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  • Migraine Symptoms

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    Headache, unfortunately, is familiar to many. This is the most common form of ailment: it is regularly experienced by almost 90% of women and 70% of men, and for 20% of them it becomes a serious problem that worsens the quality of life. The headache differs in its intensity: from mild ailment to a severe attack, which does not last several days. Doctors know cases when people, to get rid of a headache, beat their heads against the wall and even tried to commit suicide.

    The cause of the pain can be a lot: from simple, such as changing weather or eating a portion of ice cream, to complex, caused by severe diseases, such as a brain tumor. Fortunately, headache is rarely associated with serious illnesses. Therefore, most people do not go to the doctor for a headache, hoping that it will soon pass. However, a headache is not so much a disease as a condition to which some people are more prone than others. Therefore, very often appropriate treatment and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the number of seizures, and in case of their occurrence it allows them to effectively combat them.

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    Of course, the treatment of ailments, especially such complex ones as a headache, is the doctor's business. However, in many cases a person can help himself, it is only necessary to learn to feel the border that can not be crossed so as not to harm your body.

    Another important point - the use of traditional medicine, which is now successfully used to treat a variety of diseases, and the ability to distinguish them from the recommendations of various "healers".

    The disorderly use of drugs and other drugs prescribed to themselves or on the advice of friends, can lead to severe consequences, causing you irreparable harm. Remember this and take care of your health.

    Everyone knows the saying: "The head of a woodpecker does not hurt."It must be added that not only the woodpecker is rid of the headache by nature, but all other living things are everything, except man. It was HOMO SAPIENS that distinguished itself by having the characteristic of periodically experiencing an exhausting headache. One of the varieties of it is called migraine .Doctors distinguish only 165 types of headaches. Each of these species has its own reason. Accordingly, each type of pain and type of treatment. Along with the old means there are numerous modern medical preparations for the treatment of headaches. For example, with a feeling of tension in the head as an alternative remedy, mint oil is used as a rubbing.

    Nevertheless, not always non-pharmacological treatment brings a satisfactory result.

    And what about the food? Is there a special diet that will help the headache "evaporate"?Unfortunately, not everything is so simple.

    Migraine is not treated by diet or medication. And yet in individually selected diets, there is a great potential. Diet, aimed at combating the onset of migraine, gives patients a chance to fight against pain. How to apply folk remedies and nutrition with migraines look here.

    The most common occurrence of migraines is usually associated with a change in the weather. However, this is only one, and even that is not the main reason. Some people, for example, just need to eat a little chocolate or a slice of cheese, drink a glass of wine or beer to feel the full severity of the headache. The "triggering mechanism" of migraine can be excessive consumption of meat, fish, mushroom fried second courses, first courses on strong meat, fish, mushroom broths, especially if such food is salted. In addition, nitrogen-containing extractives and purine bases of improperly prepared meat, fish and mushroom dishes contribute to the onset of migraine.

    If the listed products can cause a headache in those who are prone to migraine, then there are products that prevent the onset of migraines. So, for example, honey acts on the body soothing and in case of headache it gives a positive result: often the prevention of migraine is facilitated by the consumption of two teaspoons of honey during each meal. The same positive effect with migraine gives apple cider vinegar. Daily intake of apple cider vinegar is necessary in order to restore the balance of the body. The results of the studies showed that when the urine was acidic, the migraine was less frequent and was much less pronounced.

    Well studied and widely used in medical practice, the ability of P-vitamin-active tannins of green tea to increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and reduce their permeability. This is one of the available measures to prevent migraine and atherosclerosis with all its serious complications.

    Thus, products are one of the most accessible means of treating migraine. Therefore it is very important to know the peculiarities of food products and to be able to properly prepare dishes from them.

    Migraine is known to mankind long ago: even in the writings of Hippocrates and Celsius there is a description of migraine pains. Ancient healers believed that the anguished evil spirits gave rise to a painful headache, and even made the sufferer a trephination of the skull in order to drive them out. Such a measure not only did not relieve the patient of torture, but often turned out to be extremely negative consequences.

    The first scientific description of the headache, now known as migraine, belongs to the Greek physician Areteiu of Cappadocia. Separating into an independent disease, he called it "heterocrania", which means "a different head".One hundred years later, the Roman physician Galen changed this name to "hemicrania," or "half-head disease," thereby defining its characteristic feature: the localization of pain in one half of the head in the temple area. Often the pain has such strength that it is impossible to touch the head of the patient. The main culprit of its occurrence Galen considered the changes occurring in the blood vessels. By the way, since that time the name of this disease has not changed since it accurately reflects its essence. And the very concept of "migraine" is a French version of the obsolete Greek word combination.

    Migraine is described in great detail in the "Canon of Medicine" - the main work on medicine written by the famous Arab philosopher and doctor Avicenna( distorted from Ibn-Sin, the full name of Abu Ali Ali Hussein Ibn-Abdallah Ibn Sina).Avicenna believed that the cause of migraine can become harmful fumes or juices that rise to the head from an organ, or the cause lies in the very brain of the patient. In the "Canon of Medicine" Avicenna described the methods of treating migraine.

    Migraine is well treated with bleeding, especially from the frontal or temporal veins, as well as by relaxation and distraction.

    It is useful to give migraine a drink to a patient with an infusion of frozen aloe juice in chicory juice. At one time you can drink up to 200 g of this composition.

    To the temples with a migraine attack it is recommended to apply lotions with dill, bleached and camphor. All these drugs cause numbness and have a distraction.

    From ointments for migraines it is recommended to use saffron, which lubricate the forehead of the patient.

    Of complex formulations, a medicinal dressing with rue, mint, ink and rose oil is recommended.

    The wax ointment, prepared from arsenic and Spanish flies, has a stronger effect, from which the blisters should form blisters on the sore spot. Similarly, the gum of the mountainous rue also acts.

    If migraine in the head feels cold, apply a medicinal bandage with mustard and saliva. Feeling of cold is characteristic of chronic migraine.

    If migraine attacks are repeated intermittently, it is necessary to clean the whole body of the patient.

    In chronic migraine, the tested product is as follows: boil the roots of a mad cucumber and bitter wormwood in water and olive oil until they are boiled, then water the balm side with this oil, and make a bandage out of the sediment.

    So sick at the beginning of an attack, you can visit the bath and stand over the hot water. Then it is recommended to drip pistachio oil into the nose, which will make the pain drop from the head to the scapula.

    Further study of the genetic, physiological, neurochemical and immunological aspects of the onset of migraine has made it possible to achieve significant success in the search for the causes of its origin and effective analgesic and preventive agents.

    Nevertheless, full certainty in the issue of migraines in physicians does not exist until now. An obvious difficulty in studying the disease is the fact that the processes associated with migraine can not be investigated with the help of animals, which, as already mentioned above, do not know what a headache is.

    This disease is known for a long time. Ancient Egyptians, as evidenced by the text of the Eberian papyrus, described migraine as a "half headache" and treated it, tying to the head of the sick figure of a clay crocodile. Perhaps squeezing the temples with a bandage was more effective than the influence of the figure itself. The first professional description of the disease was made by the father of medicine Hippocrates. He identified the symptoms of migraine with an aura and defined it specifically as an independent disease, and not as God's punishment. The Greek word "hemikraniya", which literally translates as "half of the skull," offered for the description of the disease the famous physician Galen, who lived in 131-201 BC.E., and subsequently the Romans transformed it into a hemicranium. Gradually, this Latin name was transformed into the French word migraine and passed into other European languages.

    A classic migraine attack described in his novel "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov, a doctor by profession, himself suffering from migraine.

    In a white cloak with a bloody scam, shuffling the cavalry gait, in the early morning of the fourteenth day of the spring month of Nisan, the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, entered the covered colonnade between the two wings of the palace of Herod the Great.

    More than anything in the world, the procurator hated the smell of rose oil, and everything now foreshadowed a bad day, as this smell began to haunt the procurator from dawn. The prosecutor thought that the pink smell exudes cypresses and palms in the garden, that to the smell of the skin and the convoy is blended a damn pink stream. From the wings in the rear of the palace, where the first cohort of the twelfth lightning legion came with the procurator in Ershapayim, came into the colonnade through the upper platform of the garden, and to the bitter smoke, which indicated that the cooks in the cantouries had begun to cook dinner, the same fattypink spirit. O gods, gods, why do you punish me? Yes, there is no doubt! It is she, again she, the invincible, terrible disease of hemicrania, in which half a headache hurts. There is no means from it, there is no salvation. I'll try not to move my head.

    If we look at the statistics, we learn that migraine is a common neurological disorder. In developed countries, it affects about 10-15% of the adult population, and women - three times more often than men. Disease in most cases develops in childhood or adolescence, and in boys the debut of migraine is usually noted somewhat earlier than in girls. The peak incidence in women is about 40 years, for men - 35. The average frequency of seizures - about one per month. The average duration of the attack is about 24 hours, however, individual seizures last less than 4 hours, there are attacks of duration and several days.

    Studies conducted in Canada showed that 77% of patients during a migraine attack noted a decrease in capacity, 50% had to limit their usual activity and 30% preferred a bed rest. In the US, 86% of women and 82% of men indicated a decrease in ability to act during attacks of headache. Of these, one third of patients had a degree of disability, requiring bed rest. In Norway, 70% of migraine sufferers report a need for bed rest, and in Japan, 74% of patients believe that a headache attack significantly limits their daily activity.

    The result of the appearance of long-term headaches in a person's life is the violation of home and social life links, loss of working time or training time, deterioration in the quality of improvement, promotion and service, and a phenomenon known as "social selection" or "a downward trend".Even when the patient does not feel the symptoms of migraine, the fear of another attack can greatly affect the relationship in the family, with friends, colleagues at work. About 45% of patients associate the impact of the disease on relationships with friends and colleagues, 41% on physical relationships with a partner, 53% on family relationships, 58% on fear of complications, 38% often or almost all the time think about returnof an attack.

    Migraine also leads to significant costs to society in the form of direct and indirect financial and economic losses. Direct losses include the costs of counseling, examination, hospitalization and medication. The mediated include losses from absenteeism and reduced productivity in the workplace. A significant number of patients do not work from 1 to 4 days a year due to migraine. It is also known that every migraine sufferer loses from 1 to 9 additional working days a year, working during an attack with low productivity.

    According to the International Headache Classification, migraine is characterized as a primary headache, manifested as a throbbing pain, usually involving half of the head( hemicrania) and accompanied by nausea or vomiting, intolerance to bright light( photophobia) and sharp sounds( phonophobia).

    It must be acknowledged that, despite the wisdom of ancient medicine and the efforts of modern, beautifully armed science, the nature of migraine is still unknown. However, it is established that the headaches associated with migraine are associated mainly with changes in the vessels of the brain membranes. And the reasons that cause them can be a great many.

    Professor K. G. Umansky believes that neurohormonal factors play an important role in the development of the disease. That is why most women with

    stupas of migraine are most often associated with the onset of menstruation, and after menopause often stop. Although in rare cases, pain can also increase during menopause. Migraine attacks also occur less often or completely disappear during pregnancy. Therefore, hormone-dependent migraine can be treated with estrogen in the form of a medical plaster. Migraines are more severe in women taking contraceptives. And at the same time, in some women, migraines may stop after taking birth control pills.

    Men also suffer from migraine, but are much less likely. Essential role is played by heredity: in women it can be traced mainly on the female line, and in men - both in female and in male.

    Boston neuroscientists offer their theory of disease development. They believe that migraine is caused by an inherent imbalance in the work of two subcortical divisions of the brain - the thalamus and the hypothalamus. Because of this, the development of the most important biologically active substance, the hormone serotonin, is disrupted. Its deficiency is replenished at the expense of blood cells - platelets, which are destroyed directly in the vessels of the brain, causing them to sharply narrow. In this case, blood flow through the internal carotid artery is hampered, and almost all the blood rushes to another branch of the common carotid artery - the outer one. The pressure in it is increasing, as a result of which there is an attack. Thrombocytes are more in the right half of the brain, because it often hurts.

    In former times it was believed that migraine is a sign of an outstanding mind or creative giftedness. And indeed, it suffered many famous people: writers E. Poe, G. Heine, G. de Maupassant, A. Chekhov, M. Bulgakov;composers P. Tchaikovsky, F. Chopin, R. Wagner;scientists K. Linney, C. Darwin, I. Newton, 3. Freud, F. Nietzsche, K. Marx, I. Kant;political and religious figures Caesar, Calvin, Napoleon, the English Queen Elizabeth I and many others. These people are by nature actors who are striving for success, achieving the goal, they are characterized by extraordinary, clear mind, resourcefulness and activity.

    However, it can not be said that all people suffering from migraine have the same type of personality. In fact, migraine strikes and most ordinary people. Nevertheless, it is believed that people who are obligatory and responsible are more prone to this disease than those who easily treat life's problems and troubles. At the same time the peak incidence falls on 40 years - the most fruitful creative age. In the future, the frequency and severity of seizures gradually decreases, and after 50 years of migraine is extremely rare.

    But is there a direct link between character traits and migraine? There is no single answer to this question. People who suffer from migraine have several conflicting traits. So, in spite of the fact that most of them are active and active personalities, striving to assert themselves, they at the same time try to avoid responsibility and are afraid of failures. As a rule, these people are very demanding of themselves, are self-critical, painfully experiencing criticism in their address. However, never allow yourself to criticize other people. They also rarely refuse someone to fulfill a request, even if it is to the detriment of their personality. And, nevertheless, they themselves almost always keep silent about their needs and openly do not talk about them.

    Thus, the generalized psychological portrait of a person suffering from migraine is approximately this: it is an active, active person, disciplined, responsible, striving for success. And at the same time it is an internally insecure, even timid person who is afraid of difficulties and tries to avoid them. In the opinion of psychologists, it is this inconsistency of the qualities of the personality and the discrepancy between their various levels that is the basis of the disease.

    The work of psychologists with patients is not able to completely change a number of personal characteristics. This is due to the fact that in people suffering from migraine, they are laid genetically. Therefore, to date, drug therapy is one of the best tools to combat headaches.

    Immediate relief of pain is of great importance in the treatment of migraine sufferers. If the therapy is ineffective, the pathological vicious circle begins to narrow even more: the more the patient suffers from pain, the more noticeable is his anxiety and depression. And this leads to the fact that seizures occur more often, their duration and intensity increase.

    According to statistics, migraine prefers women and meets them three times more often than in the strong half of mankind, and the disease is more pronounced in them than in men. Attacks migraine can intensify and increase on the background of hormonal changes associated with the physiological and age characteristics of the female body. If a certain system that participates in the hormonal exchange of sex hormones fails, there are changes during the illness itself.

    In most cases, women who have high and responsible positions suffer from migraine. Excessive emotional and physical stress, the need to make important decisions contribute to the emergence and heaviness of the migraine course. Often

    migraines are interrelated with critical days. Women, hoping for their endurance, try to continue to work, but this is not always the case with them. The nervous system is exhausted, the slightest irritation leads to conflicts with employees and subordinates. Taking analgesics and antispasmodics does not bring relief, and then you have to provide yourself with rest and rest for several days. This leads to losses of working time, frustration of plans and financial losses.

    The fact that migraine is one of the main complaints of middle-aged women, we also know from classical literature. The remarkable clinician Anton Chekhov wrote about this in his numerous stories and plays, the undeniable virtues of which are rare observation, truthfulness and description of real life, such as it is, without embellishment.

    It is the classic variant of the disease that is observed mainly in female housewives. Homework never ends. It is necessary to have time to prepare food, work with children, plan a whole range of organizational issues, which men often shift to the fragile shoulders of their wives, explaining this by lack of time.

    These issues include the choice of the place and time of rest, disposal of property, the solution of issues of children's education. These factors supplement the picture of motivational overstrain, often found in women engaged in domestic work. And the cunning of this kind of activity consists in fatigue from monotony and a low subjective evaluation of its activity. A woman sacrifices herself to children, to family welfare, to the position and development of her husband.

    All of the above factors lead to an increase in internal tension. It should also be noted that migraine can also be based on biochemical changes occurring during pregnancy, childbirth and feeding. These processes require a lot of energy, and if they do not replenish, the migraine will not keep you waiting.

    However, all problems are solved, and migraine housewives can be prevented by the usual correct mode of work and rest. It is necessary to choose time for intellectual pursuits and physical rest, to diversify life, to reduce custody of children and to find a replacement in their care. These can be babysitters, parents, relatives or friends. Theater, cinema or just a hike to friends without children give a pleasant discharge. Very useful are additional classes, such as, for example, learning a foreign language, driving a car, training new professions, fitness classes and many others.

    And regardless of the number of cases and problems, one should first of all think about one's health, find time, at least for a short rest.

    With the onset of menopause migraine can both intensify, and become much weaker. In this case, seizures very often vary both in intensity and duration, and in the accompanying symptoms. Headache is not limited to one hemisphere, it becomes more common. The attack can have bright gaps when the head does not hurt, but there is no clarity of consciousness. And, which is very typical for climacteric migraines, analgesics completely lose their effectiveness. The disease becomes uncontrollable. Earlier effective ways of coping pain, such as towing the head with a towel, hot showers, sleep, are much less effective and do not relieve the woman's suffering to the full.

    As shown by numerous studies of domestic and foreign scientists, the presence of migraines after the onset of menopause is directly related to the presence of urological or gynecological diseases. Therefore, one of the most important components in the treatment of migraine are examination and observation in a gynecologist.

    Drugs of hormone replacement therapy, which can prevent symptoms of a pathological climacteric, affect the course of migraine ambiguously. Their reception can both reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and increase it. To solve this problem it is possible only by means of selection of the most suitable means, having consulted with the gynecologist and with the neurologist.

    During this period, it is especially important to observe the regime of work and rest, the exclusion of psychotraumatic situations that provoke migraine attacks.

    Migraine in a strong half of humanity flows with its own characteristics. Physiological cycles in men are much weaker than in women, and hormonal aspects are less important. At the same time, men are usually more prone to stresses, overloads and the effects of unfavorable environmental factors. They are much more likely than women to occupy leadership positions that require full commitment, responsibility in decision-making and leadership skills. For managerial work a person should have a special personality warehouse, energy, will, desire for success and certain abilities. Often, the contradictions between the demands that life makes and the capabilities of a person lead to stress and psychoemotional disruption. All these factors provoke the development of migraine, and constant fatigue, in turn, increases its attacks. In addition, men pay less attention to their health and more often than women are prone to bad habits - smoking, alcohol abuse.

    Researches of scientists say that migraine in men is much less common than in women, however its course is more aggressive and the risk of complications of

    is somewhat higher. The leading factor in the development of migraine in men is heredity, especially if both parents suffered from migraine. An interesting fact: many hereditary diseases in our age of speed and overload in each subsequent generation are more severe than in the previous one. This rule applies to the male variant of migraine.

    An important point is an accurate diagnosis of the disease. Often a migraine attack occurs in men atypical: there is no characteristic asymmetry of the painful focus. The pain is not localized on one side, as in the classic case of migraine, but can be concentrated in the forehead region, occipital-parietal region or immediately spread to the entire head. However, all other signs of migraine remain unchanged. These include: pain ripples, nausea or vomiting and ineffectiveness of conventional analgesics.

    Migraines are often accompanied by other types of headaches that are never found in women. They are characterized by intolerable attacks of intensity and occur mainly at night. Since the attack occurs suddenly, lasts several tens of seconds and then disappears, resuming after a few minutes, the researchers described it as a cluster headache. This kind of headaches has a somewhat different nature and preventive treatment than a classic migraine. Therefore, with such a character of headaches, consultation of an experienced specialist is necessary.

    Migraine is often called "a disease of intellectuals".Indeed, very often its objects are men engaged in high-intellectual activity. As a rule, migraine accompanies them as they create different projects, make meaningful decisions and overtake the peak of mental load. This phenomenon has been repeatedly described in fiction. A severe form of migraine suffered F. Nietzsche, which gave his philosophy a somewhat gloomy color.

    When treating migraine, special attention should be paid to possible complications of migraine. Often, because of a disturbance of cerebral blood circulation during a seizure, memory, speed of thinking worsen, and attention is distracted. Statistics show that in 5% of cases of cerebral stroke it was preceded by a protracted migraine attack.

    Thus, male migraine requires special attention and compulsory treatment. Conventional analgesics are rarely effective in this disease. Therefore, as practice shows, men often just suffer pain as an inevitable evil, which leads to nervous overloads and further aggravates the course of the disease. Special treatment prescribed by a doctor, relaxation and autogenous training, exercise or therapeutic gymnastics, massage and contrast showers can help cope with this insidious disease.

    Adolescence is a complex and very important period in the life of every person. It is at this age in the body that hormonal changes take place. In this case, the teenager's body, like any complex system, can hardly be reconstructed into a new mode of functioning, in which the sexual function is actively involved. During this period, the level of sex hormones, estrogens, sharply increases in girls. It is with its rise that scientists associate the occurrence of migraine attacks. In adolescence, migraine develops more often in girls;In boys, the occurrence of seizures leads to other causes.

