6 Tips for Avoiding Migraines (Infographic)

Headaches strike nearly half of the adult population at least once a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Migraines — severe headache disorders — affect more than 10 percent of adults, aged 18 to 65, according to a WHO migraine report. “A migraine is a primary headache characterized by severity and is associated with nausea and sensitivity to different stimuli,” says Sergio Jaramillo, M.D., a neurologist with Baptist Health Neuroscience Center.

Migraine symptoms can include:

• Nausea.
• Sensitivity to movement, light, sounds and smells.
• Allodynia: a condition in which sensations that are not usually linked to pain, become painful. For example, just brushing your hair can be very painful if you have a migraine, Dr. Jaramillo says.

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to minimize factors that can trigger a migraine, Dr. Jaramillo says. (See the infographic below).

But remember, everyone is different, with a range of sensitivities.

“The triggers are very individualized,” Dr. Jaramillo says.

That’s especially true when it comes to food and drink, where different products and recipes can trigger severe headaches. Therefore, he says, meals and beverages require an extra dose of self-awareness.

“I never give patients a long don’t-eat-this list,” Dr. Jaramillo says. “Keep a food log and look for patterns. That’s how you start to eliminate food triggers.”

Dr. Jaramillo offers these recommendations:

Tags: Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, migraines