If you suffer from frequent migraines and headaches, you’ve likely tried everything out there. Some migraine and headache treatments work and some don’t. How much trial and error can one person go through? To help you find a migraine and headache relief that works for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common migraine relief tips.
Keep Drinking Coffee, But Not Too Much
Caffeine headaches are one of the most common types of headaches and occur when someone drinks caffeine every day and then abruptly stops. The reason caffeine can trigger a headache is that it narrows the blood vessels that surround the brain. When consumption ends, the blood vessels become larger and there becomes an increased blood flow around the brain and pressure put on the surrounding nerves. If you continue to cut caffeine out of your daily intake, it will take a few weeks for withdrawal headaches to stop. If you don’t want to experience caffeine headaches, it’s important to continue drinking caffeine every day.
On the flip side, if you drink too much caffeine, it will cause you to urinate more frequently. This can result in dehydration which could cause a headache.
If you want to avoid caffeine headaches altogether, continue to drink coffee or caffeine, but just make sure you’re not drinking too much.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration headaches are another common type of headache. When you don’t drink enough fluid to provide your body with the necessary electrolytes and fluid to function, it can cause a serious migraine. When the body becomes dehydrated, it can cause the brain to move away from the skull which can cause pain. Once you rehydrate, the brain will plump back up and the pain should subside.
To avoid dehydration headaches, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. You should drink more if you’re drinking alcohol or caffeine, or rigorously exercising.
Avoid Foods That Trigger Migraines But Don’t Go Hungry
Another way to avoid headaches and migraines is by avoiding foods that trigger migraines. Some of these foods include the following:
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Chocolate
- Foods containing MSG
- Cured meats
- Aged cheeses
- Fermented and pickled food
- Frozen foods
- Salty foods
- Cultured dairy products
- Soy products
- Nuts
If you notice that you get a headache every time you eat certain foods, they’re likely triggering your headaches. On the flip side, if you’re not eating enough, your hunger will trigger a headache. Your body requires a certain amount of energy to function properly. When you’re hungry, your body releases a hormone to let you know. If you don’t eat, the hormone can increase your blood pressure and cause your blood vessels to tighten which will cause a headache.
While it’s important to avoid foods that can cause migraines, it’s just as important to avoid going hungry.
Watch Your Sugar Intake
You can also avoid headaches by regulating your sugar intake. You may have heard people ask “Can sugar cause migraines?” Yes! When you eat too much sugar, it can cause your body to release too much insulin. This can lead to a sugar crash and low blood sugar level which can trigger a migraine. With that said, it’s important to eat added sugar in small amounts to avoid the risk of getting a headache.
However, you can also experience a sugar withdrawal headache if you regularly consume a lot of sugar and then suddenly stop. Sugar is highly addictive, and when eaten, it causes the body to release dopamine. When people stop eating sugar, their dopamine levels decrease and then cause headaches.
To avoid sugar headaches or sugar withdrawal headaches, try to watch your sugar intake and not exceed the AHA’s recommended 24 grams of sugar for women or 36 grams of sugar for men per day.
Does Cream of Tartar Help Migraines?
You may have come across this tip on the internet that cream of tartar helps with migraines. However, this is far from the truth. There is no evidence that cream of tartar will provide any migraine relief. Don’t believe everything you see on Facebook!
Ear Piercings For Migraines
Another common solution for migraines is getting a Daith piercing. The logic behind this preventative method stems from acupuncture. The piercing area is a pressure point that can relieve pain. Although there is no scientific evidence to back up this theory, if you’ve found relief from acupuncture in the area, it might be a good idea to get a piercing there. It’s important to make sure the piercing is in the correct spot, otherwise, it won’t provide relief.
Get Treatment for a Sleep Disorder
If you’re suffering from frequent headaches and migraines and none of the ideas listed above have provided any sense of relief, there might be an underlying problem going on. If you also experience any symptoms like loud snoring, coughing and choking during sleep, feeling fatigued during the day, irritability, and finding it difficult to concentrate, you might have a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea. In this case, you will need a sleep test to confirm your diagnosis and treatment from our Omaha sleep apnea dentist.
Once you use regular sleep apnea treatment, your frequent headaches and migraines will go away, in addition to other health problems and symptoms.
To learn more about sleep apnea and to set up a home sleep test, contact Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center at (402) 493-4175 to book a new patient appointment.