    One of the main factors leading to the development of migraine in adolescence is heredity. The fact that migraine has a hereditary character is known to scientists for a long time. But only recently it has been established that if one of the parents has a migraine, the probability that it will develop in a child is 70% of the cases. And if both parents suffer from this disease, then the child has almost 100% chance to get this disease. In this case, not only the specific nature of pain symptoms is inherited, but also the sensitivity to any provoking factors that are known to be strictly individual for each person.

    The course of migraine can also be influenced by the structural features of the skeleton of a teenager. Incorrect posture and dysfunction of the cervical spine with a sufficiently high load on it in schoolchildren can also affect the intensity of pain and the frequency of seizures.

    However, the main factor in the development of the attack is the mental load, or rather - its misallocation. It has been established that people with migraine suffer from a disruption in the processing of information. They easily cope with its receipt and storage, but overly careful processing of a huge information flow leads them to overloads. And it arises because of the increased sense of responsibility and excessive zeal, peculiar to this category of people.

    Specialists are sure that migraines in adolescents is a payment for the high social activity of parents, who often show by their example high motivational qualities and willingness to cope with any given task, sparing no health. In an effort to imitate parents, children actively borrow their behavioral stereotype. But the trouble is that the immature organism is not yet ready for such stresses, therefore the breakdowns of the psychological defense system occur more often than in adults.

    Thus, the main factors that cause the development of migraine in adolescence are:

    mental overwork;

    violation of the working and rest regime;

    unfavorable intrafamily climate;

    increased responsibility;

    persistence in achieving the goal;

    the pursuit of success.

    The next most important factor in the onset of migraine is the so-called "pain behavior".Teenagers like to copy the behavior of adults, especially their parents. Often watching how parents after difficult stressful situations suffer from migraine and for the time of a pain attack relieve themselves of some responsibility for what is happening, children begin to copy this type of behavior. And this brings them the so-called secondary benefit from the disease. A child suffering from a migraine attack, parents, most likely, will regret, take care of him, rather than show him rigor and find out his real failures and problems, which he often does not dare to address directly, fearing punishment or neglect. So the painful attack becomes a kind of body language, asking for attention, love and affection.

    As in adults, migraine in adolescents is usually one-sided: either one half of the head hurts or the area around the eye. Visual phenomena, characteristic of classical migraines with aura, they are rare. But if they do arise, they can scare the child. Therefore, it is necessary to explain to the adolescent how this disease proceeds, to calm and encourage him. Let the child describe in detail everything that he feels during an attack. This will help you when talking with a doctor, because a child by that time can forget something.

    What can you advise parents and adolescents themselves?

    First of all, you need to understand the causes of the headache. The case may be in family problems or in a bad attitude towards the child at school. In older children who regularly take difficult exams, migraine attacks can be associated with stressful situations. And sometimes a child can use a headache as an excuse for missing classes. Therefore, you should not let him manipulate you. And at the same time, it is necessary to teach the child to observe the correct mode of work and rest and, if possible, not to set too difficult or obviously impossible tasks. Remember that no one knows your child better than you yourself. So always stay close to him in the most difficult and difficult situations, and in some of them take some of the responsibility for yourself.

    And of course, in no case can you leave a child without appropriate treatment, which allows you to quickly and effectively remove the pain, thus restoring normal working capacity, good mood and well-being. Before giving any medicine to a child, ask your doctor or pharmacist for dosage. Carefully follow the doctor's recommendations and the directions given in the annotation to the medicine.

    If you leave migraine without treatment, then it can significantly slow down the development of personality. Remember that the task of parents is to give their children all opportunities for development and self-realization.

    Migraine does not arise by itself - its development, in addition to a hereditary predisposition, can contribute to various diseases. Vegetosovascular dystonia and viral diseases, allergic reactions and diseases of the genital area - they all make their own "contribution" to the development of migraines, significantly heavening the course of the process and depleting the nervous system of patients.

    Vegeto-vascular dystonia, according to experts, is the most favorable factor for migraine development. It is the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for many important processes in the body - such as heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and also innervation( communication with the central nervous system with the help of nerves) of vessels and organs. The smallest vascular has the finest nerves that transmit signals and commands to the brain. In addition, many hormones interact with each other and regulate the vessels from the inside.

    Did you pay attention to the fact that under stress some people turn red while others turn pale? This phenomenon is a vivid example of the work of the autonomic nervous system. And the difference in reactions is explained by the fact that in two of its parts acting in different directions, but simultaneously in interaction with each other, there is a kind of struggle. And the result of this struggle immediately reflects on the face: if the parasympathetic part of the system gets the upper hand - the vessels expand and the blood flows to the face, if sympathetic - the vessels narrow and the face pales.

    To manifestations of vegetative dystonia include weakness, fatigue, sweating, meteosensitivity, exposure to stresses with feelings of fear, palpitations, lack of air.

    Addiction to violations of the vegetative system can be hereditary. But often it arises as a result of emotional and physical overload, a frequent experience of negative emotions, stresses, which steadily leads to the depletion of the nervous system. A severe headache is also a stress for the body and a concomitant factor in the depletion of the nervous system. A vicious circle is formed, you can get out of it completely by changing your way of life.

    There are no universal agents for treating vegetovascular dystonia. Specialists apply with some success a number of classical antidepressants with vegetotropic activity or tranquilizers with some activating action. And of course, psychotherapy plays an indispensable role in this situation. It is aimed both at eliminating the psychotraumatic factor, and at increasing the stress resistance of the individual.

    Gynecological diseases. The next most common pathology, which is common in women with migraine, is gynecological diseases. In most patients who have a complicated gynecologic history, the migraine is more aggressive. The duration and intensity of seizures in them is higher than in women with no gynecological problems, and the frequency of seizures often reaches several a week. And this is understandable, since migraine is a disease associated with the hormonal sphere. Radical treatment of gynecological diseases leads to a decrease in the severity of the course of migraine.

    One of the most common gynecological diseases, in which migraine tends to be more pronounced, is endometrial-oz. With this disease for a month, the number of days without a headache is often less than the days with migraine. Hormonal drugs used in the therapy of endometriosis, even at the beginning of the course of treatment, can even slightly increase the symptoms of migraine. Then, when their effect becomes pronounced and affects the foci of the disease, the migraine recedes. However, the situation requires careful and painstaking approach both from gynecologists and from neurologists, since the main task is to select a drug for the treatment of endometriosis, in which the course of migraine will not increase.

    A similar connection is discovered by researchers in the case of uterine myoma. However, here the migraine has a pronounced relationship with the menstrual cycle, so the chances of reducing the pain manifestations in doctors are greater, since it is possible to carry out preventive medication in advance.

    Adenomyosis in its influence on the development of migraine is similar to endometriosis: attacks of headache occur as often and intensely. At the same time, there was a sharp decrease in the frequency and severity of seizures after surgical treatment. This fact confirms the influence of the endocrine system on the course of migraine.

    Other inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive tract do not have such a clear connection with the occurrence and development of migraine, as mentioned above. However, any inflammatory process weakens the defenses of the body and contributes to the development of many diseases, including migraines.

    But the contraceptive directly affects the migraine. And to a greater extent this applies to oral contraceptives: their use often leads to a worsening of the course of this disease. The sensitivity of migraine to oral contraceptives does not have a certain pattern. A drug that causes a headache in one woman can cause it to weaken in another and vice versa. However, there is evidence that contraceptives of the last generation are more physiological and less affect the course of migraine.

    Premenstrual Syndrome. The relationship between migraine and premenstrual syndrome( PMS) has been known for a long time. Although scientists are still unclear about the interaction of these two states: either migraine arises from hormonal cyclic shifts, due to a number of biochemical changes, or the changed threshold of pain makes the development of a migraine attack in the PMS period more likely. However, since the phenomenon of the appearance of migraine attacks in the premenstrual period is quite common, let us consider this situation in more detail.

    Premenstrual syndrome is usually associated with certain individual characteristics of a woman and is more common in women with hormonal imbalance. In the treatment of PMS, psychotherapy has shown its high effectiveness, aimed at reducing the psychoemotional burden both in normal life and in the premenstrual period. General practitioners successfully use highly effective antidepressants for the treatment of severe PMS, which are also the means of preventive treatment of migraine. Premenstrual syndrome is treated also by gynecologists, who often prescribe oral contraceptives to their patients. PMS at the same time reduces its severity, but migraine - not always. Conventional analgesics taken to relieve painful symptoms are ineffective in the prevention and treatment of migraine. Therefore, the basis for the prevention and treatment of migraines associated with premenstrual syndrome, first of all, is observance of the work and rest regime, the removal of psychoemotional loads in the premenstrual period, attentive attitude to one's health, the exclusion of migraine provokers - spillage and lack of sleep, stress, alcohol, some productspower supply.

    People with migraines are very often violated psycho-emotional sphere. And here it is possible to observe the development of the classic pathological vicious circle: pain during an attack causes a decrease in mood, which in turn increases the pain susceptibility, which further exacerbates the pain and leads to an even more pronounced decrease in mood. Timely treatment by a neurologist allows you to break this vicious circle and largely prevents the development of the following seizures.

    Viral diseases. The relationship between migraine and viral diseases can be traced to the example of herpes - one of the most common viral diseases. It is believed that its carriers are 99% of the world's population. The herpes virus can be in the "sleeping" state for many years in the node of the trigeminal nerve in the area of ​​the mandibular joint. In case of a decrease in immunity - most often with hypothermia or colds - the virus is activated. Appear typical rashes on the mucous membranes of the mouth or nose. And immediately increases the likelihood of a migraine attack. It all begins with the

    site of an inflammatory allergic reaction affecting the peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve system increases its instability, causing fluctuations in bioelectrical activity. And as a result, an increased level of cerebral excitement provokes a severe migraine attack.

    People prone to migraine should try to prevent the occurrence of herpetic rashes. For this purpose, there are special ointments and antiviral drugs. When rashes appear, you need to reduce physical activity and, if possible, eliminate migraine triggers.

    The combination of these two disorders has recently become more common. Allergic reactions are manifested in response to minimal intensity stimuli. The amount of the allergen can be negligible, but sometimes it is enough to cause allergic reactions, even threatening human life. A distinctive feature of patients with migraine and allergies is the unreacted aggression in the external environment( deficiency) and self-reversal - that is, autoaggression. Manifestations of autoaggression depend on the severity of the migraine course.

    Modern psychology connects both disorders with similar mechanisms of development, legitimately believing that an essential role in the occurrence of these diseases is played by the psychological characteristics of the individual. Among the characteristic features of the personality were high self-control, which makes it necessary to avoid unpredictable situations and activities, an internal ban on the manifestation of strong feelings. Patients suffering from migraine and allergies often have difficulty in accepting and defending their own decisions, they are often unable to say "no" to limit the claims of others. At the same time, before

    it is difficult to tolerate criticism from others, disgust, they need respect for their person, which is associated with a desire to be in the center of attention. Describing their character, 70% of patients noted vulnerability and hypersensitivity. It was equally true of both physical and psychological factors( nuances of relationships, emotional reactions and feelings).

    It is established that allergic reactions to products of plant and animal origin and asthma can often provoke the development of migraine attacks. Therefore, if you know what exactly you are allergic to, take measures to prevent contact with the allergen. Otherwise, it is worth keeping a diary, which will help to identify the cause of the allergy and begin treatment of this disease.

    Migraine often starts to disturb a person at night. The painful attack does not allow to fall asleep, and in the morning the person wakes up broken, sick and can not work productively.

    Night migraine occurs in 20% of people with this disease. It appears at this time of the day and even at a certain time, most often at 3 ~ 4 o'clock in the morning. Why does the head begin to ache just at the time when a person rests and his mental activity is minimal?

    Researchers came to the conclusion that there are a number of factors leading to this situation. First of all, a hereditary factor plays a role here: if someone from your parents had migraine attacks during the night hours, then most likely you will also suffer from night migraines. Most often, the characteristic of painful attacks is transmitted through the female line. And this is connected, apparently, with the peculiarities of psychological defense used for processing and resolving by the minds of stressful situations. This option is based on two rather rarely used mechanisms of psychological defense - denial and repression. Practice shows that in the life of people suffering from migraine at night, there are a number of chronic psychotraumatic situations, subjectively they are not perceived. These can be situations related to work, problems in relations with a spouse or close people with whom for some reason have to accept, and other similar situations. The patient can treat such situations externally calmly and completely tolerant, as for certain reasons he can not fully adequately respond to them. But to reconcile with them for him is also not possible. In this case, he intuitively uses the mechanisms of denial, repression or forgetting.

    The extremely complex structure of the human psyche was investigated by the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Interpreting dreams, he studied the deep-seated conflict of his patients. Freud argued that forgotten or superseded psychological traumas, fears and fears, left as symbols and images in the subconscious, can to some extent become actualized and return in the dreams of man, and called dreams "the royal road to the unconscious."

    But what could this have to do with migraine at night? It turns out that the most direct. Most often, a migraine attack occurs in the "fast sleep" phase, when a person dreams. They represent the really experienced events and fantasies of the person and allow using the images and symbols to preserve the received event and emotional experience. In some cases, the essence of emotional problems in the "unconscious" becomes accessible to the mind. Especially often this happens when the sleep is not deep enough. During this period, emotional pain, which does not have the opportunity to be realized in reality, turns into a physical one - as a result, a migraine attack develops.

    What can I advise a person suffering from migraine at night?

    First, the chronium to get enough sleep. During sleep, the brain gets the chance to "recharge", recover from the loads associated with the period of wakefulness. Constant lack of sleep leads to significant disruptions in the functions of vital body systems. Especially it is harmful for people suffering from disorders of cerebral circulation, tension headaches and migraine headaches.

    Secondly, always go to bed and get up at the same time. Observing the regime, you can improve the quality of sleep and get rid of insomnia. Do not sacrifice hours spent on sleep for other activities.

    And, thirdly, in order to calmly go to sleep, you need to try to ward off daytime anxieties that do not allow you to sleep at night. Separate the problems that deserve your concern from those who are not worth it because of them not to sleep.

    And in order to facilitate falling asleep, we recommend that you perform a so-called progressive muscle relaxation. The essence of the exercise is that you first strain, and then relax the various muscles of your body. To begin better with feet, gradually reaching the head. Straining the muscle, count to 10, then relax it and again count to 10. This technique can be used several times a day and, of course, before going to bed.

    Try also to slowly breathe your belly - this will help you relax and you fall asleep more quickly. When you perform such an exercise, the intake of oxygen increases and you calm down. Do it as often as possible, with a speed of 8-10 breaths and exhalations per minute. Keep an eye on your stomach, not your chest, when lifting. To check if you are doing the exercise correctly, put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Your arm on the abdomen should go up and down with your stomach, and the second hand on your chest stay still.

    Honey is the most harmless of the known soothing and hypnotics. Dilute 1 tbsp.a spoonful of honey in a glass of warm water and drink 30-40 minutes before going to bed, and your sleep will be strong and calm.

    "Sleep at least 8 hours a day, and you will look great, perfectly think and feel good," - say the British doctors. As a result of the conducted studies, scientists found that the participants in the experiment - 11 men aged 18 to 27 years - slept only for 4 hours per day for 6 days. The result is amazing! In such a short time, all have experienced pathological changes in metabolic processes, hormonal and endocrine disorders, similar in symptoms with signs of aging. In addition, it turned out that as a result of lack of sleep, especially if it becomes chronic, memory deteriorates, the likelihood of getting diabetes, hypertension and obesity increases. Calms only that the menacing symptoms disappeared a few days after the participants in the experiment were allowed to sleep well.

    Strangely enough, it sounds, but rest too can provoke an attack of a headache, so-called "migraine of a day off".What is the reason for this paradoxical situation at first glance?

    During the whole working week you successfully coped with all the cases, did not allow yourself to relax and did not give the disease the slightest chance of appearing, hoping for a full rest on the weekend. And then the day off came, and you allowed yourself to completely disconnect from worries and sleep in plenty. And as a result, by noon you feel completely broken and get up from bed with a terrible headache.

    All is explained very simply. Numerous service and household problems and troubles for a week are quietly accumulating in the subconscious, not having time to undergo processing and to be compensated by achievements and successes. And they make themselves felt on the morning of the day off, when you finally relax. In addition, the body is beaten out of the well-adjusted routine of the day, and it turns out that too long a dream for him is as harmful as a periodic lack of sleep.

    To prevent this situation, try to live in the usual mode on weekends. From this it follows that you better wake up at a certain time, do morning exercises and take a contrast shower. And then you expect the numerous cases scheduled for the day off, which you postponed throughout the week. Do not forget to devote some time to useful and enjoyable pursuits: walking in nature, relaxation or sports. And then spent with the use of time will give you a good feeling and a sense of proper rest.

    One of the variants of a migraine of a day off is the migraine of a summer resident. In Russia, there is such a tradition: from May to October, all Saturday and Sunday days, overcoming week-long fatigue, devote to work in the suburban areas.

    Of course, a change of scenery, the surrounding nature and fresh air are good for health. However, excessive work in the garden in an uncomfortable pose upside down causes a prolonged strain on the muscles of the neck, head, back, which, in turn, triggers the whole complex of vascular and biochemical reactions characteristic of migraines.

    Promotes the development of seizures at weekends and excesses in food. On weekends and holidays, delicious but snacking snacks and delicacies often appear on the table: smoked meat, cheese, tomatoes, chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits, etc. If they are accompanied by alcohol and smoking, a migraine attack is inevitable.

    How can you avoid a migraine attack on the weekend? You should consciously limit all of the listed provoking factors and live in accordance with the correct working and rest regime. If necessary, you can take a prophylactic against migraine, prescribed by a doctor.

    Approximately three-quarters of the information received from the environment comes to the brain through the eyes, or, as experts say, through the visual analyzer. This analyzer consists of an eye with its muscular apparatus, the pathways of the optic nerve, and a portion of the cerebral cortex in the occipital region.

    In people with migraine, the level of excitability of the brain is often increased, which, in turn, leads to increased excitability and sensitivity of the visual analyzer. Additional load on it leads to instability of the system and the onset of a migraine attack. Hard work, emotional stress, smoking - all this can not only negatively affect the eyesight, but also contribute to the onset of migraine attacks. But periodic rest, including from the visual tension, pleasant emotions and memories, special gymnastics are beneficial.

    Overvoltage of vision during work increases the load on other systems of the body, in the first place - the nervous and cardiovascular. At the same time, overall fatigue increases, irritability appears, and the quality of work decreases. Noise, stale air, poor nutrition, insufficient rest also affect the visual acuity and often cause a headache.

    And at home after work we do not give rest to our eyes: great visual overload when watching TV programs, especially at a late night time, or addiction to computer games cause headaches and visual impairment. Prolonged viewing of TV programs tires the eyes faster than any other visual work, but also negatively affects the nervous system, causing irritability, insomnia and provoking headaches.

    What should I do? First, do not watch TV without additional lighting. The sharp contrast of the bright screen and the surrounding gloom is unfavorable for vision, so light a desk lamp or floor lamp. There should be no glare on the screen. Secondly, make it a rule not to watch everything, but only your favorite programs and movies, limiting the viewing time to 2-3 hours a day. And, thirdly, turning off the TV, for a while look in the window, or even better - make at least a 10-15-minute walk before going to bed.

    One of the most common causes of visual impairment is the lack of correction or incorrect correction. With myopia or farsightedness, one medical control for changing vision is not enough. A complex of special gymnastics is needed, which allows to stop further progress of visual impairment. Any good oculist is familiar with these exercises and successfully applies them in his practice.

    Many people help save sight wearing glasses. In this case, patients suffering from migraine, in no case can not neglect the oculist's recommendations for wearing glasses for reading and "for a distance."Remember that it is not recommended to use "for distance" glasses when working at a computer or while reading. It is important to choose glasses exactly according to the diopter and the distance between the pupils, otherwise the load on the eyes will increase. Sunglasses should not put pressure on the face and ears. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the glasses and be sure to have spare glasses. You need to periodically take off your glasses to rest your eyes and face.

    Not everyone likes to wear glasses. In this case, you can pick up soft contact lenses, which you can "wear" directly on the cornea of ​​the eyes. They do not subside, do not get fogged up, perfectly correct vision, but sometimes they can irritate the eyes. Special solutions for contact lenses prevent unpleasant symptoms and the development of conjunctivitis. However, some people have to give up contact lenses in favor of glasses.

    And one more tip: on sunny days do not forget to put on sunglasses. They help to reduce the additional burden on the muscular apparatus of the eye and have a beneficial effect on the course of migraine, reducing the likelihood of an emergency attack. But working at a computer or at a desk with improperly selected lighting significantly increases this probability. Since the image on the computer screen is a high-frequency image feed, this leads to an increase in the voltage in the visual analyzer. Usually a migraine attack occurs at the end of the day. Unlike the tension headache, migraine develops very intensively and makes it impossible to continue working. The main cause of migraine attack is the tension and spasm of the eye muscles when focusing on the computer monitor. This tension leads to irritation of the trigeminal nerve, which plays a leading role in the development of a migraine attack. Constantly increased tone of the trigeminal nerve becomes so frequent attacks that it is impossible to continue working.

