a regular sleep schedule can lessen the frequency of migraines.
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2. Foods That Regulate Estrogen Levels: Foods that support women’s estrogen levels are important since menstrual migraines are fueled by a drop in usual estrogen levels. The foods that help create and regulate estrogen are carrots, seeds like flax and sesame, fibrous fruits and vegetables, ginseng and sauerkraut.
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3. Avoid Food Triggers: There are also foods that you should avoid because they are migraine triggers. These foods may vary from person to person, but some are chocolate, dried fruits with sulfites, alcohol, aged cheese, red wine, processed meats with nitrates and caffeine. You also want to eat meals at regular intervals. Skipping meals like breakfast can trigger a migraine.
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4. Track Your Migraine Triggers: Keeping track of what triggers your migraines is key. This can be your diet, the medicine you take, or an activity you do that you realize is responsible for your migraine. Learning what your migraine triggers allow you to prevent you from getting migraines. All you have to do is avoid those items on your list in the week before you usually get your menstrual migraine!
While pain relievers may do the trick sometimes, it doesn’t always work for everyone. It’s important to know that there are other ways to try to alleviate or prevent menstrual migraines. Your menstrual journey is all about finding what works for you and what doesn’t!
Sources:
· American Migraine Foundation. (2014). Menstrual Migraine Treatment and Prevention.
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/menstrual-migraine/
· Health Central. (2018). 9 Tips to Prevent Menstrual Migraines.
https://www.healthcentral.com/slideshow/tips-to-prevent-menstrual-migraines
· Everyday Health. (2017). 7 Remedies for Menstrual Migraines.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/migraine/7-remedies-menstrual-migraines/