A migraine is one of the worst forms of headache. And those who suffer from it know precisely what I’m talking about. Let me explain it to those of you who don’t know or have never experienced it. A migraine feels like someone is sitting inside your brain and trying to squeeze all of your blood vessels and the linings of it. At the same time, you feel like you have eaten bad food and will throw up at any moment. You don’t feel like eating, talking, walking, or doing anything. Basically, you don’t feel like existing at that very moment. I want to share my tips for dealing with a migraine attack. Although I’m a nurse, I want to address this in layman’s language as much as possible.

First of all, a migraine is caused by triggers. Now, these triggers can differ for different people. For some, it is caused by eating certain foods, for some, it is caused by pollution, and some people call it stress. It is most likely linked with stress although the triggers can be anything. Once an attack has started, it is difficult to predict how long it will last. For me, it usually lasts a week without taking painkillers. So, I always make sure I have my pills handy in my bag wherever I go. During an attack of migraine, I make sure my surroundings are quiet and there is no noise whatsoever. Even a tiny bit of sound can make it worse, even when the sounds are in your head. Which brings me to my next point, try to shut out the voices in your head. I usually do that by concentrating on one thing: to shut the voices in mybrain. Another very irritating point is the fact that the people around you don’t really understand what a migraine is. People usually either don’t keep quiet around you or they keep telling you to just take some rest without the pills. I make sure I inform everyone around me that I have a migraine and that it takes more than just resting to relieve it. Next, I make sure my surroundings are warm and cozy. I experience more pain when I’m sitting in a colder room as compared to a warmer one. Even if the weather is hot outside, lying down with a blanket is always the best option. Also, because migraines cause nausea, its best to drink ginger water or some drink with ginger in it. It helps relieve nausea.

No matter what people around you might say, migraine is a difficult condition to live with. Also, pain is subjective so people can’t really empathize with you as much as they should. It is a chronic condition with no possible cure as of yet. It can be prevented, the symptoms can be treated but not cured. So, lie down on your bed, take your pills, take the day off and give your body some time to recover from this attack of migraine. As they say, health is wealth. Indeed it is. We can always start again from where we left off!