    Therefore, when working on a computer, you must adhere to some restrictions that reduce the load on the visual analyzer. These rules apply to

    of all healthy people, but are especially important for those suffering from migraine. First and foremost, this is a matter of observing the working and rest regime, as well as the competent organization of the workplace. Remember that the duration of work on the computer should not exceed 6 hours per day, taking into account an hour-long break in the middle of the working day. During each hour of work, you should always take five-minute breaks, during which you can make an easy warm-up or gymnastics for the eyes, go out and take a breath of fresh air.

    People with migraine need preventive medication( tyramines, etc.), which will help them to retain their ability to work.

    Long trips on any mode of transport, be it an airplane, car or ship, can provoke a pain attack in people suffering from migraine. It occurs as a result of increased irritation of the vestibular apparatus and a disturbance in the balance of the autonomic nervous system. Imbalance of nerve impulses from the organs of sight and balance leads to the development of motion sickness, which is also called "seasickness".This state has been known since ancient times, since the man first went on a sea voyage. The sickness of motion sickness, which occurs in the air, is called "air sickness", while moving in the car - "auto-illness".Known yet, no matter how funny it sounds, "the disease of attractions" - not all people can withstand riding on a roller coaster or carousel.

    Not every person suffers from motion sickness, but if there is a tendency for it, the seizures are very difficult to bear. They are accompanied by pallor, sweating, dizziness, nausea and often vomiting.

    Similar disorders of the functions of the autonomic nervous system are at the heart of the migraine attack and often provoke an attack on the trip. Especially often migraine attacks develop when flying on an airplane. Here, the muscle tension is attached to the symptoms of motion sickness to maintain the posture, and there is a need to adapt the cerebral vessels to the differences in atmospheric pressure.

    When a person is behind the wheel, there are many factors that provoke an attack. The increased eye strain and intense attention in the aggregate lead to the appearance of increased excitability of the cerebral cortex. They are joined by an unfavorable factor, such as exhaust fumes, which can not be fully protected either by the driver or by the passenger. Flickering before the eyes of a monotonous road strip, oncoming cars and landscape outside the window also increases the threshold of convulsive readiness, as if preparing the brain for another bout. However, the harmful effect on the brain is not only a fast ride, but also slow, when the traffic "in traffic" causes irritability and fatigue and can also provoke a migraine attack.

    If you are behind the wheel and feel the approach of an attack, it is best to stop the car, get out of the cabin and rest, take a preventive remedy. Remember that driving a car in a state of attack is dangerous.

    The same is recommended for the passenger if he has felt signs of an approaching attack.

    What measures should be taken before a long trip? Here are our recommendations.

    Try to sleep well before the trip to be in good shape.

    The best time to go on the road is night, at this time the likelihood of motion sickness decreases. This is because when traveling in a car or bus at night a person can not see objects outside the window as well as during the day.

    One hour before the trip, you can take 1-2 tablets of meclosin, which prevent the occurrence of nausea, vomiting and dizziness during the day. The drug should be taken once a day throughout the trip.

    It is better not to read on the road, as the traffic causes an unstable position of the book, which causes the eyes to strain and provokes nausea.

    During the journey, it is better to look into the distance or directly in front of you, stopping to look at some fixed object. This will help balance the signals coming from the eyes and the body, and return the balance to the coordinating system.

    To prevent nausea, it is useful to breathe fresh air from time to time. You can open the window, get on deck, and in the plane - turn on the fan above your head.

    Tobacco and alcohol are bad traveler allies, they contribute to motion sickness and nausea.

    You should not eat much before the trip, but do not go on the road to an empty stomach. It is best to eat something light and nutritious. A slice of lemon or ice will help reduce the secretion of saliva and relieve nausea.

    Direct your thoughts to a positive channel. The disease of movement is partly caused by psychological reasons. Think about what your health will soon improve and the trip will be successful.

    Often, such simple measures are enough to cope with the disease of motion and prevent an exacerbation of migraine.

    Magnetic storms, strong wind, changes in atmospheric pressure, thaw and frost in early spring or autumn deplete the nervous system and cause

    lethargy and malaise even in healthy people. And for people suffering from migraine, this is a real disaster: the body is sensitive to any weather changes and seizures follow one after another. First of all, this is due to the increased sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system, as well as to the genetic predisposition of a person. Meteofactors act on changes in the electrophysiological characteristics of the brain. The excitability of the cortex increases, the latitude and spectrum of the biocurrents increase. This leads to an increase in activity in the trigeminal nerve system, which innervates the vessels. Then pathological activity in the trigeminal nerve system passes to the vessels, causing inflammation in them. In such cases, the head hurts from everyone, even a slight change in the weather: strong wind, atmospheric pressure, changing sunny weather to overcast and vice versa.

    One of the best ways to strengthen the autonomic nervous system is exercise. Running, walking or swimming, therapeutic gymnastics well train vessels and associated vegetative nerve plexuses, accustoming them to exercise. A very important feature of sports activities aimed at increasing the stability and strengthening of the vascular tone is their regularity.

    For people not prone to sports, there is a way that is available to most - hardening procedures( air baths, cold wipes and dousing, contrast showers, etc.).

    Another tool that relieves stress, strengthens protective and recovery processes and acts on the entire body as a whole, is massage. About these methods of prevention of migraine, we will describe in detail in the following sections of the book.

    Psychological development and self-improvement also help to increase resistance to adverse factors, and modern psychology and psychotherapy have a wide range of different

    -shaped techniques and techniques aimed at increasing personal stability.

    Vitaminotherapy in moderate doses also increases the body's resistance to metofactors. Especially it helps those people who, by their activities, suffer significant traffic loads - flights and long distance travel. One of the most energizing vitamins is considered to be vitamin C, the periodic intake of which at a dose of up to 1 g per day also increases resistance to metafactors, reduces fatigue and helps prevent migraine attacks.

    Stress is a physiological reaction of an organism to extreme effects. In everyday life, we are surrounded by an infinite number of stresses associated with hard work, haste, traffic jams, household problems, children, noise. .. However, stress is not only official troubles and family quarrels, it is a state of mind, a way of perceiving the world and imageactions in it. Therefore, first of all, remember: stress is not always your enemy. A certain minimum is necessary and even useful in everyday life. A lot of problems and even painful conditions arise because of a lack of stress and the resulting lack of motivation. In this situation, the adrenal glands produce too little adrenaline, which can lead to apathy and a general decline in vital activity. Therefore, in excessively favorable circumstances, people often instinctively create the necessary minimum of stress themselves: they engage in extreme sports, play gambling, make novels or start intrigues, or, at last, simply find out the relationships with relatives.

    For health, strong destructive stresses are dangerous, they are capable of plunging a person into a state of extreme stress or, conversely, depression, apathy, total loss of strength. For millions of years, nature has been debugging the body's response to stress, so that in a critical situation, a person can mobilize as much as possible all the forces for struggle or flight. However, this ability can help in an emergency situation, but in ordinary life it is almost useless. Thanks to TV programs, we face a huge number of unreacted stresses every day. Terrible events on the screen do not imply any of our participation: we do not scream, do not run away, do not rush to the rescue, but inside of us it starts the debugged mechanism for centuries, undermining our health. Refusal to watch TV programs such as "Chronicle of accidents", fighters, thrillers, discussing acute problems can be considered the best prevention of destructive stress.

    In many Western countries, benefits for "stress management" - the art of stress management. First of all, they advise to reduce stress-reducing factors: reduce workload, try to avoid conflict situations, often drive not by car, but by public transport, avoiding psychological conflicts with relatives and colleagues. The British even offer their formula of worldly wisdom: "Do not worry, do not overload, do not rush."As you can see, it contains all the necessary recommendations. However, the most difficult thing is to follow it in stressful situations. Perhaps this will have to learn all of life.

    In parallel, you should increase the body's resistance to stress: regularly and fully eat, take vitamins, phytopreparations and nutritional supplements, exercise, respiratory gymnastics and meditation. And most importantly, we must try to consciously simplify life, slow down its pace, redistribute time in favor of "positive" activities.

    One of the best ways to ease the harmful effects of stress is to "talk through" your problems. This procedure has existed for centuries in the form of confession. If you do not go to church, find an attentive and sympathetic listener: a spouse, a psychotherapist, a close friend or relative;useful dictaphone or diary. In exceptional cases, the use of non-normative vocabulary is permissible-an option of instantaneous reaction to severe stresses in those cases when neither struggle nor flight solve the problem. This "emergency valve" is used even by people who usually treat profanity sharply negatively. But alcohol, contrary to popular belief, only exacerbates tension and irritability. In addition, clouding consciousness, it often leads to the most unfortunate and even tragic options for responding to stress.

    People are quite different in their resistance to stress. The most vulnerable are the strongest and the weakest. In the reaction of the first, anger prevails, in the reaction of the latter - fear, and both these emotions are extremely destructive to health. People of the so-called intermediate types are better equipped to withstand stress. Their reactions are more robust, they are able to sort out the stresses, accepting the inevitable and evading the excess. In addition, they usually have a large "support group" - the number of people who are ready to help them or just listen.

    What processes occur in the body in a stressful situation?

    Most often, with stress, blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, breathing becomes quick and superficial. The easiest way to remove excessive stress is to reverse these processes. Unfortunately, not many are able to slow their pulse or reduce blood pressure by a force of will. But start breathing slower and deeper - it's entirely within your power. Good and energetic movements also help: many people instinctively begin to walk quickly in moments of excitement.

    It is known that as a result of some kinds of acute stress, for example, severe fright or sudden excitement, the body emits adrenaline that can cause a migraine attack. At the same time, gradually developing stress and prolonged psychoemotional stress also often lead to migraine pain. Examples of such stress can be the transition to a new job, moving to another city, preparing for a significant event, a strong sense of hunger or fatigue.

    In general, people vary greatly in their ability to use stress energy: for some, during periods of increased stress, everything falls from the hands, while others reach the peak of productivity at this time. There are people who intentionally provoke stress, drive themselves to time trouble, then to force themselves to quickly make a long-delayed work. Some of us for one reason or another are never "laid out" completely in the usual situation, but show miracles of productivity under stress. Of course, this does not work for free. If you are among such people, look for the cause of the problem and a more physiological way to solve it. Perhaps changes in lifestyle and nutrition will help to cope with their duties not only in an emergency mode.

    The problem of stress prevention is very acute all over the world. Scientists are alarmed that the consequences of stress lead to the emergence of the most dangerous diseases - killers of the XXI century - heart attack and stroke. A careful attitude to one's health, a rational and calm approach to the problems that arise daily and hourly, the ability to make quick decisions and be ready to change them again are the requirements that allow you to survive stress without large losses for the organism and to emerge victorious from it.

    People suffering from migraine, which are characterized by increased demands on themselves and others, diligence and high dedication, overcome stress is very difficult. However, it is emotional stress that plays the role of a provoking factor in the occurrence of migraine attacks. It should be noted that a migraine attack, in turn, is also a stress, leading to a violation of all life plans. However, this stress consumes a huge amount of energy, especially if there is a need to continue working. In addition, people who suffer from migraine, are prone to increased self-control. And when the situation is beyond their competence, it causes them additional stress. Thus, one of the many pathological circles emerges, from which a motley mosaic of migraine develops.

    Sports activities and physical activity are some of the best stress protection systems. Numerous studies have proved the maximum effectiveness of sporting events for the training of vessels and the development of a resource of energy that resists the sudden load that appears at the time of stress. The use of vitamins and trace elements is also part of the strategy to protect against stress. Among them, the maximum anti-stress protection is given by B vitamins, ascorbic acid and selenium.

    The correct mode of work and rest, rational nutrition, physical exercises and enough sleep are important components of the life of a person suffering from migraine, which will help keep the nervous system in balance and protect it from seizures.

    Foods and drinks under certain circumstances can cause a headache in any person. Therefore, if you are prone to frequent headaches, try to find out what dishes provoke its appearance, and to exclude them from your diet. We will talk about products that can cause an attack in people who suffer from migraine.

    First of all it concerns dishes and beverages with special organic compounds, so-called biogenic amines, and the most dangerous of them for people suffering from migraine is tyramine. The body produces these substances for its needs in the metabolism process. However, when biogenic amines enter the food, their excess in the blood arises, while the vessels of the brain begin to behave very strangely: they first narrow, then expand, causing a throbbing pain.

    In addition, tyramine is a substance that is a competitor to one of the important mediators of the brain - serotonin, a metabolic disorder in people suffering from migraine, is proven by science. And a shift in the metabolism of this substance, sometimes called the hormone of joy, occurs in the direction of its decrease, which leads to the onset of a migraine attack. The first in a series of potentially dangerous products is the French cheese sung by Pushkin. Why French, and not some other? The fact is that it is the French cheeses that have a high percentage of fat, which in combination with the centuries-old technology of aging and ripening of cheeses leads to the accumulation of a substance in it, which gives the cheese a spicy taste and aroma, the tyramine.

    What other foods can be dangerous for migraine sufferers? The second place is smoked( ham, smoked fish), crabs, sausages, as well as any fatty foods. Especially dangerous are nitrites, which are added during the production of meat products, to give them a delicate taste and mouth-watering pale pink color. These substances expand the vessels of the brain, face and internal organs of particularly susceptible people. Half an hour after a meal containing this supplement, the person blushes and begins to complain of a throbbing pain in the temples. In the same way, a close "relative" of nitrites acts on the body - nitroglycerin( a drug that relieves pain in a heart attack).After its admission, many people experience similar symptoms. If you have ever had a similar reaction to taking nitroglycerin, then you need to limit the use of products containing nitrites.

    The list of products that are dangerous for migraine sufferers also includes spices and seasonings: vinegar, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, as well as some fruits and vegetables - spinach, onions, beans, soy, tomatoes, celery, citrus fruits, plums, pineapples, avocados, nuts.

    To some people, a widespread food additive - sodium glutamate, or hydrolysed vegetable protein - can deliver trouble. This substance is used to improve the taste of food. Find out how you react to it, it's easy. Already after half an hour after you ate a product containing sodium glutamate( usually about its presence the manufacturer of the product reports on the label), a throbbing headache appears in the temples and in the forehead area or a migraine attack develops. In some cases, such a seizure is accompanied by difficulty breathing, sweating, tension of mimic and chewing muscles.

    The next group of products that can lead to a migraine attack are sweets and in particular cocoa and chocolate - the romantic food of all lovers. However, we mean only black chocolate: it is the high content of cocoa, which is able to cause sharp fluctuations in the hormone of joy by the action of phenylethylamine. Of particular joy, however, such fluctuations do not deliver, because after a while there is a sharp decrease in the amount of serotonin in the blood and, as a consequence, a migraine attack occurs.

    There are a number of products that can cause migraines only in some people. These are eggs, nuts, milk, cream, sour cream, tomatoes, citrus, fatty foods. Perhaps, you have already noted in this list products that act on you specifically. If not, then you can analyze what products you took before the attack, and use the exclusion method to identify the "provocateur".

    Try not to exceed the daily dose of caffeine: if you get more than 430 mg of this substance every day, you get a headache, in addition, there is a chance that a migraine attack can develop.

    A cup of instant coffee contains 66-100 mg of caffeine, ground - 80-120 mg;a cup of tea from a bag - 42-100 mg, from a pack - 30-75 mg;a cup of cocoa - up to 50 mg;a glass of Pepsi or Coca-Cola -15-30 mg.

    Among alcoholic beverages, the universal provocateur causing an attack in the vast majority of people suffering from migraine is dry red wine, primarily French. This is due to the technology of its manufacture and aging, when the content of pectins( coloring substances) increases in the beverage. They can also trigger a migraine attack with champagne, brandy, whiskey, cognac, liqueurs. Dark beers with low alcohol content, with different flavoring and impurities can also cause migraine pain.

    A large amount of alcohol consumed by itself can provoke a severe migraine attack. The fact is that alcohol is a neurotropic poison that damages nerve cells. Traces of taking a large dose of alcohol remain in the brain for many months, and only the reserve forces of the nervous system that are included in this period help the person cope with the alcoholic attack. Headache, which occurs the next morning, can provoke a severe migraine attack, much more intense and prolonged than usual, as it develops along a similar mechanism.

    So how do you avoid unpleasant surprises?

    Is it really necessary to exclude all these foods from your diet to prevent a migraine attack? Not at all. Modern science has achieved significant success in solving the problem of migraine. Of course, it is worth to listen to your body and limit the intake of foods that can lead to an attack. But if there is no way to avoid this, it is necessary to have at hand means that not only relieve the pain during an attack, but also hinder its development. About these drugs, we will talk in the section on the medicinal treatment of migraine.

    There are many useful dishes that help prevent a headache attack: they should appear daily on your table.

    It should give preference to whole-grain products, seafood, which contain a valuable element - magnesium. Scientists have found a deficiency of this element in the blood and tissues of people suffering from headaches.

    Serve bread from the coarse grains to the table. Put bran in porridge, soup, mashed potatoes, minced meat for cutlets.

    Prepare 1-2 times a week liver dishes with broccoli, green peas and spinach as a side dish, as well as tuna with potatoes. Every day, drink a glass of orange juice. These products contain B vitamins, the lack of which is experienced by those who often have a headache.

    Include in the menu sources of iron: lean meat, fish, greens, apples, pomegranates, kiwis, legumes, raisins and eggs. Deficiency of iron often leads to oxygen starvation of the brain, which causes a headache.

    Do not allow long breaks in meals: eat more often, but gradually - 4-5 times a day. The fact is that if you have not eaten anything for 6 hours, the blood glucose level - the biological "fuel" on which the brain works - drops drastically.

    In an effort to speed up its delivery, the cerebral vessels narrow, and the head begins to ache. Always wear candy or dragees as a means of "first aid" from a "hungry" headache.

    A light dinner before going to bed will help you not to wake up at night with a headache. In the blood of a person who has supper more than 3 hours before bedtime, the glucose level drops sharply at night, and the person wakes up not by the alarm bell, but by the signal of an empty stomach and headache.

    To avoid trouble, eat 100 g of curd, a jar of yogurt or a sandwich with a slice of lean boiled meat before you go to bed, drink a glass of kefir: the protein food is digested longer and does not let the night hunger trigger a headache.

    Limit sweets, too many of which lead to an increased output of insulin from the pancreas. Because of the excessive activity of this hormone, the blood sugar level falls rapidly, and the head is filled with leaden weight.

    However, do not run into the opposite extreme. Many, wanting to lose weight, put on the table instead of a sugar bowl a bottle with a widely advertised low-calorie sugar substitute. American experts argue that aspartame( one of the most popular means of this kind) can cause a headache.

    And the most unpleasant thing: you can take a dose of this provoking means, without knowing it - it is a part of many fruit drinks, kvass, chewing gum, low-calorie ice cream, sweets and desserts. Therefore, before you buy these products, read their composition, printed on the label.

    Take vitamins and minerals. You especially need B vitamins and ascorbic acid.

    This is the most common type of migraine, it is observed in almost 80% of people suffering from migraine. The frequency of seizures in different patients may range from several seizures per year to several per week.

    What can contribute to the onset of an attack? Overcooling or overheating, stress or severe fatigue, some specific food, sudden light or strong noise, insufficient or, conversely, excessive sleep duration. The attack can begin if you sit in a stuffy, smoky room for a long time, where there is little oxygen. The majority of women with migraine suffer from seizures associated with the menstrual cycle: most often they develop 2-3 days before the onset of menstruation or 3 days after their termination. The attack can be preceded by changes in appetite or mood from euphoria to depression and from increased activity to drowsiness. But whatever factor causes pain, it causes a whole series of physiological changes that occur in the body.

    What is the essence of the attack? Previously, it was believed that the cause of headaches with migraines is a sudden sharp spasm of the vessels of the brain and meninges, as during the attack the face of the patient sharply turns pale. However, in the future it turned out that the situation is quite the opposite. To the head, blood flows from both sides through powerful carotid arteries, which are divided into internal and external. And with the unchanged blood flow in the common carotid artery, a sudden redistribution of blood flow in the systems of the internal and external carotid artery can occur. Initially, the blood flow in the internal carotid artery is sharply accelerated, and as a result, the blood supply of individual parts of the brain sharply increases. This is connected with the feeling that everything becomes more clearly visible, the hearing becomes aggravated, the overall activity increases. At the same time, the flow of blood in the dilated vessels of the external carotid artery slows down equally rapidly. The face blushes at the same time. This condition - a harbinger of an attack, and in fact - the first stage of migraine.

    In the second stage, the blood supply is again quickly redistributed and the face turns pale - the narrowing of the vessels in the system of the external carotid artery occurs. At the same time, the vessels of the internal carotid artery suddenly expand. It is this extension that causes the headache. The vessels of the meninges expand most sharply, affecting the pain receptors. In a number of places there are signs of vascular dystonia: some sections of the vessel are dilated, while others are narrowed. In the places of such changes, the vascular walls are injured. The headache grows, becoming intolerable. Vessel changes lead to an increase in intracranial pressure, and to an additional stimulation of the meninges. The painful attack ends after the excess fluid is released from the body with vomiting. This helps reduce the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid, the disappearance of local edema in the membranes of the brain.

