The most common disorders of the nervous system are headaches—especially migraine headaches. Statistics show that nearly 15% of adults in the US experience severe headaches with an overwhelming majority of the people affected being women. One in four households has a person who is affected by a migraine.
Americans who were surveyed reported that their migraine symptoms lasted between one to three days. It runs within the family genes and 90% of the migraineurs have a family history of the condition.
Migraines are not just a headache
A migraine as a disability
The World Health Organization has classified severe migraine headaches as comparable to disabling illnesses like dementia, psychosis, and quadriplegia.
Since it affects people largely in the age group of 18-55, the impact is on the productive years of a person’s life. 113 million workdays are lost due to a migraine and employers lose more than $13 billion annually. The annual economic burden for migraine sufferers in the US is approximately $78 billion.
This means that chronic migraineurs must spend between $8500-9500 and episodic migraineurs must spend at least $2000 annually on medication, treatments, and healthcare. This figure also takes indirect costs into account such as—lost wages, productivity, etc.
Treatments
Mild attacks can be addressed with OTC pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc. Drugs like triptans are used specifically as remedies for migraines. Ergotamine/Caffeine combinations are also effective. Medication to combat nausea can also be taken. Other drugs like glucocorticoids and opioids, barbiturates, and nasal sprays can provide relief, but they have their own side effects.
Preventive medications include cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. New drugs are being researched and released.
Home remedies for migraine headaches
Most migraineurs have their own remedies for migraines and these include natural migraine relief remedies. This is because a migraine is a chronic condition that lasts for most of their adult lives.
Drugs provide temporary relief, but they also carry the risk of side-effects, dependency, gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, acidity, etc.
Let’s look at some of the most common home remedies for migraine headaches:
However, avoid common trigger foods like aged cheese, processed meats, monosodium glutamate (MSG), high caffeine-content beverages, spicy and citrusy foods, foods/beverages containing aspartame, etc. Dehydration is another common trigger. Make sure you sip water throughout the day, especially if you work in air-conditioned environments.
Sometimes, short bursts of sleep don’t provide relief. Ensure that you sleep in a dark room to reduce the visual disturbances, shut down your phone, and try to reduce ambient noises as much as possible.
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