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Migraines
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Got Headaches? Could Be the Weather
I've always wondered if weather-induced headaches are an old wives' tale, and I'm not the only one. A group of medical researchers in Boston recently conducted a study of 7,000 emergency-room patients to see if weather really could cause migraines. Turns out, it can, but differently than you might think.
Women's Brains and Migraines
It is no secret that the female brain is different than its male counter part. It seems these differences are giving us headaches, and I mean that literally. Women are 3 times more likely to suffer from migraines.
Let's Get to the Point About Acupuncture
Acupuncture may be thousands of years old, but how it works remains a mystery to Western doctors. However, they do know that it does work for some ailments. Studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits — from reducing pain to helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea.
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5 Things: Migraine Headaches
If you've ever had a migraine — or even if you haven't — you know that they are to be avoided at all costs. These mindbendingly bad headaches can be debilitating, often causing nausea and sensitivity to light. Though more than 20 million people suffer from migraines, they are more common in females.
Yoga May Prevent Migraines
Gentle yoga postures, breathing techniques, and relaxation exercises are believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system, and studies have suggested that yoga can help alleviate various forms of pain such as chronic back pain or arthritis. Researchers in India discovered that yoga might even help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches.
A study was conducted with 72 migraine sufferers, and each one was assigned to one of two groups.
Migraine Triggers
So I recently told you about five surprising things that may cause a headache, so I figured we may as well take it a step further and look into what causes a migraine — headache's evil brother — too. If you suffer from migraines then you may be interested to learn these simple migraine triggers:
- Not getting enough to eat.
- Not getting enough sleep.
- Exposure to bright lights or loud noise.
- Fluctuating hormone levels, such as during your period.
- Changes in the weather.
- Emotional factors, such as stress or anxiety.
- Chocolate, alcohol, nicotine, or foods with additives such as MSG.
Migraine Relief Techniques
Ever had a migraine? If you answered "no" - well then you are lucky. If you answered "yes" you don't need me to tell you that migraine headaches are both unbearable and disabling.
What's the Diff: Migraines vs. Headaches
Simply and quite unscientifically put, the difference between a migraine and a headache is that the former feels beyond agonizing and a million times worse than the latter. Unfortunately, migraines plague women more than men, due to the hormonal fluctuations that women experience monthly. In fact, many women's migraine episodes are triggered by their periods or by ovulation, like an evil door prize handed out at Aunt Ruby's homecoming.
Another Reason to Exercise: Ease Migraine Pain
Any migraine sufferer will tell you that exercise is the last thing on her mind during an attack, but a new study has found that exercise may help lessen the pain when it comes back the next time.
The research claims that the simple combination of aerobic exercise and muscle relaxation will not prevent migraines from occurring (bummer), but can actually help ease migraine pain if and when you get migraines in the future. If you're a migraine sufferer, you won't have to add anything too extreme to your routine, either: just 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation is all it takes.
Migraines Decrease Breast Cancer Risk
Migraine sufferers take note! In an odd twist of hormone level functions, it looks like your pain might be protecting you. A new study discovered that women who have a history of migraines also have a 30 percent lower risk for developing breast cancer.
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