    So the body helps itself, but with obvious delay, when the patient has already thoroughly worn out. Meanwhile, in many cases, it is possible to very effectively and permanently prevent the onset of migraine attacks. We will discuss this in more detail in the following chapters.

    Typically, a migraine attack passes through three phases of development: a previous attack or, as doctors say, prodromal, pain and postpristupnuyu. In the first - prodromal - phase in a few hours, and sometimes for a day or two before the attack, mood changes, irritability arises, working capacity decreases, yawning and drowsiness sometimes appear.

    During a migraine attack, the patient has a blanching or reddening of the face, slowing or increasing heart rate. Often there is a feeling of anxiety, anxiety, irritability appears.

    For patients whose headache is localized mainly in the right hemisphere, there is a high intensity of pain and accompanying unpleasant symptoms - an increase in heart rate, increased frequency of urination, sweating. In patients with left-sided localization, the development of headache occurs at night, accompanied by vomiting. Migraine attacks occurring in a dream are more often observed in patients with sleep disturbances: they usually have falling asleep, a superficial dream, with frequent awakenings and nightmarish dreams.

    In the post-attack period, the patient complains of drowsiness, weakness, decreased appetite, frequent urination for several hours and sometimes even days.

    The physician diagnoses a normal migraine without an aura for the following symptoms:

    headache attack lasts from 4 to 72 hours if not treated;

    pain is localized mainly in one half of the head( right or left), in the fronto-temporal and orbital area, bilateral bilateralization is less common;

    character of pain - pulsating;

    intensity - from moderate to strong;

    pain intensifies with little physical exertion;

    attack is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting, intensified in bright light( photophobia) and with sharp, loud sounds( phonophobia).

    A migraine attack can last several hours and even days, although sometimes it is enough to take an anesthetic and fall asleep to stop an attack.

    Migraine with aura is much less common, it occurs in about 12% of people suffering from migraine. The very word aura in Greek means "breeze" or "whiff".Aura can arise as a feeling of movement of air or objects. Sometimes there is a visual disturbance: flickering spots, flashes, wavy lines, circles, lightning, etc. appear in front of the patient's eyes. In the pictures of the famous nun-prophetess Hildegardy of Bingen, who lived in the 12th century, her visions are imprinted: huge shining stars and jagged lines resembling contoursfortress walls. Today, doctors consider these visions to be a typical manifestation of the aura in a classic migraine.

    The state of the aura can last for 5-20 minutes, sometimes up to 1 hour, after which a typical migraine headache occurs. Usually the interval between the aura and the pain attack is about 60 minutes. In some cases, the headache develops not only after the aura, it may also precede it.

    This type of migraine resembles a classic migraine and is more common in adolescents and young adults. The basilar artery supplies blood to the brain stem. Doctors believe that the headache causes a spasm of this artery, which deprives the normal blood supply to the posterior parts of the brain. Therefore, the pain is mainly localized in the occiput. Basilar migraine can be accompanied by a sense of anxiety and anxiety, visual disturbances and symptoms of classical migraine, as well as imbalances and speech inattention.

    Migraine is caused by a spasm of blood vessels that supply blood to the retina of the eye. This leads to a temporary loss of vision lasting less than an hour and then passing to a normal migraine painful attack. After the end of the attack, there is often a feeling of dull pain in the depth of the eye.

    In all cases of retinal migraine, a thorough ophthalmic examination should be performed to rule out the possibility of complications.

    This type of migraine without a headache is most often observed in children( in one case out of five).Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and other "stomach symptoms" may be the only symptoms of a migraine attack. In the future, the child develops a classic or usual migraine. Changes occur in adolescence, when girls develop sexual hormones that are involved in the formation of migraine. At the same time, the probability of complete cessation of this disease at the age of 10-12 years is high.

    There are forms of migraine that are accompanied by severe symptoms that significantly worsen the quality of life of patients and require special attention of both the patient himself and his attending physician.

    In some cases, headaches are accompanied by not only nausea and vomiting, but also a strong palpitation, a sense of lack of air, a fear of death. Often, patients call an "ambulance" to ease the attack, because medications do not help. This form of migraine is called a vegetative, or panic, migraine. However, despite the dramatic nature of the course of the attack, it does not pose a health hazard, although it is difficult to convince the patient of this. The fear that arises once is repeated from the attack to the attack and is aggravated by the consciousness of its helplessness. As a rule, such emotional state complicates treatment. Therefore, doctors in such a situation, before prescribing treatment, use soothing agents, such as Relanium, which allows you to quickly and effectively remove a fit of fear, and then reduce pain and palpitations. Simple sedatives, such as valerian, motherwort, valocordin and valoserdine, unfortunately, are not effective enough.

    Another severe form of migraine that occurs with motor impairments in the arm or leg on one side of the body. At the same time, active movements in the limbs become difficult and unpleasant sensations arise in the form of numbness, tingling, chilliness. These symptoms last not for long, from 2 minutes to 1 hour, and do not lead to persistent violations of limb functions, but this condition frightens patients. As a rule, such a migraine has a clearly expressed hereditary character.

    With this severe migraine, an attack or series of seizures accompanied by repeated vomiting lasts more than 72 hours, despite treatment. The headache grows gradually, becomes bursting and pulsating, persistent vomiting leads to dehydration of the body, a sharp weakness. In this case, the intervals free from headache do not exceed 4 hours except for sleep periods.

    Although migraine status is rare - no more than 1-2% of all migraine cases, this form of migraine can lead to migraine stroke.

    Migraine stroke or cerebral infarction is said to occur when one or more of the symptoms of migraine aura persist for more than 7 days. This is a complication of a severe migraine, in which, due to prolonged disruption of the blood supply to the brain areas, persistent neurologic symptoms develop: paralysis, limb movement disorders, etc.

    The restoration of the functions with appropriate treatment occurs within three weeks. However, changes in the brain caused by a stroke are irreversible.

    Everyone knows that pain can not be tolerated. This alarm signal needs to be reacted correctly and quickly. And the most true thing is to consult a doctor, establish the causes of the headache and get recommendations for dealing with it. Of course, when the head splits and the pain leads to frenzy, without giving either work or rest, you will inevitably go to the polyclinic. But more often than not we just have no time: overcoming pain, we sit at the computer, go on a business trip, do household chores - and swallow the tablets one by one. And we grab what is at hand - in the home medicine chest, with colleagues at work, or go to the nearest pharmacy and buy the medicine "from a headache," not reflecting on the fact that the headache can be, although rarely, a sign of very severediseases.

    However, if you or your children get more headaches or have a dramatic change in the nature of the pain, seek medical help. You need to consult a doctor about any headache if it lasts more than 24 hours and does not decrease after taking painkillers.

    You should also seek medical help immediately if you have the following symptoms:

    sudden severe headache, if you have not suffered from it before;

    a sharp increase in pain symptoms;

    sudden attack of severe headache if you have hypertension, ischemic heart disease or kidney disease;

    severe headache after head trauma;

    headache, which is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, vision disorder, muscle weakness of the extremities or cramps;

    headache accompanied by fever, if there are no signs of a cold or other inflammatory diseases;

    is a disorder of consciousness, if it is accompanied by even a mild headache;

    headache, which is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, lower back, etc.;

    headache, worsening with coughing, sneezing, tilting the head.

    So, you are determined to get rid of headache attacks and therefore consider it necessary to visit a doctor to get competent advice, and also to make sure that you do not have any serious illness. According to statistics, such cases are quite rare, but you should not risk and better complete a full medical examination. Remember that a properly established diagnosis is a prerequisite for the appointment of an effective treatment.

    Usually the first admission is a detailed interview of the patient. It is very important that the doctor with your help identify the most important facts relevant to the disease. You have to answer questions about the nature of pain, the frequency of its occurrence, duration, localization of pain. In women, the doctor will necessarily find out whether the occurrence of a headache is associated with the menstrual cycle or with the climacteric period. You need to know this to determine the type of headache that you are suffering.

    Here is a sample list of questions that you have to answer.

    Descriptive definition of pain( in this case, the patient himself chooses from the proposed variants of pain intensity: "light", "moderate", "strong", "very strong", "intolerable").What definition of pain can you give?

    Where exactly does the head hurt: in the forehead, occiput, around the eyes?

    What is the nature of the pain - a constant, pulsating or tightening head, like a hoop?

    Symptoms that accompany the headache( aura, nausea, vomiting, changes in the bowels, hypersensitivity to smells, sounds)?

    Provoking factors( stress, stuffy room, hunger, meteofactors)?

    What causes pain - during coughing, sneezing, tilting the head or tension, when shaking?

    Is the headache associated with diet, coffee abuse, alcohol intake or smoking?

    At what time of day does the attack of pain increase?

    What preparations from a home medicine cabinet help to relieve a painful attack?

    How do weekends, transportation trips and other changes in the routine of the day affect the occurrence of seizures?

    Do stressful situations or psychological stress affect the development of an attack?

    What medicines do you take for other diseases( in some cases, the headache may be the result of the effects of drugs that dilate the vessels, for example nitrates, prescribed for the treatment of coronary heart disease)?

    Does the temperature increase with a headache?

    Postponed diseases, including craniocerebral trauma, depressive condition?

    What kind of diseases did your relatives suffer from( heredity can play a significant role in the onset of the disease, especially in case of migraine)?

    What do you do in terms of your occupation, what are your family circumstances, do you have a hobby,

    do you do sports, what kind of physical activity can you have in your everyday life.

    Following is a physical examination and medical examination.

    Often, for the correct diagnosis, the doctor prescribes consultation of various specialists: ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, therapists, endocrinologists, oncologists, surgeons, and recommends the following examinations:

    examination of ENT organs, including radiography or magnetic resonance imaging of the paranasal sinuses;

    ophthalmological examination( eye fundus, intraocular pressure, etc.);

    examination of the cervical spine;

    study of the cardiovascular system( measurement of blood pressure, electrocardiogram, ECHO-cardiography);

    ultrasound examination of the main arteries of the head and cerebral vessels, and if necessary - angiographic examination;

    investigation of cerebrospinal fluid and liquor pressure;

    blood test( blood formula, sugar content, lipids, platelet and erythrocyte aggregation, coagulogram, etc.);

    in some cases, for example, if a tumor is suspected or other volumetric brain formation, a CT scan or MTP-angiography is performed;

    carrying out transcranial dopplerography.

    You should also be aware that the principles of diagnosis and treatment of migraines have changed significantly in recent years. The doctor in dealing with a sick migraine will have to solve two main tasks: to correctly diagnose and select the appropriate treatment. Diagnostic criteria for migraines, proposed by the International Association for the Study of Headache in 1988, are currently used throughout the world.

    For the diagnosis of migraine without aura, it is necessary to have five episodes of headache or longer duration from 4 to 72 hours, accompanied by at least two of the following characteristics:

    unilateral headache of moderate or severe intensity;

    sensation of pulsation;

    increased headache during exercise.

    Supplements the diagnosis of migraines presence of one of the accompanying symptoms: nausea and / or vomiting, photo and phonophobia.

    For the diagnosis of migraine with aura, it is necessary to have two or more headache episodes in an anamnesis accompanied by at least three of the following characteristics:

    having at least one completely reversible aura symptom;

    its gradual development for at least 4 minutes or two or more symptoms of the aura;

    developing consistently, but not exceeding in duration 60 minutes;

    migraine headache follows the aura for 60 minutes.

    The causes of migraines are very often some events that violate the usual daily routine, unusual situations, certain foods or drinks. Therefore, people who suffer from migraine, the doctor will recommend recommending a "diary of migraine", in which you should note the circumstances associated with the occurrence of each attack. By keeping such records, you can make a picture of the situations that cause migraine attacks, identify the main factor - perhaps the influence of some product, fatigue or stress. And then you will work to avoid it. Of course, you can not expect that you will completely get rid of seizures, but most likely they will happen less and less. This will be your first step towards controlling the disease, but, as you know, "the road will be mastered by the going".

    An exemplary version of the "diary of migraine" suggests M. Gressor. You need to fill in the boxes yourself.

    In many people with migraine, it begins with symptoms that are typical of brain function disorders. Often there are visual disturbances( flickering or dark spots in the eyes), a feeling of deafness, speech disorders and other unusual sensations. Usually one half of the head is affected.

    - lethargy or nervous condition;

    - irritability, bad mood or a state of unusual euphoria;

    - fatigue, low working capacity;

    - a feeling of hunger or lack of appetite for certain foods or drinks, it is possible to alternate feelings of hunger and lack of appetite;

    - hypersensitivity to odors, noise and light;

    - cold feet, a feeling of chill;

    - swelling of hands and feet.

    - nausea and vomiting;

    - absolute rejection of odors, noise and light;

    - indigestion;

    - chills, often followed by a fit of fever;

    - pallor, circles under the eyes;

    - depressive mood;

    - the need for absolute peace and darkness;

    - the inability to concentrate and do something.

    Patients suffering from migraine, are treated with various pills from a headache, until finally they go to the doctor. The prerequisite for the treatment of all types of headaches is an accurate medical diagnosis - to exclude the presence of other diseases that can accompany the headache. Depending on the type and severity of migraine attacks, medical, psychological and natural methods of treatment are offered. The combination of various methods - both for the treatment of severe attacks and for prevention - justifies itself.

    Can help prevent a severe attack or soften the course of the contrast shower in the morning( first warm, then cold, but not ice), regular walks, neck and shoulder exercises( under the guidance of an orthopedist or coach), as well as timely sleep and rest.

    Non-pharmacological methods for prevention: relaxation( yoga, autogenic training), psychotherapy, volitional relaxation of blood vessels, acupuncture, aromatherapy.

    If an attack can not be prevented, let your body rest. Best if you can lie down or sleep in a well-ventilated bedroom. Relieve your body by offering only light food and a small amount of unsweetened herbal tea or mineral water. If you do not eat, do not eat. But medication can not be taken on an empty stomach.

    Listen to yourself. You yourself will feel that it will be useful to you.

    The most proven way to figure out how to best prevent a migraine from developing is by keeping a diary of migraines. Data from the diary will facilitate the work and the doctor: with their help, he will determine which methods of treatment in your case are likely to be successful.

    What should you do? Over the course of several weeks, write down everything that may be associated with migraines that have been transferred or prevented, and discuss this with your doctor.

    Keep a migraine diary not only on days when you have seizures, but also when you feel good. In particular, describe your menu. This is the only way to determine the influence of nutrition over the last days before the attack( for example, an allergy to a frequently taken food product).You can determine which gastronomic habits have a particularly positive effect on preventing migraine, and vice versa - you will have a good opportunity to "attack the trail of your offenders".Below is a sample of such a diary.

    Diary of a migraine ______ day of the week _____ date ______

    Was there a headache / migraine

    If yes:

    When did the pain begin?before waking up in the morning after waking up before dinner after dinner in the evening

    Yes ____ no ____

    feeling of severe hunger obstruction in sight, dangling in the eyes of the feeling of deafness

    other feeling_

    Where was the pain?on the one hand all over the head behind the eyes in the forehead in the back of the head elsewhere

    How was the pain manifested?

    pounding

    piercing

    pressing

    other

    How did the pain develop?

    gradually amplified

    gradually amplified

    occurred suddenly

    Seizure time:

    less than one hour

    several hours

    more than half a day

    whole day

    more than a day

    Harbinger of an attack unusually good / bad mood fatigue / weakness

    Symptoms accompanying an attack

    nausea

    vomiting

    need for absolute rest other sensations_

    What helped?

    relaxation

    sleep

    medications( which)

    other_

    Features of the day( optional fill in the power protocol)

    anger / stress

    excitement / joy

    stress / rush

    fear of anything

    in women - monthly pain

    lack of sleep or vice versa

    physicaloverdrive / sport

    motion failure, fresh

    air

    weather change

    stay at high altitude

    large heat

    strong odors / noises

    other features_

    I could / could segone to prevent the threat of an attack if_

    Food protocol _ day of the week _ date _

    Food( approximate quantities)

    Breakfast Time( eating and drinking)

    Having a migraine Yes _ no _

    If so, compare with the diary of migraine and the nutrition protocolprevious days: were there any coincidences about the products?

    Between breakfast

    Time and lunch( food and drink)

    Lunch Time( food and drink)

    Between lunch Time and dinner( food and drink)

    Dinner Time( food and drink)

    Overnight Time( food and drink)

    Cothe time of Hippocrates medicine has made a significant step forward, but the question of the causes and mechanisms of migraine development has remained controversial. On this account, there are several theories. However, in general, it is considered that migraine is caused by hereditary disorders of the system of regulation of vascular tone.

    If you believe this theory - the oldest, but not obsolete, migraine attack arises from the uneven distribution of blood in the vessels of the brain( although the total volume of blood flow varies little).

    It is also known that migraine is largely due to biochemical changes in blood. Before the attack and during it, the blood concentration of the "pleasure hormone" of serotonin changes discontinuously, as if control over its level is poorly regulated.

    In addition to serotonin, migraine can provoke substances - "conductors of inflammation": histamine and bradykinin, as well as local hormones. A noticeable role in the occurrence of this disease is played by nitric oxide, a universal dilator of blood vessels. Trying to explain the origin of migraine, now increasingly turning to autoimmune theory.

    In recent years, an increasing number of diseases, the origin of which has never been associated with infectious processes, are caused by the activities of certain microbes. So it happened with such a seemingly far from infectious disease as a migraine. There have been reports that up to 18 percent of cases of chronic migraine are caused by Helicobacter pylori microbes that live in the stomach and that these cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics. With this message were made by the staff of the University of Milan, working under the guidance of Dr. Maria Gismondo, the head of the microbiological laboratory.

    Feeling of severe hunger?

    Lack of appetite?

    Have there been any digestive problems?

    Are there any foods that you think have affected the current seizure. If so, which ones?

    If the idea of ​​the infectious nature of this serious disease is confirmed, then in its treatment will come a completely new times.

    Today, chronic migraines are almost incurable.

    Migraine is a disease of 30-35-year-old people. True, for the first time this ailment can manifest itself in 18-20 years. Women suffer from migraine twice as often as men. Quite often it affects children, as well as women of "Balzac's age."As a rule, elderly people are not sick with migraine( if migraine was, then after 60 years, it usually goes away).

    As it was said, mostly women suffer from migraine. Most often migraines are affected by pregnant women, which brings additional difficulties to the future mother.

    Everyone knows that pregnancy for a woman is a time of hormonal adjustment, which leads to a number of significant changes in the body. So, appetite becomes unstable, adherence to certain products appears, the body needs more rest, hormonal status changes - both sex hormones, and stress hormones, immune defense, glands of external and internal secretion. Sometimes the mosaic of these changes develops in such a way that the hormonal-vascular profile, originally changed in a woman with migraine, comes to indicators that make the appearance of a migraine attack unlikely. But more often it happens vice versa, and then migraine attacks occur more often and more dramatically. Especially often this happens in the presence of toxicosis in a working woman, which is a consequence of the overstrain of its energy protective mechanisms. In such a situation, the best way to restore the psychological and energy balance is to leave for a sick leave.

    Since migraine is a predominantly female disease, it is associated with the female reproductive system. It is noted that gynecological diseases lead to various changes in the course of migraine.

    Endometritis

    One of the most common gynecological diseases, in which migraine tends to be more pronounced, is endometritis( inflammation of the uterine mucosa).Localization of lesions in this case is not of fundamental importance, and the course of migraine is really dramatic. Often the number of days per month without a headache is less than the number of days in which a headache is present. Hormonal drugs prescribed for the treatment of endometritis, at the very beginning of their use, can somewhat aggravate the course of migraine. Then the migraine recedes. However, this situation requires a careful and painstaking approach both from gynecologists and from neurologists, since the main task is to select a drug for endometritis treatment so that the migraine does not increase.

    A similar connection with migraine, researchers discover and with uterine myoma. However, here migraine has a marked dependence on the menstrual cycle, so you can foresee the attacks of the disease and in advance to conduct preventive medication.

    Adenomyosis

    Adenomyosis due to its connection with migraine is similar to endometritis. As attacks are frequent, intensity of attacks of a headache is similarly expressed. However, there was a sharp decrease in the frequency and severity of seizures immediately after surgery for adenomyosis. This confirms the influence of endocrine active nodes on the course of migraine.

    Various inflammatory diseases of the female genital tract, such as adnexitis, do not have a clear connection with the peculiarities of the course of migraine.

    Directly affect migraine means of contraception, and especially - oral contraceptives. They are the priority solution to the issue of protection. However, their application on an individual basis can lead to a heavier migraine.

    It is impossible to say that one drug has an advantage over another, because the sensitivity of migraine to oral contraceptives is not of a regular nature. A drug that causes migraine pain in one woman can cause it to weaken in another, and vice versa. However, some data indicate that the drugs of the last generation have less influence on the course of migraine.

    Headaches in women in the premenstrual period, which lasts from 14 to 28 day of the cycle, are usually referred to as headaches of tension or to a combination of migraine and tension headache. These headaches are characterized by the fact that their intensity is not as high as the classic migraine attack. Headaches are usually not strong - the whole set of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome delivers trouble to women. Such symptoms include a whole range of emotional, physical and behavioral disorders.

