How Can You Manage Chronic Migraines?
Key Takeaways:
Chronic migraines are frequent episodes of headaches or migraines lasting 15 days or more a month.
Many risk factors contribute to chronic migraines, like depression, snoring, asthma, and caffeine.
Keep a headache or pacing journal to log headaches to assist your doctor in diagnosing chronic migraines.
Methods for managing migraines include over-the-counter medications, Botox, lifestyle changes, identifying and avoiding triggers, relaxation techniques, and alternative therapies.
In some states, chronic migraines may be considered a disability, so seek local jurisdiction to determine if you can get benefits.
Migraines can rarely cause low-grade fevers, but it has been reported among some people.
Headaches can be an uncomfortable experience arising from stress or allergies or occur out of the blue without a known cause. Headaches usually last a few minutes or hours, and you can resume your normal activities. But what if your headaches are prolonged and so debilitating that navigating your day is challenging?
This condition causes long-lasting, often unbearable pain for people with chronic migraine headaches.
What are chronic migraines?
Chronic migraine is when you have recurrent headaches or migraines more than 15 days a month. While they’re similar, there’s a difference between headaches and migraines. Headaches are unpleasant and annoying but aren’t severe enough to stop your daily activities. Migraines impact your brain, which is why they are more serious than headaches. Migraine can make navigating through your day difficult and even unbearable.
Symptoms of chronic migraines often shift, so it can be challenging to determine when one headache or migraine begins or ends.
What causes chronic migraines?
There are risk factors that can cause chronic migraines, which include the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Other pain disorders
Snoring
Asthma
Stressful life events
Head or neck injury
Caffeine
Acute medication overuse
Persistent nausea
How to get diagnosed with chronic migraines
If you suspect you have chronic migraines, please consult your healthcare provider. They can be your primary care physician or a headache specialist. Diagnosing chronic migraines is based on how often you have headaches rather than how debilitating they can be. Use a headache or pacing journal to log your headaches, regardless of whether they are mild or severe.
It’s important to track all headaches and migraines, as your doctor can misdiagnose you if your headaches don’t seem that frequent. So, even light headaches and migraines should be recorded even if they aren’t impacting your ability to complete daily tasks.
Managing and treating chronic migraines
Once your doctor assesses your health and concludes you have chronic migraines, they’ll likely start you on a treatment plan.
Here are some methods for managing and treating chronic migraines:
Medications: Over-the-counter or prescription medications designed to treat migraines.
Botox: Botox is a prescription medication injected into the muscles to prevent headaches. Botox for migraine injection sites can include your forehead, temples, and the back of your head and neck. If you’re considering Botox, ask your doctor if they can refer you to a plastic surgeon.
Lifestyle adjustments: Establishing regular sleep patterns, managing stress levels, exercising, maintaining a balanced diet, and staying hydrated can contribute to fewer migraines.
Identifying and avoiding triggers: Keep a migraine diary to identify potential triggers and take necessary precautions to prevent them.
Relaxation techniques: Stress reduction techniques like deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or biofeedback can help ease migraine symptoms.
Alternative therapies: Some individuals find relief through complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massages, or chiropractic treatments. Be sure to explore these therapies with trained professionals.
Are chronic migraines a disability?
Chronic migraines can impact your daily life, but whether they qualify as a disability depends. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) may recognize chronic migraines as a disability if they limit your daily functioning. Consult with healthcare professionals and legal experts to understand your specific jurisdiction's legal and practical implications.
Do migraines cause fever?
Migraines do not typically cause fevers. But, in rare occurrences, some people may have a low-grade fever during migraines because of the body's response to pain and inflammation. If you frequently experience fever with migraines, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional to rule out other underlying conditions.
Chronic migraine is a condition that affects your quality of life. Reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks is possible. Identifying triggers, making lifestyle modifications, utilizing medications, and exploring alternative therapies can help you manage chronic migraines.
How Chronius Can Help
If living with chronic illness feels like a full time job, you aren’t alone.
That’s why at Chronius, we make it easy to navigate the healthcare system as a patient. Our online care management platform brings together all of your health records and offers a 1-click appointment prep tool that easily synthesizes your health story for your care team. You also can track all of your symptoms, identify trends, learn from vetted medical information, and follow a custom patient journey map. Plus, if you needs hands on support, our Care Advocates are available to help you with any issues you may hit up against. Personalized support as you navigate your care journey is what we are all about.
Interested in learning more and signing up for our waitlist? Claim your spot today.
