Anxiety and stress can provoke various negative consequences in a person, expressed in individual diseases. One of them is migraine, which significantly reduces stress resistance of an individual, and worsens the quality of life. At the same time, on days with less tension per person, migraines can get worse. However, in today’s fast-paced life, people are forced to deal with seizures urgently in order to remain effective. It is necessary to analyze what a migraine is and also to identify three ingenious ways to control the disease.
While the principles behind how migraine works are still being studied, there are few proven causal relationships. The electrical activity spreads throughout the brain, making it the affected organ (Wood, 2020). Cells become more active when a migraine goes into an acute phase, leading to anxiety and changes in serotonin levels. On the contrary, when stress occurs, a chain of reactions is activated that affects the level of serotonin (Wood, 2020). Such conditions lead to the release of neuropeptides and the narrowing of the blood channels, which, in turn, leads to pain (Wood, 2020). However, there are several methods of reducing the symptoms of the disease that are available to any person at home.
The first step is to highlight the consumption of ginger or drinks from chamomile. According to a study published in the Phytotherapy Research Journal, an herbal medicine journal, ginger root is one of the best ingredients for relieving migraine symptoms at home (Ferrari et al., 2020). The effectiveness of ginger lies in the fact that it blocks prostaglandins, thereby reducing the intensity of headaches. It is worth noting that a similar principle is used in most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs designed to eliminate headaches (Ferrari et al., 2020). The best way to use ginger to get rid of migraines at home is to make ginger tea. Chamomile, on the other hand, has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect, making it an effective remedy for migraine headaches. Chamomile tea is the most affordable and common way to use all its healing properties (Ferrari et al., 2020). This tactic can also be applied at work since the creation of a drink is not a long or difficult process leading to a deterioration in the quality of work. In addition, drinks can be made in advance by bringing the finished product to the office.
The second strategy is to provide timely rest and a cold compress. The fact is that headaches are associated with stress on the nervous and hormonal systems, which can be caused by physical activity. In this case, sleep or a passive lying position can significantly alleviate the symptoms since it normalizes blood circulation (Ferrari et al., 2020). This method cannot be called universal and is always effective since, in especially acute cases, it is complicated by severe pain. In such situations, cold objects are a quick and effective solution to combat symptoms (Ferrari et al., 2020). Applying cold or frozen compresses to the neck or head reduces inflammation, constricts blood vessels, and helps relieve pain. To make a cold compress, simply fill an airtight bag with ice and wrap it in a soft towel.
Finally, the third of the easiest ways to reduce the frequency and severity of headaches is physical activity. For example, a 40-minute active exercise can reduce tension in the head and neck several times (Ferrari et al., 2020, p. 37). In a study of 92,000 people, reduced physical activity increases the chances of migraine in the late phase (Ferrari et al., 2020, p. 46). One of the easiest ways is to simply increase the number of steps an individual takes during the day.
Migraine is one of the consequences of an individual’s stressful conditions, as well as an unhealthy lifestyle. Accordingly, this disease must be considered collectively and also dealt with it. Although there are drug treatments, there are home remedies available to help individuals manage acute symptoms. This helps not only to alleviate the disease but also not to get out of the general rhythm of life.
References
Ferrari, M., Charles, A., Dodick, D., Haan, J. & Sakai, F. (2020). Oxford textbook of headache syndromes. Oxford University Press.
Wood, J. N. (Ed.). (2020). The Oxford handbook of the neurobiology of pain. Oxford University Press.