    The fact is that an abnormally low level of serotonin causes some vasodilatation, which in turn is characteristic of both tension headaches in the premenstrual syndrome and a migraine attack. Women in this period also increases appetite, there is a craving for salty, sweet, chocolate and alcohol. In severe cases, there are psychoemotional disorders - attacks of fear, a decrease in sexual desire, inability to concentrate, loss of attention, a desire for solitude. It is good only that all these symptoms disappear with the onset of menstruation, but it is very unfortunate that the time and opportunities that a woman loses on the continuation of the entire premenstrual syndrome.

    Like migraine itself, pronounced premenstrual syndrome deprives a woman of the opportunity to lead a normal life. Nevertheless, contrary to all the above, most women with premenstrual pain prefer to be treated independently. As a rule, they pin their hopes on rest, reduction of the working day or a decrease in its intensity, on widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics. However, all these measures and drugs bring little relief.

    Despite the fact that the headache of premenstrual syndrome is not well understood, it can be unequivocally said that it is caused by the same processes as those that contribute to migraine development. These include fluctuations in the level of estrogen, which trigger the headache, and a decrease in the level of progesterone and pituitary hormone prolactin, which coincides with a sharp decrease in the level of serotonin, which supports and intensifies the attack.

    The basis for the prevention and treatment of migraine associated with premenstrual syndrome is the observance of the work and rest regime, the removal of psychoemotional stresses in the period before menstruation, attentive attitude to your health, exclusion of migraine catalysts( stresses, alcohol, a number of products).

    Menstrual migraines are attacks of severe headaches that occur at the time when they are least useful - at the time of critical days. According to observations of Swedish researchers, 20-30% of women experience various painful sensations during menstruation, and 6% become disabled for at least several hours. Deterioration of well-being, relaxation, inability to concentrate, dizziness and pain are naturally associated with hormonal changes occurring in the female body. Well, if you are suffering from a migraine, it is at this moment that she lies in wait for you. And often migraine attacks associated with menstruation or premenstrual syndrome, are much stronger and more lasting.

    Monthly is an integral attribute of femininity, an indicator of maturation and the ability to be a wife and mother. Why, at the time of the necessary relief, predetermined by nature itself, when it is more difficult for a woman to cope with social tasks than she usually does, and when she has more than ever how she wants to be peevish, grumbling or just being a woman with all the weaknesses inherent in women, she is overtaken by the pain with whichand not every man is able to cope? It's all hormones. At the heart of the menstrual cycle are whole cascades of various hormonal changes. At the end of the cycle, there is usually a sharp decline in the main female sex hormones, estrogens. It is also known that the level of the so-called hormones of joy - endorphins - usually fluctuates parallel to the level of estrogens. And this means that the mood can worsen, and the threshold of pain sensitivity increases in such a way that sensations that do not disturb you in the ordinary state are perceived as painful, and the pain sensations are greatly amplified.

    According to the results of epidemiological studies, migraine affects from 3% to 38% of the world's population. Virtually all people( according to world statistics - 75-80%) suffered at least one migraine attack. Women suffer from migraine three times more often than men, and hereditary factors play a significant role in the onset of migraine.

    The essential point is the differentiation of migraine and the usual headache - tension headache. Migraines have their own distinctive features. The pain occurs, as a rule, in one half of the head, has a pulsating character, a pronounced intensity and is intensified by physical activity, its duration is from 4 to 72 hours. Often the pain is accompanied by nausea, sometimes vomiting, photophobia or noise-proofness. It is also important how people behave at the time of the attack: there is a desire to lie down, stay in silence, darkened the room, pull the head with a towel. If you had more than five seizures that correspond to this description, then this is a migraine.

    How can you help in this situation, break the vicious circle? The answer seems obvious - take the pill from a headache. This is what most women do. But conventional analgesics are not always able to cope with pain. In addition, frequent and uncontrolled use of analgesics in large doses adversely affects almost all organs - from the stomach and ending with the kidneys. Also, the frequent use of analgesics in large doses leads to the development of drug-dependent headaches, the treatment of which is possible only under stationary conditions.

    Very often, with complaints of increased and intensified migraine attacks, women turn 45-55 years old, in whom migraine progresses due to the onset of menopause. The whole complex of hormonal rearrangements and associated physiological changes lead to deterioration of well-being and mood swings. Often in this difficult period, migraines can become aggravated.

    The factors leading to such phenomena are sufficiently studied by modern medicine. The main link in the chain of pathological changes is a sharp decline in the level of female sex hormones - estrogens. Not all this decline occurs smoothly. And if the number of female sex hormones decreases dramatically, then a number of pathological processes that worsen the quality of life arise. This occurrence of tides, the emergence of episodic rises in blood pressure, osteoporosis - a thinning of the bone structure, exacerbation of chronic and psychosomatic diseases.

    It is also known that the level of estrogens correlates with the level of hormones of joy - endorphins, therefore in the climax often there are significant mood swings - from euphoria to depression.

    Women in this difficult period of life are very important support and understanding of loved ones, attention, protection and a sense of security, reducing the load. Unfortunately, life is far from that. As a rule, it is during this period that women begin to flourish in business activity. And although the children have already grown up and are able to take care of themselves, and family life has settled and acquired regular forms, it takes a lot of effort to develop further professionally and personally, not to yield to the energy of the new generation, but to show them the highest class of professionalism. But at this moment a migraine appears in the arena - a pain that is difficult to overcome, which devours time, strength and good mood.

    It is very important not to let it occupy leading positions in your life, but to fight with the right and effective methods. And the first thing you will need to prevent sickness from taking over you is consultation of experienced specialists armed with the latest achievements of scientific thought. First of all, the endocrinologist. The task of the endocrinologist in this situation is to select a drug for therapy. Admission of the drug will significantly reduce tides, stop the development of osteoporosis, improve health and reduce the manifestations of psychosomatic diseases, including migraines.

    But often migraines do not give up their positions. Then for a qualitative and effective treatment it is necessary to consult a neurologist who will prescribe a preventive drug that effectively reduces the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches and a drug for relieving migraine attacks. When treating a migraine attack in this category of patients should be treated extremely wary of the appointment of conventional analgesics. Their frequent admission can lead to more frequent seizures and weighting of their course. Remember that the treatment of migraines is a painstaking business, requiring patience and perseverance. Migraine in women in the pre-menopausal period is unsafe for cerebral circulation and requires serious and methodical treatment.

    Climax is a natural physiological process, meaning the end of the reproductive function of a woman. With the onset of menopause, many problems are solved - the problem of protection, premenstrual syndrome and menstruation, associated emotional fluctuations.

    However, not all menopause runs smoothly. Often there are hormonal changes in the body, leading to unpleasant sensations - hot flashes. And they are often accompanied by pronounced emotional changes, and for migraine it is fertile ground for manifestation in the form of an attack.

    With the onset of menopause migraine can both increase and weaken. Interestingly, after the onset of menopause, seizures very often vary in intensity and duration, as well as in accompanying symptoms. Headache becomes more diffuse and common, not limited to one side of the head. The attack can have "light" gaps, when the head does not hurt, but is not quite fresh. And, which is very typical for climacteric migraines, analgesics completely lose their effectiveness. Migraines become uncontrollable. Earlier effective ways of coping pain, such as towing a head with a towel, a hot shower, a dream - all this becomes much less effective and does not lessen the full extent of suffering.

    As shown by numerous studies of domestic and foreign scientists, the presence of migraine after the onset of menopause is directly related to the presence of pathology in the urogenital area. Therefore, one of the most important issues that can help in solving the problem of migraine is the examination and observation at the gynecologist.

    Numerous medicinal preparations of hormonal replacement therapy, which prevent symptoms of pathologically developing menopause, affect the course of migraine ambiguously. Their reception can both reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and increase it. This can be done only by choosing the most appropriate means, consulting both with a gynecologist and a neurologist.

    Migraine is a constant companion of people with high goals, intensively working, emotional and ambitious. Migraine in these people is more severe than in others. In this regard, it can be said that migraine from a business woman is a real headache, time-consuming, bringing worries and anxiety, breaking plans and bringing chaos to the orderly schedule of events recorded in a neat daily.

    Migraine of a business woman is similar to a man's migraine. It is also timed to take important decisions, accompanies the intensity of mental stress, as a rule, collapsing in all its might at its peak. However, migraine is often confined to critical days, complicating the premenstrual tension syndrome, expressed to some extent in most women.

    The usual solution to this problem is the taking of several types of analgesics together with antispasmodics-after a number of years of use it has no pronounced effect. And then the method is exactly what migraine sought to achieve: peace and rest for several hours or even days. This leads to losses of working time, change of terms in the planned plans, disruption of important activities. Therefore, often business women rely on their self-control, without interrupting labor activity during the whole attack. The whole working day passes in anticipation of the evening. And the nervous system, having spent all resources on the resistance of pain, often gives failures, which manifest themselves in the form of conflicts with colleagues and household members.

    The fact that migraines is one of the main complaints of middle-aged women is known to us from classical literature. Perfect doctor-clinician AP Chekhov wrote about this in his numerous stories, whose undeniable virtues are rare observability, truthfulness and description of life as it is, without embellishment. It is exactly what it is - a classic, and there is a migraine of housewives.

    In women, migraine has a number of reasons that are most often found among those engaged in domestic work, that is, providing "rear services".Homework never ends. It is necessary to have time to cook for the whole family, to work with children, to plan a number of organizational issues, which are often shifted by men to fragile female shoulders. Psychological studies show that men shift the solution of a number of very important questions to their wives, citing the lack of time. These issues include the choice of place and time of rest, disposal of property, education of children. These factors supplement the picture of motivational overstrain, often found in female housewives. And the cunning of this kind of activity consists in fatigue from monotony and a low subjective evaluation of its activity. The opportunities for further intensive development and self-realization become more and more limited over time, which in itself has a number of complications. A woman sacrifices herself for the upbringing of children, family well-being, caring for her home and her husband's career.

    All of the above factors lead to an increase in intrapersonal tension. It should also be noted that migraine can also be based on biochemical changes occurring during pregnancy, childbirth and feeding. These processes require large energy costs, and if they do not replenish, the migraine will not keep you waiting.

    However, everything is solved, and migraine housewives can be prevented by the usual correct mode of work and rest. It is necessary to find time for intellectual and physical rest, to diversify life, to reduce the custody of children through the help of parents or relatives. A theater, a movie or just a hike to friends without children has an excellent unloading. Very useful are additional educational programs related to health issues or the acquisition of new skills, such as driving a car, swimming, visual arts and many, many other interesting activities.

    It is the creative approach that makes it possible to have more time, distracts from cares and weakens the course of psychosomatic diseases. Additional interesting hobbies necessarily will bring their results both in self-development and in well-being.

    The course of migraine in the strong half of mankind has its own characteristics. In men, physiological cycles are much less pronounced than in women. Also less important are the hormonal aspects. However, it's no secret that men are more prone to stress, overload and exposure to more unfavorable environmental factors. These include smoking, alcohol, unregulated workload.

    Data from several studies suggest that migraine in men is much less common than in women. However, the course of migraine in men is more aggressive. Attacks tend to be less common than in women, but are more dramatic and the risk of complications is also slightly higher.

    The leading factor in the presence of migraine in a man is heredity. Very often both parents suffer from migraine. The course of many diseases in our age of speeds is characterized by a characteristic feature: in every next generation the hereditary disease flows more heavily than in the previous one. This rule also applies to migraines and is more pronounced in men.

    It is very important to accurately diagnose migraine. Often a migraine attack occurs in men atypical. The pain is localized not on one side, as in the classical description, but in the frontal region, occipital-parietal or immediately spreads over the entire head. However, the remaining mandatory signs of migraine remain unchanged. These include pulsation of pain, the presence of nausea, long duration and ineffective reception of conventional analgesics.

    Men often have a different type of headache. These headaches are never found in women, characterized by intolerable attacks of intensity and occur mainly at night. Since the attack occurs suddenly, lasts dozens of seconds and then disappears, resuming after a few minutes, the researchers described it as a cluster headache. This kind of headaches has a different nature and other preventive treatment. Therefore, with this kind of headaches, an expert consultation is necessary.

    The favored objects of migraine are men engaged in highly intellectual activity. As a rule, migraine accompanies them as far as the creation of various projects, making meaningful decisions, overtaking the peak of mental load. This phenomenon has been repeatedly described in fiction. He suffered a severe migraine Nietzsche, which gave his philosophy a somewhat gloomy color...

    Special attention should be paid to complications of migraine attack. Often, due to changes in cerebral circulation during a migraine attack, memory worsens, mental fatigue occurs more quickly, and attention distraction is noted. In 5% of cases of cerebral stroke it was preceded by a protracted migraine attack. All this suggests that migraine in men needs special attention and compulsory treatment.

    The use of conventional analgesics quickly enough shows its inefficiency during the course of male migraine. Therefore, as practice shows, men often tend to endure torment as an inevitable evil, overcome headache, despite its increase in mental and physical exertion. This leads to enormous energy and metabolic costs.

    Patient needs rest. He is placed in a quiet, darkened room. Inside prescribe acetylsalicylic acid - 1 g per day, if necessary - up to 3 g. It is more effectively combined with caffeine( ascophene).Indications are shown of the combination of indomethacin, amidopyrine, analgin. Pentalgin, sedalgin are effective.

    The ergotamine hydrotartrate preparations are the most effective in migraine attacks. The drug is prescribed inside and sublingual for 1-2 tablets( 1-2 mg), as well as intramuscularly or subcutaneously.

    Along with the injected analgesics, it is beneficial to have mustard plasters on the back of the neck, smeared temples with menthol pencil, hot foot baths, a hot( sometimes cold) compress on the head.

    In the period of remission patients are recommended physiotherapy, acupuncture, psychotherapy, relaxation, autogenic training.

    One should be able to distinguish migraine from a headache of a different nature. We offer you several basic signs of migraine.

    1. Migraine does not appear gradually, it does not develop gradually: it is an instant, paroxysmal "explosion" of the headache, and visual and gastrointestinal disorders can be observed before and during the attack.

    2. A migraine attack has a different coloration than an ordinary headache. He may be preceded by depression, anxiety, irritability, as well as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting. These symptoms can be either harbingers of another attack, or accompany it to the end. Here is a typical picture of an attack: the pain begins in one eye or around it( eye socket, whiskey and forehead), spreading gradually one or both times half the head. The limbs become colder, become pale. I want to wrap my head in a blanket, lie down and see no one. Irritating bright light, sharp sounds are agonizing for hearing. Appetite disappears, and even the smell of food can provoke vomiting. However, nausea and vomiting are observed during an attack and without apparent provoking moments. If you grab your head with your hands, you can feel a strong pulsation of the arteries under the skin. Sometimes( infrequently) during an attack or at the peak of pain is doubled in the eyes, there may be light flashes, sparks or zigzags in front of the eyes. They can be accompanied by loss of a part of the field of erection( rarely - temporary, no more than an hour, blindness).In addition, during a migraine, a strange sensation is experienced by the skin - for example, something like crawling crawling. All this lasts about half an hour.

    3. The disease is inherited: if one of your parents has suffered from it, most likely you have inherited this misfortune.

    4. Migraine sufferers are more vulnerable, are prone to depression. Migraines, as usual, are accompanied by gastritis and peptic ulcer, colitis, cholecystitis. Migraine is a frequent guest in patients with epilepsy( the same can be said about hypertensive patients).

    If you have a migraine in your body, the sooner you go to the doctor, the better. At the reception try to accurately describe your feelings during an attack, because in the intervals between attacks in migraine sufferers, as a rule, "everything is fine."Treatment of migraine is strictly individual, but in any case, the patient should know what to avoid during a migraine.

    If the patient, due to fatigue, migraine and neurosis, had a headache, then first of all you need to provide him peace and put him to bed. Shade the room and open the window, so that the patient inhales fresh air. Remove from the room flowers with a strong smell. It is useful to keep a flower pot with mint near the patient's bed.

    If you have migraine or neuralgia, brush garlic essence with forehead, whiskey. For the preparation of essence, dilute 1 tablespoon of garlic oil in 500 ml of vodka or cognac. This is a good way to keep the volatile components of garlic, which are poorly soluble in water.

    If you feel irritability, migraines and headaches, stop using plastic combs immediately. Several times a day, comb your hair with wooden or bone combs.

    Plastic combs, like any synthetics associated with the electrization of hair, introduce information confusion into the brain's command system. This can be compared with the action on electronic computers "electronic virus".

    Very often, headaches and other pains arise precisely because of a lack of copper in our body. Carefully cleaned from the oxides of the copper plate is applied to the sore spots and pasted with a patch( or bandage).Wear until the pain stops or until the skin under the metal ceases to color. Reduces or completely removes the pain of massage with a copper coin.

    Gentle kisses treat migraine and acute attacks of various headaches. When kissing the lips in the body, hormones come in to remove unpleasant sensations.

    Kiss replaces medication. Saliva contains a variety of mineral salts and organic substances. All of them go to us with a passionate kiss and help fight diseases, as they serve as antibiotics of natural origin.

    People suffering from migraines should first of all avoid the stresses and sharp emotional experiences that provoke a migraine secretly: the attack does not occur at the moment of stress, but after 15-20 hours.

    With migraine, sleep deprivation and, conversely, excessive sleep are undesirable. It is necessary to exclude large physical exertion, long breaks in food, avoid constipation.

    Migraine can arise or intensify from strong sound, light( flashing flashes, bright sunlight) and vestibular stimuli( for example, sea cruise, driving, even a trip in a tram);unpleasant and sharp smells.

    Products provoking migraine: cocoa and chocolate, cheese, milk, nuts, eggs, tomatoes, celery, citrus, animal fats. A strong provoking factor is alcohol, especially beer and red wine.

    Migraine treatment is a painstaking process, requiring patience and a systematic integrated approach. Proper planning and distribution of the load, the regime of work and rest, exclusion from the diet of food products that can cause an attack, will cope with such a difficult disease as migraine.

    Nutrition, like stress or weather changes, is considered one of the factors causing migraines. It can both cause a migraine, and help to leave the seizure. Every third migraine sufferer with the help of nutrition can improve his condition - will weaken or become more rare attacks, disappear at all.

    How important the role of nutritional factors in the fight against migraine, each patient should determine for himself.

    For those who suffer from migraines, doctors will prescribe a therapeutic diet number 15. Proper nutrition ensures a normal metabolism and a high level of activity of the most important body systems: cardiovascular, digestive, central nervous, etc.

    Already 300 years before the birth of Christ, the Greek physician Hippocrateswarned that cheese can cause a headache. There is no doubt that in addition to cheese, there are a number of nutritional factors that can affect the onset of migraine: from intolerance to certain foods to such a disaster as constipation.

    Amines

    When it comes to migraines and nutrition, we automatically think of chocolate, cheese and red wine. These three products belong to the classics among the factors that cause migraine. And they have something in common: they are known for their high content of biogenic amines. These are substances that arise in plants and animals during the breakdown of protein. They are found in almost all products in small quantities. Especially a lot of biogenic amines are formed in a medium containing bacteria or yeast. Typical are the fermentation processes in the production of wine or the processes of cheese ripening, just like the spoilage of products. The content of biogenic amines in the same product is different. If you take cheese, it depends on the variety, quality and maturation, temperature and shelf life. If you take chocolate - then, among other things, more and from the grade and area of ​​production of cocoa beans.

    In the metabolism of

    In the metabolism of an animal or plant, biogenic amines play an important control function. In the human body, they are also produced if necessary. The most famous are serotonin and histamine. Serotonin is the hormone responsible for the metabolism and, among other things, affects our mood. Histamine takes part in the regulation of blood pressure, affects the nerves, muscles and digestion. Histamine takes care of protective reactions of the body and, together with other hormones, is responsible for the appearance of typical allergic symptoms, such as rashes, swelling, hay fever, asthma and up to a life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

    Balance

    For the usefulness of biogenic amines, it is important that we always supply as many of these substances as needed. Biogenic amines coming with food can interfere with the timely distribution of substances by the body itself. For this reason, in the stomach they are delayed and neutralized by special substances - enzymes. There are such "hunters" for amines in other parts of the body. The danger arises only when eating spoiled food: in this case, the enzyme system can be blocked by the flow of biogenic amines contained in these products. The histamine located in such a stopper will cause troubles in the body: the possible consequences of its overdose - pressure reduction, headache, rash, swelling, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Migraines can have migraine attacks.

    A typical case is fish poisoning. In the process of natural damage to the fish, a relatively short amount of histamine is formed, overlapping the possibilities of enzymes that destroy amines. Therefore, the fish must be carefully processed.

    Lack of enzymes

    There are people who develop the above described histamine poisoning and after eating high-quality fish. The same happens when eating certain types of cheese, chocolate, other foods: one person itches, another has blood circulation problems, and the third one has a migraine. In such cases, it is said that the organism is intolerant of certain foods. But still, if we generalize, this is the lack of enzymes in the stomach that destroy amines. Lack of enzymes during life can be expressed stronger or weaker, limited to the destruction of a certain biogenic amine. It can be acquired or inherited. More than half of migraines with disrupted metabolism have acquired it, about a quarter of all migraines suffer from it quite severely. In adults, food intolerance plays a greater role than in children.

