Preventing migraines: tips from the experts

Every seventh woman in Germany occasionally suffers from migraines. The causes are still unclear and the symptoms vary greatly from person to person. With simple measures and tips, however, the probability and severity of migraine attacks can be reduced, as an expert told us.

Migraines: duration and symptoms

Migraine attacks can manifest themselves in different ways: some patients report stabbing or throbbing headaches, others severe nausea or an increased sensitivity to light, noise and certain smells. The neurologist and head of the headache center at the Charité Berlin,  Prof. Dr. medical Uwe Reuter , revealed: “The guidelines of the professional societies recommend preventive therapy if patients have three or more migraine attacks per month . These can each last from 4 to 72 hours . Your own limitations in everyday lifeis also an important indicator here. Anyone who has to take a lot back, can no longer go about their daily routine or responds poorly to painkillers for acute cases should consult a specialist.” Therefore, do not hesitate to contact your family doctor or a specialist if migraines occur regularly and affect your life restricts.

The clinical picture varies greatly from person to person. However, the following measures have proven effective in preventing migraines.

Preventing migraines: Five effective tips

  1. Sport
    Exercise seems to be a panacea and has a positive effect on almost all clinical pictures. And sport can also play a decisive role in migraines: “On the non-drug treatment side, sport is an important approach. Jogging, cycling and endurance sports in general often have a positive effect on migraine patients ,” says Prof. Dr. with Reuter. The best thing about it: Casual endurance sports have no side effects and all you need is running shoes, a suitable bike or swimming trunks.
  2. Medications
    In addition to painkillers, which help some migraine patients more and others less, there are also medications that can have a preventive effect: “On the side of medication, there are medications in tablet form, such as antiepileptics or antidepressants , which, although not specifically for the migraine were developed, but can also have a positive preventive influence on migraine. The same applies to Botox as an injection therapy, but only for chronic migraines , ”explains the expert. Since these are prescription drugs that can have side effects, a visit to the doctor is essential.
  3. Keeping Blood Sugar Levels Constant
    Diet can play a crucial role in preventing migraines, as low or fluctuating blood sugar levels can promote migraine attacks. Therefore, try to eat regularly and at fixed times, ideally in the form of three filling main meals. A breakfast with long-chain carbohydrates (e.g. wholemeal bread or oatmeal) gives you and your nerve cells the energy they need. Legumes such as lentils, beans and peas should be a regular part of lunch and dinner , as they regulate your blood sugar level for hours due to the “second meal effect” .
  4. Avoid flavor enhancers The flavor enhancer glutamate
    , which is mainly found in finished products and soy sauce  , serves as a neurotransmitter and can trigger or promote migraine attacks in higher doses. It is therefore best to use fresh food that you prepare yourself and avoid finished products as much as possible. Tip: You can recognize glutamate in the list of contents of foods by the designations “monosodium glutamate”  or the E numbers “E 620-625” .
  5. Antibody
    therapy In addition to home remedies , the right diet and exercise, “there is also the so-called antibody therapy in the form of migraine injections as the only preventative drug that was specifically developed against migraine attacks,” says Prof. Reuter. “The substances usually have to be taken once a monthbe administered. Incidentally, the migraine injection is reimbursed by the health insurance companies if the patient has tried all other established classes of medication without success. That’s five previous therapies for chronic migraine and four for episodic migraine that didn’t have any effect.” So don’t hesitate to consult your doctor so that you can start effective therapy to prevent your migraine as soon as possible.

Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top