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Did you know that only 1% percent of us ever live our entire lives without experiencing a headache at some point? What about migraine headaches? According to a study approximately 25% of women and 8% of men will have a migraine at some point in their life time. Even children as young as age five have suffered with these types of headaches.

Migraines are actually classified as a syndrome which can cause severe headaches and nausea. Many people also experience visual distortions during a migraine, typically prior to the onset of a migraine. While doctors aren’t sure of the exact cause of all migraines, they are often caused in part by changes to serotonin levels that are produced in the brain. High serotonin levels can cause blood vessels to shrink. The shrinking of blood vessels is what causes many of the symptoms of a migraine to start.

Here are some things you can do to help treat or prevent a migraine:

• Place pressure with your fingers on your temples and massage them.
• Using deep pressure, massage your scalp or have someone do this for you.
• Lay down in a dark and quiet room with your eyes closed.
• Take a hot shower and let the steam enter your sinuses.
• If you find you are having migraines in greater frequency, seek medical attention. This could be a sign of an underlying condition or a serious health concern.
• Sometimes sleeping off a migraine can be the best form of relief.
• Ensure you are adequately hydrated. Dehydration has been found to trigger migraine symptoms.
• Exhaustion can also cause migraines for many people. Ensure that you are getting a proper night’s rest.
• If you are suffering from migraines triggered by stress or tension, make sure you have a stress management plan in place to prevent migraines from starting.
• Make sure you have a diet with balanced and proper nutrition. Avoid foods such as: caffeine, nuts, chocolate, MSG, and even synthetic food dyes.
• Check to see if poor ergonomics are to blame. Poor posture, spinal misalignments, curvature to the upper spine, and past injuries to the back may need to be addressed if you are a migraine sufferer.

Chronic sinus infections can also feel very similar to migraines coming from pressure to the sinuses in the sinus cavity.
It is still best if you find yourself suffering from migraines to seek out a doctor to help determine the cause. Although many people suffer from migraines, very few people actually seek medical attention. When visiting with a doctor try to have a diary of the foods you have been eating, and provide examples of typical activities you do daily. This will help the doctor to obtain a better understanding of your lifestyle. With taking appropriate measures and care migraines can often be almost entirely preventable.