    Side effects of medications are also similar to migraine and are especially pronounced in migraines. It turns out that drugs can cause blockade of enzymes that play an important role in the cleavage of amines coming from food. The tolerability of medications can be significantly improved in the event of failure during the intake of drugs from products rich in amines.

    Here are some medications that inhibit the action of enzymes: acetylcysteine, ambroxol, aminophylline, amitriptyline, chloroquine, iso-niazide, metamizole, metoclopramide, propafenone, verapamil.

    Biogenic amines

    The study of nutritional factors that cause migraine revealed two biogenic amines that contribute to the development of headaches and migraine: histamine( its effect was described in the example of fish poisoning) and tyramine.

    Typical signs of a tyramine overdose coincide with typical signs of a severe migraine attack: high blood pressure, accompanied by a headache similar to drilling, dizziness, blurred vision, too high sensitivity to light, odors, noise, pallor and vomiting. Headaches associated with an increase in the level of tyramine in the body often occur several hours after a meal and can last up to a day. Hard work at this time is impossible, the need for sleep is very high.

    In addition to tiatamine and tyramine, other representatives of a number of biogenic amines are responsible for migraine. In part, they act, enhancing the effect of the leading enzyme destroyers.

    All kinds of intolerable products have one common property: small quantities of a product( for example, certain types of cheese) can be perceived by the body, large quantities do not. If there is intolerance of several products at the same time, and, perhaps, there are other factors - stress, weather change, then the negative impact is summarized. The cup overflows - the migraine is gaining momentum.

    Migraine pathogens

    The following are products that can cause migraines. The amount of biogenic amines within a single product group can fluctuate strongly. Their content increases with further processing, preparation for storage and maturation with the help of microorganisms( bacteria, yeast), and also due to natural aging processes. Histamine and other biogenic amines are not destroyed under the influence of heat treatment and can not be destroyed during cooking, frying, ordinary and microwave roasting, and deep freezing.

    Alcoholic drinks

    Alcoholic beverages cause migraine in a variety of ways. They create conditions for accelerated entry of biogenic amines from the stomach into the body, while simultaneously blocking the amino-degrading enzymes. Wine, beer and other spirits also contain a certain amount of biogenic amines. High content of amines in red wine, aged and dessert wines, French champagne.

    Red wine is most often called the causative agent of migraine, perhaps because some of the substances in it further increase the effect of biogenic amines contained in the wine. Partially, these substances themselves( for example, flavonoids) act as causative agents of migraine. If the wine is aged, this contributes to an additional burden on the body. Sulfur compounds belong to auxiliary substances, which due to the unusual distribution of histamine in the body can cause an intolerance reaction.

    In rare cases, a migraine hides an allergy to a mold. For pleasure you have to pay. ..

    Vinegar

    Wine vinegar, especially red wine vinegar, is characterized by a fairly high content of histamine.

    Cheese

    The content of biogenic amines in cheeses is very different depending on the quality of the raw materials, the production process, storage conditions and other

    factors. The highest concentrations of amines are in cheese varieties that require a long maturation period( emmental, parmesan, mountain cheese, cheddar).In the crust area, the concentration of biogenic amines is the highest. You need to be careful with cheese with mold, cheese from fresh milk and melted cheese. Cream cheese, as a rule, is not heavily burdened with amines. Cheese, cheese and other fresh cheeses almost do not contain biogenic amines.

    Chocolate

    The content of biogenic amines in chocolate varies depending on the variety and place of production. If you restrict this product, keep in mind also beverages with cocoa and chocolate-containing sweets. Eat chocolate in small pieces and do not let it completely melt in your tongue. The tyramine contained in chocolate can enter the body directly through the mucous membrane of the mouth.

    Smoked sausage, by-products

    The content of amines in sausage and meat products depends on the way they are prepared and on the quality of the raw materials. Fresh meat and sausage, as a rule, contain few biogenic amines. The greatest amounts of amines are found in raw sausage, for example salami, and liver sausage.

    Nuts

    Walnuts are the leaders in the content of biogenic amines. Be careful when using them in cooking. Also, cashews and related pistachios are recognized as factors in the onset of migraine.

    Podder fruit

    Along with beans, peas and lentils, this group includes peanuts and soybeans. First of all, soy products, such as soy sauce and pasta, are responsible for migraine occurrence. Also, roasted peanuts are considered the causative agents of migraine. About intolerance in relation to other pods little is known. Since soy products are used as stabilizers in creams and baking, factory sweets can contribute to the amine balance.

    Vegetables

    Fresh vegetables, as a rule, contain only some biogenic amines. In rare cases, spinach can be considered as a migraine factor. Slightly more often reported on intolerance to tomatoes. Tomatoes and products of their processing( ketchup) - especially tomatoes with a long shelf life - cause migraine of high intensity. In comparison with other vegetables, they have a relatively high content of amines. However, they belong to products that can release additional amounts of histamine in the body.

    Among sauerkraut vegetables, acid cabbage is considered a possible pathogen of migraine. The quality of cooking is of exceptional importance here. When cooking and draining the water, the content of biogenic amines can be significantly reduced.

    Fruits

    Bananas are the primary pathogens of migraine. They contain a whole cocktail of various biogenic amines, which enhance the action of each other. In some cases, the content of amines in red plums, raspberries and pears can also provoke a migraine. Pineapple contains less amines, but at the same time it affects the level of histamine. Also strawberries, citrus fruits and kiwi affect the distribution of histamine, thereby causing migraines.

    Meat broths, yeast

    Meat broths and yeast of industrial production, as a rule, should not cause problems, despite the relatively high content of amines, because they are used in small quantities. Nevertheless, it is recommended to refrain from them because of the content of other substances that cause headache( glutamate sodium).The effects of both substances can reinforce each other.

    Fish, seafood

    Eat only impeccably fresh fish. Be careful when eating tuna, mackerel, herring and products from them( canned fish and pates).Cod, flounder, sea salmon, sea pike and trout are recognized as containing a small amount of amines. However, with an increase in shelf life and in this fish, the content of biogenic amines increases. Marine vegetables belong to the group of products that cause an increase in the level of histamine in the body.

    Smoked herring and mackerel, sprats can be thought of as food, since hot-smoked fish rarely contains amines.

    Mono-glutamate sodium

    Without this additional substance, the food industry would look retarded. Glutamate is an intensifier of taste in almost all soups, sauces and ready-made meals. This substance( the "irritant of the nerve receptors"), which also occurs in the body, is considered the causative agent of the so-called "Chinese restaurant syndrome".Among other side effects is a migraine.

    dyes Food colorings approved for use in the European Union may cause pseudoallergeny. More often this property is possessed by tartracin( E102).It is a yellow substance found in carbonated beverages and sweets.

    Yellow( E104), yellow-orange( E110), ruby ​​(E122), amaranth( E123), red( E124), black( E151) and ruby ​​(E180) can cause headaches and other side effects.

    Pay attention to the composition of the products and avoid the finished products of industrial production.

    Preservatives

    Two groups are distinguished from the group of preservatives, more and more often mentioned in connection with migraine:

    - benzoic acids( E210-213), found in fish marinades, canned fish, mayonnaise, salad sauces, sweets, margarine and fruit fillers for yogurt;

    - sulfur compounds( E220-227) - in products from potatoes, dried fruits, glazed fruits, grated horseradish, dried vegetables, sweets, citrus juices, fruit nectars, many finished products, wine( especially in aged and selection wines) and dry sortsbeer.

    Sorbic acid( E200) and thiabendazole( E233) also occasionally lead to pseudoallergic complications.

    Sugar substitutes

    It is known that a sugar substitute for aspartame can cause migraine. Study the composition of the products!

    Salt, nitrite salt, seasonings

    Salt, like alcohol, can enhance the action of biogenic amines in foods and thus has an indirect effect on the onset of migraine. Theoretically, unsalted food could positively influence the migraine. When complications of migraine are recommended to take malosolenuyu food for six months.

    Also nitrite salt and nutmeg are more and more often recognized as pathogens of migraine.

    Coffee and tea

    Caffeine has many effects that can be correlated with migraine. It promotes narrowing of blood vessels, strengthening of existing fears, creates nervousness, tension of muscles.

    It is interesting that coffee is not only considered the causative agent of migraine, but, conversely, it can prevent an attack at the last moment. Decisive for its impact is in what phase of the migraine is the patient.

    It should also be borne in mind that caffeine is available in cola, energy drinks and in many pain killers. The intake of coffee in large quantities determines the development of a caffeine-dependent headache.

    The lesser effect of black tea on the onset of headaches is the fact that often replacing coffee with black tea brings tangible relief to migraines.

    A cup of coffee with the addition of lemon juice acts as a remedy to help prevent a migraine attack at the last moment. What factors play a role here, it was not possible to fully clarify. Vitamin C, contained in the lemon, leads to the destruction of histamine in the body( without the help of enzymes).A high content of vitamin C in the body leads to a decrease in the level of histamine, and vice versa. Perhaps there are some other mechanisms here - but the main thing that helps!

    Allergy value

    According to the latest research, more than a quarter of all people suffer from allergies. The largest group of the population of the Earth suffers from an allergy to pollen. Up to 16% of Europeans suffer from hay fever.

    Approximately 70% of allergen reactions to plant products are undergoing reformation. Most of them have seasonal or year-round problems associated with the use of stone fruit and nuts. Up to 7% of children are allergic to cow's milk. At the same time, only a very small part of allergy sufferers react with migraine to allergies. Much more often they complain of digestive problems, hay fever, rashes, tumors and asthma.

    Allergy to food in rare cases is the cause of migraine - at least among adults.

    In case of allergy, unlike intolerance, it is not about the amount of the consumed product. The so-called sensitivity level is crucial in the onset of migraine. He determines whether the defensive reaction of the body( antibodies) will start against the enemy from food( allergen).At a high level of sensitivity, a small amount of product is sufficient to elicit a protective reaction. A low level of sensitivity means that relatively large amounts can be transferred by the body. In principle, any product can be an allergen.

    Another factor of an allergic reaction is the aggressiveness of the allergen. Allergenic substances that make up fish or nuts are so aggressive that very small amounts of the product for highly sensitive people will lead to consequences. Other allergens cause reactions quite rarely. Many products are cooked better in cooked form than in raw( milk, fruit), since their ability to cause allergies due to heat treatment is reduced.

    It should also be noted that a person, in excellent physical condition, will provide allergies much less than a person who has recently had a stomach illness or is under stress.

    Products reasonably suspected, as a result of a diary of migraine, should not in any case be crossed out from food for a long time. Be sure to talk about your observations with your doctor. If necessary, he will check for allergies. But be careful: if the test reveals a reaction to a particular product, you can not infer that the intake of food will show allergy symptoms. Only carrying out a diet based on the information obtained, gives confidence about whether the product causes an allergy.

    If the allergy test gives negative results( there is no confirmation of allergy), then intolerance of biogenic amines or product promotion to histamine release is possible. In this case, the diet is also the surest way to attack the trail of your abusers. The following method justifies itself: a diet with an exception of allergens + provocation.

    A diet with the exception of allergens makes sense when a person is sure which foods should be excluded. So, products that contain or can contain allergens are excluded from food for at least a week, preferably two or three, and then fed into food again - this phase is called provocation.

    The disadvantage of this simple procedure is that sometimes products that are not responsible for allergies are captured, or not all allergens.

    Diet with the exception of products should be made individually, better with the help of a doctor, and conducted under his supervision. If you suspect a severe allergy to a certain product, it should be administered under the supervision of a doctor. If strong reactions are not expected, as agreed with the doctor, provocations can be carried out at home.

    Warning! The attribution to the causes of migraine of a single, often consumed food product can cause complications in the case of allergies."Overdose" of an allergen, for example, cow's milk, leads under the circumstances to a chronic illness. Consequences can be periodic attacks of headache, regardless of the eating of the product that causes allergies.

    During the diet, it should not be forgotten that a change in diet causes changes in metabolism. In this regard, and migraines can go only for a while. But still, faith, as they say, can move the mountains. When migraines very often, only the hope of recovery helps fight the headache.

    In everyday life, the greatest danger is contained in ready-made products or semifinished products of industrial production. Starting from vegetable broths for making sauces, ready deep-frozen dishes to a variety of dairy products: everything is seasoned or sweetened, variously packaged to maintain the expiration date, and the packaging is so painted that it's hard to resist trying not to try.

    Unfortunately, not everything that we can buy is supplied with a list of ingredients. And sometimes under the name "Composition" - an empty space.

    A precautionary measure that migraines follow is the abandonment of manufactured industrial products and other highly processed products. There is a basic position: the more natural the product, the less in it you can expect additives, hidden or obvious.

    Indirect influence of nutrition

    In addition to the already mentioned direct effects factors, one should keep in mind some other typical gastronomic habits that harm the body. There is also a rule here: everyone should find out for himself whether the factors act in different cases and how much they act.

    Lack of sugar

    The shelves in the shops are full of all sorts of goodies. However, the composition of these delicacies very rarely benefits.

    Blood sugar cycle

    Sugar consumption - Insulin production - Supply of sugar to cells - Drop in blood sugar level - Hungry feeling. ..

    The high content of fast-digestible sugar in sweets leads to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. As a consequence, a large amount of regulator( hormone insulin) is rapidly produced, which should deliver sugar as quickly as possible to the place where this energy supplier is used: into the cells of the body. Even before the body stops the process of utilization of sugar, there is a lack of sugar in the blood: hypoglycemia. Regardless of how much sugar is distributed in the body, again there is a feeling of hunger - for new sweets. The circle begins again!

    Migraines, which do not absorb biogenic amines, are particularly sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations: patients complain of migraine attacks and impaired ability to work. However, the question arises: what was before, an egg or a chicken? Because hunger for sweet is a typical sign of a migraine beginning. Who succumbs to this famine on the eve of a migraine, he winds up new circles and thereby pours water onto the migraine mill.

    A possible cause of a typical migraine headache is the fact that before the migraine attack, the amount of free fatty acids( an alternative energy source) increases, which is typical for a lack of sugar. These free fatty acids, together with other factors at the stage of migraine, follow the increase in the concentration of serotonin and other biogenic amines that cause migraines.

    Also lack of sugar leads to a reduction in the pain threshold. Because of this, pain is perceived more strongly. And yet: the lack of sugar manifests itself after heavy physical work or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

    One who takes a balanced diet five to six times a day, takes care of the constant level of sugar in the blood, is insured against a feeling of intense hunger for sweets, etc. Instead of sweets, fruits, dried fruits, etc. are well suited.most basic meals are eased. The main role is played by products of plant origin - you stay longer for a long time, and the stomach works without overload.

    Ballast substances

    Plant products, such as potatoes, legumes, bread, fruits and vegetables, are that they contain ballast substances. Every day, along with food, we should consume 30 g of this indigestible plant substance. As the more ballast substances enter the stomach, the slower the sugar entering the food enters the bloodstream, then this is another possibility to keep blood sugar levels within the necessary limits.

    Ballast substances act as digestion regulators: they take care of a soft and regular stool and prevent constipation. The latter causes harm to health and, among other things, also causes migraine: due to the prolonged stay of solid feces in the large intestine, biogenic amines are formed which, over time, make their way through the gastric mucosa to the body.

    Liquid

    Drink at least 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day, and preferably more. Distribute the reception of drinks during the day, as excess fluid intake also contributes to migraine, as well as too much loss of fluid by the body( for example, during sports or on hot days).Pay attention when buying mineral water for calcium and magnesium( more than 300 mg of Ca and more than 100 mg of Mg).

    To fast or not?

    Traditional healers preach the beneficial effects of fasting and recommend its modern forms( juices or vegetable broths) as a cure for many diseases. On the issue of treatment of migraine through fasting for one or several weeks, the opinions of scientists differ. Success, which has specialized clinics that treat migraines with fasting, speaks in favor of the method. But even a quick recovery can lead to irritation of the nervous system due to changes in the diet. Experience also shows that migraine attacks, at least in the initial phase of fasting, are amplified. Among other things, the reason for them may be a typical for fasting increase in the concentration of free fatty acids in the blood. For people suffering from migraine, who react very sensitively to a lowered level of sugar, the diet during fasting should be individually selected. For patients with increased weight, fasting is necessary under the supervision of a doctor, best in the clinic. Scientists report good results in the treatment of such patients. One way or another: fasting is successful when the diet that it offers is a healthy way of eating that does not give a chance of migraine.

    Oxidation of

    In the discussion about possible causes of migraine and other chronic diseases by all traditional healers, the possible "oxidation" of the body is called more and more often. What is behind this? While medical scientists say that in a person with a healthy metabolism, excess acids simply leave the body, physicians oriented toward traditional medicine preach cleansing the body of acids, in excess formed when consuming meat, eggs, cheese, flour products andSahara. They proceed from the fact that excess acids accumulate in the body and because of this "oxidation" the body loses mineral substances.

    Not only to prevent migraines, but also to overall health is important the ratio of nutrients. Therefore, the advice of traditional healers - first to relieve the body of fasting, and then go to food containing a lot of vegetables, fruits, potatoes and bread coarsely. This advice is consistent with what is recommended in a healthy diet. Such food( regardless of the discussion about oxidation) can contribute to the prevention of migraine.

    The results of modern research give a good chance to keep a migraine on a short leash. We know that brain processes that control a person's sensitivity to migraines can be purposefully influenced by nutrition. It is well known that not only with migraine, but also with chronic diseases such as rheumatism or atherosclerosis, accompanied by pain, suitable nutrition is very important.

    To eat foods rich in tryptophan, prevention of migraine. Anyone who believes that to increase the threshold of pain, one must eat more meat and sausages, rich in protein, is mistaken. These products are rich in tryptophan, but at the same time they supply all the other constituent parts of the protein. These substances compete with tryptophan at the entrance to the brain, and many of them even bypass it. The consequence of this is that tryptophan is left behind and substances for own production of analgesics remain unused.

    Tasty muesli with fruits, large portions of potatoes or pasta will give a "green street" to tryptophan.

    Foods rich in tryptophan, - oat flakes, muesli, wheat bran, wholemeal bread, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame, greenery, mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines( consider individual tolerability).

    Rarely eat: meat, since high levels of tryptophan are resisted by high levels of fat( arachidonic acid) that cause pain.

    The decomposition of carbohydrates( starch and sugar) contained in vegetable products is simultaneously a signal for the supply of competing proteins to the muscles. This creates tryptophan free path to the brain. In addition, products of plant origin contain ballast substances that provide regular stools and thus prevent migraines.

    Anyone who tries to prevent a headache with a diet rich in tryptophan should not eat much meat and sausage. On the other hand, the supply of high-quality protein with this method of nutrition will be ensured. Not only in meat is a "piece of vitality".The mixture of various proteins of vegetable and animal origin is much higher in quality than the praised meat. For example, the following protein combinations are useful: potato with egg;potatoes with milk;potatoes with cottage cheese, yoghurt or cheese;cereal products with milk;cereals with cottage cheese, yoghurt or cheese;cereal products with fruits( beans, peas, lentils).

    Food with a predominance of plant products has the advantage of supplying high-quality protein in an amount sufficient for the body. This also limits the content of animal fats affecting the appearance of migraine.

    In favor of food, which mostly consists of products of vegetable origin, also speaks for the fact that the list of the most important suppliers of magnesium are cereals, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Magnesium is an anti-stress mineral substance. The supply of nerve signals to the muscles only then occurs unimpeded when there is enough magnesium and calcium-metabolism aids. Magnesium is also necessary for the unhindered decomposition of fatty acids in the body. Not surprisingly, a lack of magnesium causes a migraine.

    Many scientists have proved that a prophylactic dose of magnesium in the form of readily soluble salts( 500-600 mg / day) for several weeks, at least in some patients suffering from migraine, leads to a tangible correction. Attacks become less frequent or less severe. Most patients prone to convulsions are also helped by magnesium.

    Magnesium is rich: cereal products( bread from wholemeal flour, muesli, natural rice, millet);vegetables( kohlrabi, green cabbage, spinach, broccoli, sugar corn, potatoes);Nuts and seeds( pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax);fruit;milk and dairy products;crabs;Mineral water with an increased content of magnesium( more than 100 mg).

    With long soaking products lose a lot of magnesium!

    In the group of vitamins B "mixed mottled people" of water soluble vitamins are played, which play the most important role in energy metabolism and in the processing of information coming from nerve cells. The lack of these substances is expressed in fatigue, bad mood, reduced efficiency, weak concentration of attention, hypersensitivity to headache. It is not in vain that B vitamins are called food for nerve cells. Among other things, vitamins B1 and B6 are also constituent elements for the production of serotonin. If both of these assistants are not enough, the production of serotonin stops.

    Magnesium is more easily absorbed by the body in the presence of vitamins B1 and B6.For the breakdown of carbohydrates in the body, first of all, vitamin B1 is needed. In the fat metabolism, many B vitamins are required simultaneously. Thus, B vitamins diligently turn the lever of individual pain perception.

