According to the American Migraine Foundation, migraines are one of the most common illnesses in the United States, affecting one in every four people. Therefore, it is highly possible for you to have people around you who struggle with frequent or occasional severe or minor migraines. There are various ways to attain migraine help professionally, but there are a few ways to help with migraines personally as well.
Let us look at the ways you can help individuals with migraine headaches.
Don’t downplay or fault migraine headache symptoms
Telling a close one or an acquaintance that their migraine is just a bad headache or that they are overreacting to their symptoms downplays their condition, and this invalidation is likely to upset them. People who suffer from migraine headaches are likely to experience some associated symptoms as well, including light or sound sensitivity, vomiting, or nausea.
People with migraines are also generally in a huff, but you need to remind yourself that they neither want to be in excruciating pain nor want to cancel their plans. Thus it is essential to acknowledge these symptoms instead of trying to dismiss them.
Be helpful but try not to be intrusive
There is a fine line between being helpful and intrusive, and it is imperative you keep it in mind when extending support to a migraine sufferer. If your loved one is suffering from severe pain and you have never had a migraine before, it is evident that you do not know what they are going through, and neither can you understand it.
In such cases, you can tell them to be strong instead of trying to show that you can feel them when you clearly cannot. Staying positive and reminding the migraine sufferer that this is just a bump in the road and they will be back on their feet in a while are the most suitable ways to show your support without being intrusive.
Support their routine
If you spend a lot of time or live with someone who suffers from frequent migraine headaches, one of the best ways you can support them is by facilitating their routine. That may mean encouraging and helping them to go to bed, eat their meals, and wake up at their usual time.
For instance, if your loved one is in pain and wishes to go home early on a Friday night, you should respect their position. Prompting them to “get over it” or “live a little” or blaming them for ruining your plan can result in another migraine later or worsening of the present one.
Be mindful of their triggers
Migraine headaches typically have triggers, such as loud noises, bright lights, and particular foods. One of the best ways to help migraine sufferers is by learning and tracking their potential triggers and helping mitigate or avoid them in the future.
Practice patience during their migraine attack
A migraine headache’s pain and uncomfortable sensations do not persist only during the attack. It is significant to understand that migraines are unpredictable and unreliable, and thus a person may experience varying symptoms during the different stages of the attack. That does not make a patient unreliable, but rather the illness.
Depending upon the extent and nature of symptoms, different individuals may need varying medications, such as stress relieving and relaxation drugs, to abort or reduce the severity of their attack.
Conclusion
All in all, it is important to support your family member, friend, and acquaintance the same way if they experience a migraine attack, be mindful of their symptoms, and help mitigate them with patience and compassion. American board-certified and fellowship-trained neurology professionals at NeuroX are experts at treating and managing various neurological conditions, including headaches, migraines, epilepsy, and others. Head over to NeuroX to book an appointment with a professional of your choice within minutes!
