Yoga For Migraines

Stretching, breathing, bending—none of these activities sound good to a migraineur in the throes of a headache, but they should.

Yoga is a physical and psychological discipline originating in India. Most modern yoga practiced in the West is hatha yoga, which is primarily concerned with asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. Yoga is an excellent way to relieve stress, a common migraine trigger, and tone the body. Being active in a regular, low impact fitness program helps many migraineurs reduce the frequency and severity of their headaches. This makes yoga a good fit for migraineurs who want both less headaches and less pain medication in their lives.

As with any fitness plan, migraineurs need to consult their doctor before beginning a yoga regimen. Home fitness videos and books are great resources for beginners, but should not be the only resources a migraineur uses when starting yoga. Many poses may actually increase the likelihood of headaches. Migraineurs who are seriously planning to take up yoga as a complement to their migraine treatment plan should make an appointment with a skilled yoga instructor to discuss their condition and what poses are appropriate. If they have a book, they should bring it to the appointment to review with the instructor.

Running Into Migraines

Exercise is good for you. Being fit will help your whole body feel better, including your migraines, right? So why did your headache specialist just tell you to drop out of this weekend’s 10K if you want to be able to go to work on Monday?

A regular exercise program is a great migraine deterrent, but it needs to be the right kind of exercise. Many workout types put a real strain on the cardiovascular system and scientists have linked migraines to vascular problems in the temporal artery, among other potential causes.

Migraineurs who want to sweat need to warm up, slowly, for about fifteen minutes prior to any strenuous exertion, whether it is exercise or home repair. Skipping this warm up is nearly a guarantee that a migraine will be interrupting your plans later in the day.

While any exertion can be good or bad and each migraineur is different, there are a few types of exercise that are notorious for bringing down the head.

* Aerobics: high-intensity aerobics classes are a trigger for many women, especially when the cardio-pounding workout is paired with loud music. * Biking: Whether it is competitive cycling or spinning class at the club, this is a major trigger for many. * Running: Any kind of running that involves hard-core exertion, especially endurance events like marathons and triathlons.

You may be able to keep doing these things, especially if you really enjoy them, but you need to think about toning down the endurance aspect. Cycling should be for pleasure and exercise but not competitive. Replace high impact aerobics classes with dance, yoga, or free weight aerobics. Reduce the distance you run and see if it helps with the migraines. There is no reason a migraineur cannot be fit, just do not run yourself into a migraine.

Smoking And Migraines

Is there a connection between smoking and migraines?

The correct answer is ‘maybe” to “probably”. There is currently no study data specifically addressing this issue. Studies of smoking and chronic headaches in general (not all chronic headaches are migraines) are available, but their application to migraines is limited.

A study of smoking and patients with chronic cluster headaches yielded some telling results. Smoking patients who decreased their smoking by less than a half of a pack daily reduced their headache frequency by an amazing 50%. This study just asked patients to cut down n their smoking, not to eliminate it. Imagine the results that might have been achieved if the smokers quit entirely!

In another study, 53% of migraine patients who eliminated smoking in conjunction with the elimination of personally identified food triggers experienced a complete cessation of migraines. By contrast, only 13% of non-smoking patients who eliminated their food triggers became migraine-free.

Many migraineurs (people who suffer from migraine headaches) are sensitive to strong smells, like perfume, food odors, and, yes, tobacco smoke. Others are specifically sensitive only to the scent of tobacco smoke. Still others are allergic to cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke.

All of these people report having smoking or secondhand smoke trigger a migraine. Sometimes the smoke is the only trigger, sometimes it is part of a combination of triggers. Experts and sufferers agree there must be a link between smoking and migraines, somewhere, waiting to be uncovered. Many of the commonly known effects of smoking are particularly detrimental to those prone to headaches and head pain. These side effects include elevated blood pressure, inflammation or irritation of the sinus cavities and nasal passages, and higher risk of stroke. Health officials all agree on one thing, smoking is contraindicated for everyone in every situation and migraine sufferers are no exception.