    The results of the latest studies indicate that taking vitamin B2( 400 mg / day) as a medicine can help reduce the frequency and / or intensity of migraine attacks. Migraines develop disturbances of energy metabolism in cells( mitochondria) over time, and vitamin B2 is supposed to have a positive effect on this process. Both treatment with vitamin B2 and prophylaxis with magnesium have the advantage that their side effects are very small compared to the latest medicines.

    Make sure that you eat enough vitamins in your food. Give preference to those products where you can find magnesium, carbohydrates dominate, little protein, but it is well absorbed by the body, and ballast substances are present. Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is an integral part of many animal products, especially its many in milk. Milk is also rich in calcium, so it is an important part of a healthy diet that prevents migraines. Those who do not tolerate hard cheeses, especially rich in calcium, can consume more yoghurt, butter or cottage cheese. Ideal supplement - calcium-rich juices or mineral water.

    Below are the sources of group B vitamins.

    B1 Pork, chicken, potatoes, soybeans, cereals - oat flakes, wholemeal bread, wheat sprouts, nuts

    B2 Milk, dairy products, entrails, sea fish, broccoli,mushrooms, all kinds of cabbage, cereal products

    B6 Cereal products, green vegetables, savoy cabbage, fish, potatoes, chicken fruits, poultry, milk

    Group B vitamins are very sensitive to light, air( oxygen) and heat. To save them, you need:

    - if possible, use fresh foods;

    - cook shortly before consumption;

    - do not heat food too long;

    - vegetable decoction should not be used repeatedly for soups and sauces;

    - keep the food warm in the cold before reheating.

    Fat fat is different. For health and good condition it is of great importance how much and what fat to consume. Depending on the structure, saturated fats are distinguished, which are found mainly in products of animal origin, and mono-, polyunsaturated fatty acids. The latter are found mainly in plants. They, like vitamins and minerals, are necessary for life and, unlike saturated fats, can not be produced by the body.

    Polyunsaturated fatty acids are also useful for people with migraine.

    Enriching results on the use of fish oil in migraine therapy were obtained by Berlin scientists who observed adult patients. The drug was tested, which in addition to fish oil contained magnesium and B vitamins. Gastronomic habits and sleep patterns of patients did not change. Already after one or two months of therapy in more than half the patients the condition improved. Six months later, more than 80% of patients reported that migraine began to flow less intensively or the number of seizures decreased.

    As mentioned earlier, for patients with migraine, nutrition is recommended in which meat products play no big role. Whoever wants can completely eliminate meat and sausage from food, eating dairy products and fish, and eventually eggs. Stems, nuts, seeds and grain products are the best supplement for such a diet: ovo-lacto-vegetabilen( in Latin: egg-milk-vegetables) or, if without eggs, lacto-vegetabilen.

    You can not delete meat from the diet and instead there are more sweets, puddings and other goodies. Thus, you will do your health a disservice.

    Vegetarians should strictly observe the following rules: you must not abandon fish as part of a healthy diet;consume a sufficient amount of vitamin C, which promotes the assimilation of iron.

    The more monotonous the food, the more difficult it is to provide the body with all the necessary substances.

    - Eat more cereal products( muesli, bread, pasta, chicken products);

    - Eat 5 times a day vegetables and fruits. Pay attention to their freshness, and also cook in such a way that the useful substances contained in them are not destroyed;

    - dairy products should be on the table every day. Pay attention to the fat content in them;

    - limit the intake of animal fats, prefer vegetable oils;

    - meat or meat products can be on the table no more than 3 times a week. Twice a week there should be fish in the diet;

    - eat 5 or 6 times a day in small portions;

    - eat a variety of foods and consume plenty of liquid evenly throughout the day. Prefer mineral water with a high content of magnesium and calcium;

    - use alcoholic beverages and sweets only occasionally and in small quantities( if they suit you);

    - avoid overeating.

    The word "diet", meaning in ancient Greece "a way of life, a diet", after multiple transformation from the original die, dies( day) is treated as "diet and diet prescribed to the patient", and diet therapy is "a method of treatment consisting inapplication of a certain diet ".

    In the past - both in the distant and not so distant from us - the brightest minds empirically came to the use of the diet. Thus, at the end of the 18th century, the founder of German classical idealism, Immanuel Kant, in his work "Faculty dispute" wrote, in particular, that dietetics is the art of preventing diseases. Modern specialists consider diet No. 15 to be not only one of the effective means of comprehensive treatment of migraine, but also a means of its prevention.

    Diet №15

    This medical diet meets the basic requirements of a rational diet with migraine, and in the hyponatrial( malosolve) variant it can be prescribed, for example, by a migraine and mild hypertensive disease( I-II stage).

    Nutritional value of diet number 15

    100 g of proteins, 100 g of fat, 500 g of carbohydrates( 3330 kcal), 12-15 g of table salt. Hyponodium diet of the same diet contains: 80-100 g of proteins, 80-100 g of fats, 400-500 g of carbohydrates( 2660-3330 kcal) and 2-3 g of table salt.

    Diet No. 15 is a physiologically complete diet, artificially enriched with a full set of vitamins, if necessary. Fried and stewed dishes in it alternate with boiled, the first dishes on not strong meat and fish broths - with vegetarian borsch, soup, soups.

    To improve the taste of dishes used in the absence of contraindications onions, garlic and other spicy vegetables, as well as citric acid, apple cider vinegar and dietary salt sanasol. In addition, the diet is enriched with potassium( vegetables, dried and fresh fruits, berries, potatoes, oat and buckwheat groats), magnesium( buckwheat and oatmeal, dried fruits, carrots, wheat bran), vitamins C, A, E and Group B, inincluding through the use of multivitamin preparations( undevit, decemevit) for 1-2 tablets a day.

    When preparing dishes, use at least 25-30 g of sunflower, olive or corn oil, added to different dishes instead of other fats. This increases the amount of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids in the diet that have an anti-atherosclerotic effect.

    With a physiologically normal intake of carbohydrates( if not obese), a moderate restriction of sugar and products containing it is important for the prevention of atherosclerosis and obesity.

    It is important to observe a physiologically normal protein content in the diet. However, it should be borne in mind that dishes from fish and seafood are preferable to meat.

    The intake of free liquid should be normal or moderately reduced( up to 1.2 liters per day) with the restriction of carbonated beverages that promote bloating and the complete exclusion of brackish mineral waters rich in sodium.

    Diet No. 15 excludes foods rich in refractory fats( fatty lamb, beef, duck, goose), fat pork. The content of table salt in it, taking into account the presence of sodium compounds in ready-to-eat foods should not exceed 12-15 g. The number of meals - 4

    5 times a day, with the exception of abundant meals, especially at night.

    REDUCE the calorie content of your food. Do not exceed the caloric content of the diet. When bed rest, reduce the caloric content by 20-40%.

    LIMITED the use of table salt, except when cooking food, and add to the dishes at the table at a rate of 3-5 grams per day( until the doctor's advice).

    BEWARE of consumption of fatty meat, fish broth, mushroom soups, gravies, poultry without preliminary boiling, fats, meat of geese and ducks, canned food, smoked products, strong tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, cheese, milk, nuts, eggs, tomatoes,celery, citrus fruits, as well as animal fats, spicy and salty snacks and seasonings( horseradish, mustard, pepper), products made of dough.

    DO NOT allow the use of cabbage, legumes, zucchini, soda water, which cause flatulence - bloating accumulated gases, negatively affecting the activity of the cardiovascular system.

    EXCLUDE foods rich in cholesterol( internal organs of animals, brains, caviar) from your diet, as well as refractory animal fats. Alcoholic beverages in any quantity, of course, are harmful( especially red wine and beer).

    IMPORTANT: the total amount of liquid in the form of tea, soups, jelly, etc. should not exceed 4-5 glasses per day. The weight of the ration together with the liquid is 2-2.5 kg. The temperature of food is normal. Number of meals - 5-6 times a day. Meat and fish are given in cooked form or in boiled form with subsequent frying.

    DO NOT FORGET to drink a glass of apple cider vinegar daily( 1 tablespoon per 1 cup of water).

    The purpose of diet No. 15 determines the culinary requirements to it and to a certain extent the set of products included in this diet.

    In the medical treatment of migraine attacks, there are three main approaches: treatment of migraine itself, prevention of migraine attacks and treatment of migraine complications.

    In the treatment of migraine attacks, two main approaches are taken. One of them is the prescription of pain medications that reduce or suppress pain, but do not interrupt the attack itself. It continues its natural development, and it becomes clear when the action of the analgesic stops. Another approach is the use of drugs that affect the mechanism of development of the attack and cut it off.

    Remember: any medicine for migraines is more effective if taken as soon as possible, at the very beginning of the attack. After the drug is taken, it is necessary to lie down, preferably in a quiet dark room.

    Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

    In the treatment of migraine, aspirin( acetylsalicylic acid) is used both in its pure form - 1-3 tablets of 500 mg each, and in combination with caffeine: asco-fen and the composition of the instantly dissolving drug Ring N(aspirin 300 mg, caffeine 50 mg, ascorbic acid 25 mg).There are other high-speed forms of aspirin in the form of soluble effervescent tablets, for example, aspirin UPA.

    In addition to the analgesic effect, aspirin also has anti-inflammatory( neurogenic inflammation, according to many researchers, is important in the development of migraine attack) and anti-aggregation effect( during the attack of migraine aggravation of platelet aggregation).

    Due to the fact that aspirin can enhance nausea and even induce vomiting characteristic of a migraine attack, it is recommended to take it in combination with cerucal( metoclopramide): 500-1000 mg of aspirin and 10-20 mg of metoclopramide( better in candles).

    Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin, naproxen and other drugs - reduce not only inflammation, but also pain. However, large doses of these drugs can lead to serious and irreversible damage to the liver and kidneys, as well as blood vessels, the system of hematopoiesis and the nervous system.

    The use of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has a number of contraindications:

    erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract( threat of exacerbations and bleeding);

    hemorrhagic diathesis;

    some forms of bronchial asthma.

    With poor tolerability and insufficient effectiveness of aspirin, it can be replaced with paracetamol and combined analgesics( pentalhypes, sedalgip, spasmoveralgine, etc.).

    Aspirin, paracetamol, combined drugs are effective in mild to moderate attacks, they should be taken at the beginning of the attack, during the appearance of harbingers or during the aura period.

    Traditionally, in our country, drugs containing analgin are popular. However, the World Health Organization has long recommended this medication because of serious side effects. In addition, analgin is not used in the treatment of migraine because of its low effectiveness: it can for some time drown out the pain, but does not affect the course of the attack itself.

    ergot preparations

    ergot preparations( ergotamine, dihydroergotamine) are widely used to treat migraine attacks due to their effect on smooth muscle vessels;they also prevent neurogenic inflammation.

    Ergotamine is a long-known and effective remedy that alleviates the condition of many patients. The drug narrows the dilated blood vessels of the brain and thereby stops the attack of migraine. However, it can not prevent a recurrence of the attack and is often addictive. As it narrows both arteries and veins, it worsens the condition of people suffering from coronary heart disease and other vascular diseases. It is contraindicated in pregnant women, since it can cause uterine contraction and miscarriage. Therefore, it must be taken with caution and only as directed by the doctor.

    The effectiveness of ergotamine is enhanced by combining it with caffeine in the form of tablets of cofetamine( 100 mg of caffeine and 1 mg of ergotamine tartrate).

    Dihydroergotamine( ditamin) is more effective than ergotamine, used in tablets( 1 tablet - 2.5 mg), maximum dose - 10 mg per day;in drops( 20 drops - 2 mg);in injections of intramuscular or subcutaneous( 1 ml - 1 mg) - 1-3 ml. Recently, the nasal form of the drug appeared - the diigergothe spray. Its analgesic effect begins to manifest itself after 20-30 minutes after injecting into each nostril a single dose containing 0.5 mg of dihydroergotamp( a single dose is 1 mg).

    Adverse events that occur when treating with ergot preparations are nausea, leg cramps, leg swelling. With frequent and prolonged use, there may be chest pains, vomiting, diarrhea. Therefore, these drugs are prescribed with limitations.

    Contraindications to the use of ergot preparations are:

    for children and the elderly( over 60-65 years);

    high blood pressure;

    ischemic heart disease;

    atherosclerosis of the lower extremities with the phenomena of intermittent claudication;

    hepatic and renal insufficiency;

    pregnancy;

    breastfeeding.

    Selective agonists of 5HT1-receptors

    Drugs of this group today are considered the main achievement in the treatment of migraine. They are designed specifically for the removal of seizures and the vascular reaction that occurs with migraine attack. Their action consists in blocking the pathological reaction at the receptor level.

    Sumatriptan( imigran) is a quick-acting drug that can be used both at the very beginning of a pain attack and at its height. As shown by clinical trials, it is effective in 80% of patients. The action of the drug is aimed at "switching off" the serotonin( pain) receptors of the brain. With subcutaneous administration of 6 mg of sumatriptan for 10 minutes, the severity of the headache is significantly reduced, and within 70 minutes the headache completely passes. When taking 1 tablet sumatriptan( 100 mg), the improvement occurs in half an hour, the headache completely passes in most patients within 3-4 hours.

    If the headache is accompanied by severe nausea or vomiting, preferably subcutaneous administration of the drug. By the way, for these purposes, special syringes with a needle( autoinjectors) containing the necessary dose( 6 mg) of the drug are now being manufactured, which allow the patient to introduce a medicine without the assistance of medical staff.

    Contraindications to taking sumatriptan are the same as for ergot preparations. Because it is able to narrow the vessels, it can not be combined with ergotamine preparations and should be used with caution when:

    ischemic heart disease;

    angina pectoris;

    hypertensive disease.

    Side effects in the treatment of this drug are reduced to a sensation of blood tides to the head and face, tingling in various parts of the body, weakness. You can not take sumatriptan together with vasoconstrictors, in particular with ergot preparations and other tryptans.

    Re-injection of sumatriptan is possible no earlier than 1 hour, and better - 2 hours after the first, as well as repeated taking of tablets.

    Remember: within 24 hours you can take no more than 3 tablets( 100 mg of the drug).Sumatriptan is effective in all forms of migraine, but it is not recommended for preventive purposes.

    Recently, triptans of the second generation - zolmitriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, similar in mechanism of action to sumatriptan, are widely used to alleviate migraine attacks, but surpassing it in speed and efficiency and having a minimum of side effects.

    One of the fastest and most effective drugs is zolmitriptan( zomig).He eliminates not only the headache, but all the attendant symptoms - nausea, light and sound. The drug is used during a migraine attack, regardless of food intake at a dose of 2.5 mg. The duration of its action - up to 24 hours, which helps to prevent the development of recurrent attacks. Almost 80% of patients within one hour significantly reduced or completely disappear headaches. If necessary, after 2 hours you can take a second tablet of Zolmium-Tryptane. Apply it, however, should only be to eliminate migraine attacks, but not to prevent them. At the same time, repeated use of zolmitriptan significantly reduces the frequency of their occurrence. The drug has the same contraindications and side effects as sumatriptan, but much less pronounced.

    Another drug of the second generation is naratriptap( naramig).Its bioavailability to the body is higher than that of sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. This drug is available in tablets( 1 tablet contains 2.5 mg) and in ampoules for subcutaneous injections( 1 ampoule - 2 mg).The principles of administration, contraindications and side effects are the same as in zolmitriptan.

    Recently, a lot of new antimigrenous drugs from the group of triptans appeared on the pharmaceutical market: eletriptan, rizatriptan, freatriptan, almotriptan.

    With the development of migraine status, hospitalization of the patient is necessary. Along with the drugs that are usually used for the treatment of migraine and which, when migraine status is desired to be injected, use tranquilizers( seduxen, Relanium), eufillip. With indomitable vomiting, dimedrol, pipolfen, haloperidol or metoclopramide( in candles) are prescribed.

    Positive effect in a migraine attack gives instillation of 3-4 drops of a 2% xylocaine solution into the external auditory meatus on the side of the headache. A reduction in the headache can be facilitated by such simple "home" techniques as applying ice to the head( an ice pack or a towel soaked in cold water), a hot foot bath, and distracting mustard greens that also warm the ointments. It is also helped by isolation from noise and bright light, an attempt to fall asleep with tranquilizers( reladorm, phenazepam), sleeping pills( imovan, avadal) or sedatives( persen, new passit).

    You should be aware that preventive medication is prescribed only with relatively frequent and severe migraine attacks. If migraine attacks are rare, taking medication between periods is not advisable. The main attention in these cases is paid to exclusion from everyday life of factors provoking attacks of the disease. Unfortunately, as long as there is no single universal preventative for migraine, so the choice of the drug, its dose and the duration of the course are determined by the doctor strictly individually. Usually, a doctor together with a patient develops a combined program of migraine prevention, which includes both medicines and various preventive and health measures.

    As for medicines, today the following groups of drugs are used to prevent migraine attacks.

    Vasoactive agents. These include drugs that affect vascular tone: beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers.

    Beta-blockers. The most effective proprioal preparation( obzidan, anaprilin) ​​in the dose of 120-240 mg per day as a prophylactic for the treatment of migraine. Begin taking the drug should be from 80 mg per day( 40 mg twice a day), gradually increasing the dose for 1.5-2 months. The rate of increase in dose depends on the individual reaction of the patient.

    The most common complication of treatment with beta-blockers is bradycardia, lowering blood pressure and the resulting weakness and dizziness. Propranolol is contraindicated in:

    bradycardia;

    violation of intracardiac conduction;

    bronchial asthma;

    obstructive airway disease;

    diabetes mellitus;

    arterial hypotension.

    Other beta-blockers - atenolol, metaprolol, with prolonged( prolonged) action, have less effect on the frequency of migraine attacks compared to propranolol.

    Beta-blockers are usually prescribed to patients with elevated or normal blood pressure values. They should be canceled gradually, otherwise you can provoke a migraine attack or a sharp deterioration in the patient's condition.

    Calcium channel blockers. Fluparizine( 10 mg per day) and verapamil( isoptin, fypoptin)( up to 320 mg per day) are used to prevent migraine from the group of calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers should be used for patients who are contraindicated with beta-blockers( obstructive lung diseases, diabetes mellitus, etc.).Verapamil is especially effective in family( hereditary) and episodic forms of migraine.

    Contraindications to the use of flunarisin are violations of liver and kidney function, severe depression, Parkinsonism. Adverse events that may occur when taking flunarisip are drowsiness, weakness, and increased fatigue.

    Verapamil is contraindicated in cases of severe impairment of cardiac conduction, weakness of the sinus node. Adverse events with the use of verapamil: bradycardia, arterial hypotension, edema, heart failure, increased fatigue.

    Ergot preparations are used not only to relieve a migraine attack, but also for their prevention. For this purpose, use:

    4- cofetamine( 100 mg caffeine and 1 mg ergotamine tartrate in 1 tablet) - 1 tablet 2 times a day;

    4 vasobral( 1 tablet in 4 ml contains 4 mg of alpha-dihydroergocriptine mesylate and 40 mg of caffeine) - 1 tablet or 2.0-4.0 ml inside

    2 times a day;

    4 bellaspon( in 1 dragee - 0.3 mg ergotamine, 0.1 mg alkaloids root belladonna and 20 mg phenobarbital) - 1 tablet 3 times a day.

    The course of treatment with these drugs is 3-4 months.

    Peritol( cyproheptadine) is used mainly as an antiallergic agent, but it also has an anti-migraine effect. The preventive course of treatment with this drug is usually several months with daily intake of 1 tablet( 4 mg) of

    3 times a day. At the same time, taking 4-8 mg of the drug can also remove an acute migraine attack.

    The drug is contraindicated for glaucoma, urinary retention, pregnancy.

    Possible side effects: dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, sometimes hallucinations.

    PIZOTYPHEN( SANDOMIGRAN) - a drug that is close in action to the peritol. Produced in tablets of 0.5 mg. The daily dose ranges from 0.5-1 to 1.5 mg. Duration of admission is 4-6 months.

    Restrictions on the use of: glaucoma, hypertrophy and adenoma of the prostate.

    Adverse events: drowsiness, weakness, weight gain.

    The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs( NSAIDs) is most effective in preventing migraine attacks associated with the menstrual cycle when an imbalance in the prostaglandin system occurs in the woman's body. The most effective treatment is the intake of ibuprofen 400 mg 3 times a day or indomethacin retard 75 mg 1-2 times a day. These drugs should be taken 5-7 days before the start of menstruation and in the first days of the cycle.

    It should be noted that such drugs as indomethacin, diclofenac, ortopheas are contraindicated in erosive and ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, bleeding, as well as thrombopenia and severe kidney diseases.

    A significantly lower number of complications occurs when taking a new generation of NSAIDs, which include:

    4 meloxicam( movalis) - taken internally at 7.5-15 mg once a day or rectally in suppositories;

    4 pimsulid( nayz, nimesil) - take 100 mg 2-3 times a day;

    4 celecoxib( celebrex) - 100 mg 2-3 times a day.

    The list of drugs also includes mefenamic acid, which is close to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and is taken 500 mg 3-4 times a day.

    The timing of these drugs is the same as for ibuprofen or indomethacin. In cases of ineffectiveness of NSAIDs with menstrual migraine, it is sometimes possible to carry out hormonal therapy, which is prescribed by an endocrinologist based on the hormonal status.

    Antidepressants are drugs used in psychiatry to treat depression. They can be successfully used to prevent migraine attacks in patients prone to depressive conditions. The most effective in this respect is amitriptyline. Doses of this drug can vary from 25 to 75 mg per day. Usually used 50 mg per day in 2-4 admission. When treating this drug may be noted drowsiness, weakness, dry mouth. Amitriptyline is contraindicated in glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, atony of the bladder, epilepsy. Duration of admission is several months. Please note that you can not drive vehicles when taking this medication.

    Another preparation - fluoxetine( Prozac, Prodep, profluzak) has practically no side effects, it is much more easily tolerated by patients and has a simple regimen - 1 tablet( 20 mg) once a day in the morning. However, the antimigrenous effect of fluoxetine is lower than that of amitriptyline.

    Contraindications for taking fluoxetine are:

    atony of the bladder;

    kidney failure;

    glaucoma;

    adenoma of the prostate.

    When choosing a preventive remedy, the doctor must take into account the age of the patient, the type of migraine, the accompanying symptoms and diseases:

    , with an inclination to arterial hypotension and fainting, ergot preparations are prescribed;

    to young people with a reduced appetite - sapdomygrap;

    patients with a tendency to increase blood pressure - beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers;

    with depression, a combination of migraine with a tension headache, nocturnal migraine attacks - antidepressants;

    for menstrual migraines - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, mefenamic acid or hormone therapy( in agreement with the endocrinologist).

    The biofeedback method is a new promising method of treatment and prevention that allows to significantly improve the quality of life in patients with migraine without using medicines.

    Treatment is carried out in specially equipped laboratories and consists of recording pulses emanating from the head( scalp zone), hands and external temporal artery. These physiological parameters change against the background of the development of the attack: there is a strain of the scalp muscles, the skin temperature of the hands and the pulsation of the external temporal artery increase. With the help of a complex of special devices it is possible to prevent a migraine attack.

    The well-known Russian scientist Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, AM Vein, has established: before the attack of migraine, bioelectric activity of the brain is gradually increasing. It becomes maximum during the stage of pain, and then returns to normal. The old good acetylsalicylic acid( aspirin) helps to increase the bioelectric activity: the use of this drug in small doses for six months helps prevent seizures.

    American cosmetologists have discovered that Botox, which is successfully used in cosmetology to smooth wrinkles, also improves the health of patients suffering from migraine. The introduction of the drug almost immediately relieves pain and prevents new seizures within 3-6 months.

    How to evaluate the results of preventive treatment of migraine?

    Prevention can be considered effective if the frequency of seizures is reduced by 50%, and a well-written individual prevention program( provided it is strictly enforced by the patient) can reduce the frequency of seizures by 89%.The absence of the same positive effect within 3 months gives grounds for the withdrawal of the drug and its replacement by another means. Often patients during the course of treatment prefer to reduce the dose of the drug or even stop taking it, explaining it with good health. The effectiveness of treatment in this case is significantly reduced, and migraine attacks resumed with a new force over time. Remember that the prescribed course of treatment must be completed completely, reduce the dose of the drug - gradually and only after consulting a doctor.

    Prevention of migraine attacks is usually not limited to taking medications. It consists, first of all, in observance of the principles of a healthy lifestyle: a reasonable relationship between the working and rest regime, the refusal to smoke and the abuse of alcohol, physical activity and the overcoming of chronic stress. The main thing is attention to one's own health, strict implementation of all the doctor's recommendations, preventive reception of prescribed medications, because every migraine attack facilitates the appearance of the next attack.

    Any factors that can provoke a migraine attack should be avoided.

    To exclude or restrict the use of products containing tyramine - chocolate, cheese, marinades, smoked products, citrus fruits, nuts, eggs, tomatoes, herrings. And at the same time include in your diet more vegetables and fruits, products from unpeeled cereals.

    Avoid starvation( if you can not organize a normal diet in case of a feeling of severe hunger, you need to have a piece of sugar or non-chocolate candy).

    Refuse bad habits - drinking alcohol, especially red wine, and smoking.

    Normalize sleep: migraine attacks can be triggered by both a lack of sleep and its excess.

    With excessive body weight, carry out a weight loss program to the optimum weight.

    Eliminate or restrict the use of oral contraceptives.

    Timely treat all associated diseases that lead to vascular disorders, and do not run them to the chronic stage.

    The practice of treating migraine shows that only long-term therapy and an individual health program can improve the condition of patients.

    It's impossible to keep cool and always, as they say, "in shape".And at the same time you need to learn to more or less calmly accept the events that occur - this will be your first step in preventing headaches. Simple relaxation exercises will help quickly relieve muscle tension in the head, neck and shoulders, get rid of migraine attacks and other types of headaches.

    Of course, relaxation is a skill that takes time to perfect. You have to work on this skill, and the more you practice, the better the results.

    If it's easier for you to relax in a company, meditate or yoga in a group led by a specialist. If you prefer to study alone, then use the exercises below, which will teach you to relax, gradually removing the stress of all parts of the body. You will need time to learn to find a tight muscle and relax it, but gradually you will be able to cope with this.

    Wear comfortable clothes, ventilate the room. It is important not to rush and perform these exercises regularly, preferably daily.

    Lie on the floor or other hard surface. Relax all the muscles, mentally watching how it happens, and achieving a sense of heaviness first in the limbs, and then in the whole body.

    Now strain your leg muscles, count to five, and then relax. Repeat 5 times. Between this and each subsequent exercise - rest 30 seconds.

    Do the same exercise for the muscles of the pelvis and buttocks. Repeat 5 times, remembering that the rest of the body should remain relaxed.

    Do the same exercise for the muscles of the back and abdomen. Repeat 5 times.

    Now hands. Repeat 5 times.

    Now the shoulders and neck. Repeat 5 times.

    Now separately work with the muscles of the face: stretch and relax in turn the muscles of the jaws, forehead and eyelids. Repeat 5 times.

    At the end, strain and relax the muscles of the whole body. Repeat 5 times.

    Finally, relax all muscles and lie down for 5 minutes. Allow the body to remain completely limp, feeling the heaviness pour your arms, legs, body and head.

    Resting, try to think of something soothing. The warm sun gently warms your body, and the leaves of trees rustle in the wind. A light wave rolls to the shore, and everything is quiet and calm.

    Each of us has his own images, helping to calm down - perhaps for you it's a walk under the rain in the forest or swimming in the lake. Whatever your fantasy, completely immerse yourself in it for 5 minutes.

    After completing the exercises, you will feel calm and cheerful, but to achieve a lasting result, it is very important to practice deep muscular relaxation as often as possible. There's no point in carefully performing the exercises daily for a week or two, and then throwing them away as you feel better.

    Increased physical activity is one of the easiest and most effective ways of relaxing. Fast walking, running or swimming, any gymnastic exercises improve blood circulation, train blood vessels, increase work capacity and relieve stress. Remember that moderate physical activity is better than its complete absence. So start with the easiest exercises. Your goal is 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Attend the pool or go skiing, practice fitness or just run around in the park. It is important that you enjoy the lessons.

    However, if you have not been doing sports for a long time and then began to train hard, you may experience a throbbing headache and nausea. This is very simple. During exercise, the muscles need more blood, so the vessels expand. The same happens during a migraine attack. If your headache is associated with exercise, it is a sign that the load should be reduced. Take for yourself the rule of any new training program to start gradually, increasing the load during the week by about 10%.At the same time, be sure to monitor the pulse, blood pressure and breathing rate before and after exercise.

    If your condition does not allow you to start training immediately, start with the easiest - with walking. In the old days, doctors prescribed long walks in the open air for their patients as a restorative and revitalizing means. Dosed therapeutic walking firmly took its place in modern medicine. Fashion for walking, respect for the forgotten was a mocio, returned to our life together with the problem of active longevity.

    Walking is the most natural kind of motor activity that does not require special training, and it is quite stressful, as it forces the muscles and life support systems to carry the weight of the body. It has a general effect on the body, primarily due to the effect on the functional state of the cardiovascular system. With fast walking in the muscles, including the heart, as far as practicability, the number of open working capillaries approximately doubles.

    Daily walks at an average pace during 1-

    for 2 hours will eventually help to reduce excess weight and strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation in the brain and reduce the risk of migraine attacks.

    Gymnastics for the muscles of the head and neck

    This gymnastics together with rhythmic breathing through the nose increases the flow of oxygen to the brain cells, and exercises with head inclines and turns increase the elasticity of the cerebral vessels and relieve their spasm.

    Exercises are performed in a standing position, each movement is repeated 4-5 times.

    The starting position is standing, hands along the trunk. At the expense of 1 - raise his hands to his shoulders, squeezing his hands into a fist and tilting his head forward. At the expense of 2 - raise your elbows up, and head tilt even lower forward. On account 3 - return to the starting position. Perform at an average pace.

    The starting position is standing, hands in the sides. At the expense of 1 - hands bend in the elbows. At the expense of 2, 3, 4 - jerky movements with bent hands( right hand - forward, left - back behind).On account 5 - return to the starting position. Change the hands, the right to do the movement back, and the left - forward. The pace is average.

    The starting position is standing, hands along the trunk, head straight. Smoothly, without jerking, turn your head to the right and left. The pace is slow.

    Exercises with respiratory arrest

    Breathing delay causes the blood to circulate more actively in the brain area and improves cerebral circulation.

    The starting position is standing. Perform belly breathing. On inhalation, hold your breath for as many seconds as possible, mark this time, exhale and breathe for 5 minutes. Divide the time of possible breath holding in half - this will be the duration of the treatment session from which you will begin the exercise course.

    After rest, hold your breath again for the number of seconds you got after dividing in half. Rest for 5 minutes.

    Then, gradually increasing the breath hold time each time for 2 seconds, bring it to maximum. Do not forget about rest during the exercise.

    The next day, repeat the session again, but bring the breath hold time to the maximum value, adding one more second. The next day - 2 more seconds. Further, the time delay for breathing is not increased, just continue to do this exercise daily.

    If you are feeling well, if you want, you can gradually add seconds and achieve the maximum breath hold time. The duration of the respiration delay of 120 seconds indicates that the body is healthy, the blood is purified and the cerebral circulation is restored.

    Did you notice how, trying to calm the pain, rub the place of the bruise with your hand? Probably, these involuntary movements prompted ancient doctors to use such rubbing for treatment. Scientists believe that the methods of massage used by primitive people. There are literary evidences of the wide spread of massage and self-massage in Ancient Egypt, Babylon, in Ancient Greece and Rome.

    Massage has a preventive and therapeutic use. For medical purposes, it is performed by specialists in polyclinics and cabinets of physiotherapy exercises. For preventive purposes massage and self-massage can be performed at home. Massage, which is carried out at your request by someone from loved ones, and self-massage, which you yourself perform, are simplified methods of classical massage. But self-massage has an advantage: its sessions can be held at any time and in any place. A person who has mastered the techniques of self-massage, there is a wonderful remedy for exacerbations of many diseases, even such intractable as migraines.

    However, before you start a massage or self-massage, be sure to consult with your doctor, as with certain diseases( cardiovascular, hepatic and renal failure, stage III hypertension), its conduct can be harmful.

    With massage and self-massage, stroking, squeezing, kneading, rubbing is most often used. Different techniques have different effects on the nervous system: some - soothe( stroking, shaking, rubbing), others - excite( squeezing, kneading, effleurage, patting).The effect of massage on the nervous system depends on how vigorously and for how long receptions are performed. Therefore, the entire massage procedure should take no more than 15-20 minutes.

    So, we start with the most simple and easy, but very important technique - stroking. Stroking surprisingly soothing acts on the nervous system, and with prolonged use creates an anesthetic effect. This method increases the local skin temperature, accelerating the flow of blood and lymph in the surface vessels, thereby improving skin nutrition.

    The palm is stroked, four fingers are connected together, and the big one is retracted, which makes it possible to capture a large area. The palm tightly presses against the massaged area, gently wraps it and effortlessly slides through the skin slowly and rhythmically. Alternating stroking is performed with two hands, the movements of the hands are carried out continuously: when one hand finishes stroking, the other begins, following the first and repeating its movements. The continuity of the effect of the hands is of great importance for the effectiveness of this technique.

    Squeezing. The pressure on the body is made by the base of the palm and the bump of the thumb;all five fingers are bent at the same time. Pay attention: right after squeezing movement the skin in this place turns pale, which is explained by the emptying of superficial venous vessels( the same happens with the lymphatic vessels).However, after 1-2 seconds the blood vessels are again filled with blood, and the skin quickly turns pink. This "forced" transfer of blood and lymph well warms the muscle tissue and skin and improves their nutrition.

    Squeezing excites the central nervous system, has a tonic effect on the body as a whole. It is recommended to finish the squeezing with a few strokes.

    Mashing is the main method by which not only surface, but also deeper muscles are massaged. Kneading gives a more pronounced effect than previous techniques, increases blood circulation and lymph flow. Moreover, the blood flow velocity during mashing significantly increases not only in the surface vessels, but also in the deeper ones, which is explained both by the local effect of the massage on the tissue, and by its exciting influence on the nervous system, cardiovascular and respiratory centers. The simplest kind of kneading is ordinary kneading. The reception is as follows: the straight fingers tightly grasp the muscle( the palm also touches the body), then squeeze it and together with the whole hand make rotational movements, simultaneously sliding along the muscle and capturing new parts of it. Movements are performed rhythmically, without tension, jerks and should not cause pain.

    Padding with finger pads - the reception is universal, it is used on any muscles. Perform it with one or both hands, as well as with weights. The fingers should be positioned so that they can penetrate as deeply as possible into the massaged muscle. This technique is especially good at the junction of muscles with tendons, that is, near the joints.

    Rubbing is a special massage technique, designed primarily to affect the joint and ligament apparatus. In the process of massaging, blood supply to the bone tissue improves, metabolic processes are activated. Rubbing is performed more vigorously than other techniques, and in different directions.

    Various kinds of grinding are used: rectilinear, zigzag-shaped and circular with pads of one, two, three and all fingers;rectilinear rubbing with palm base and thigh bug, etc.

    After trituration, 3-4 strokes and 2-3 squeezing should be done. If painful sensations of grinding can be alternated with strokes.

    Neck muscles are the least loaded muscles of the human body. Almost from the moment when our ancestor began to walk on two legs, they did not have a permanent any significant work. Therefore, the skin and neck muscles receive less nutrients than other parts of the body.

    Neck massage solves very important tasks: after it mental and physical fatigue passes quickly, the headache subsides, dizziness and noise in the ears diminish, eyesight and hearing improve. And everything is explained very simply - in this area, a person has many important life centers.

    In Japan, for a long time, there is a tradition to do a neck and shoulder massage before going to sleep - it improves well-being, relieves daytime fatigue, normalizes sleep.

    In the treatment of migraine, the task of massage is to firstly normalize blood circulation in the vessels of the cervical, brachial muscles and head.

    This kind of self-massage is held in a sitting or standing position. Use the following techniques.

    Stroking with one or both hands. Tightly pressed palms move from above the border of hair growth down to the back and to the shoulder joint.

    Squeezing. Performed by the edge of the palm on one side of the neck, the bump of the thumb - on the opposite side.

    The kneading is carried out by pads of four fingers of the hand by pressing the muscle against the bone bed and simultaneously shifting to the little finger. Begin to knead from the occipital bone in the direction down to the scapula: 4-5 times on one side and 4-5 times on the other. After that do 3-4 strokes and repeat kneading. Next, they begin stroking the forehead( trapezius muscle) from the ear in the direction of the shoulder joint 3-4 times. Then perform a squeeze 3-4 times and then tweezers. Having grasped the muscle with the cushions of all fingers, they do kneading with a shift in the direction of the little finger.

    Rubbing. Perform circular movements with four fingers from one ear to the other along the back of the occipital bone, that is, in the places of attachment of the muscles of the neck;the same can be done with two hands, moving them towards each other. Rubbing is carried out along the cervical vertebrae from the hair to the back.

    The following types of rubbing are used:

    circular - pads of four fingers;

    dotted - from the spinal column to the sides( both these options are performed by the right hand on the left side of the neck and vice versa);

    circular - pads of fingers of both hands simultaneously;

    dotted - with each hand on its side: the fingers of both hands are placed along the spine and simultaneously shift the skin over the vertebrae in different directions - up and down about 1 cm.

    The massage of the back of the neck is completed by stroking.

    The front part of the neck is stroked by hands alternately from the jaw down to the chest. The movements of the hands should be gentle, so that the skin under them does not move and does not stretch.

    After this, go to the self-massage of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, using a circular kneading of the pads of the four fingers: from the earlobe( where this muscle begins) down the anterolateral surface of the neck to the sternum. Rubbing is done around this muscle and behind the ear, circularly with one, two or three fingers, 3-4 times. Rubbing alternates with stroking and kneading this muscle.

    For head massage, lighter, more gentle techniques should be used: stroking, kneading, shaking. The effectiveness of massage increases, if at its carrying out breathing will be deep and uniform, and you will imagine that the massed area is expanding.

    With your finger pads in circular motions, knead the scalp in the direction from the crown to the temples for 2-3 minutes. First, massage clockwise, then against it.

    Make 6-8 sprains on the head in the direction of hair growth. Place the fingertips of both hands along the line of one part and make 3-4 light strokes from the forehead to the occiput, and then circular movements with a shift of the skin. So massage all the prodrugs: first from the forehead to the nape, then from the crown to the temples.

    Take a small strand of hair, twist it into a flagellum and with effort and a slight jerk pull. So go around the whole head. This is a very good technique for restoring the venous circulation of the head.

    Using finger pads, grasp over the entire surface of the scalp, starting from the vertex and walking to the temples and the occiput.

    Massage the scalp around the hairline in a circular motion of the right hand fingers clockwise. Then rub the back of the head with sawtooth motions up and down.

    With the pads of closed fingers without pressure, stroke for 1 minute the side surfaces of the neck from the submandibular area to the clavicles.

    Massage your forehead, placing your palms on it so that your fingertips touch, until pleasant warmth appears.

    Mentally draw a line that connects the outer corner of the eye and the junction of the upper part of the auricle with the head. Push three fingers on the points along this line on each side.

    Acupressure is one of the most ancient and effective methods of treating headaches and a good self-help tool for migraine attacks.

    The mechanism of acupressure is to activate the biologically active points associated with the internal organs and systems of the body. It improves blood circulation and activates protective and restorative processes in the brain. The action of acupressure massage will be more effective if you start to do it as early as possible, at the very beginning of the attack. According to many experts, acupressure is no less effective than acupuncture or moxibustion.

    Exposure to biologically active points causes sensation of numbness, raspryaniya, aches or pains that do not occur when exposed to other areas of the head. These sensations with a high-quality performance of the massage are always present, which indicates a correct determination of the points.

    Biologically active points are not necessarily located near the affected organ. Often to get rid of the headache, you have to massage a certain point on the arm, leg or stomach.

    Acupressure is most often performed with the help of pads of the thumb and middle finger, although in some cases it is possible to use other fingers. In this case, the finger should be kept strictly perpendicular to a certain point.

    There are basically two methods of massage - soothing and toning. With a soothing or inhibitory method, the effect on the point should be continuous, the movements smooth, rotational, not shifting the skin. The force of pressure increases gradually, while the skin in the region of the point should not form a fossa. Do not induce severe pain or damage to the skin. The exposure time for each point is from 3 to 5 minutes.

    Toning, or an exciting massage involves the use of short and strong pressure and rapid and sharp removal from the point. This type of massage also includes intermittent vibration. The exposure time is about 1 minute.

    In order to correctly locate a biologically active point, you can use patterns or drawings, palpation or anatomical landmarks.

    The most modern method of finding vital points is the use of special instruments with reduced electrical resistance. However, for their precise definition, special knowledge or a doctor's help is required.

    We offer you the description of the methods of acupressure with migraine with the corresponding patterns, which are easy to determine the necessary biologically active points.

    Migraine should be treated with acupressure, using the method of rotational stroking of each point. The duration of exposure to each point is from 3 to 5 minutes. If the points are symmetrical, they are often massaged at the same time. During the entire massage, the eyes should be closed. To relieve pain with migraine, you need to work on the points located on the head, arms, legs, abdomen. To remove or prevent a migraine attack, you need to massage 19 points.

    When performing a point massage, the duration of exposure to each point on average is about 5 minutes. Affect the points with migraine soothing massage, except points 15, 16 and 18, where the massage is performed by a tonic method for 1 minute.

    Point 1. It is symmetrical, located on the outer surface of the forearm, slightly above the upper wrist fold, in the recess. It should be massaged in a sitting position, alternately, then to the right, then to the left. Massaged hand is better to put on the table so that it touches its surface with the palm.

    Point 2. This point is also symmetrical and located in the temple area, on the border with the scalp. It should be massaged in a sitting position, alternately, then to the right, then to the left. During the massage, the elbows should rest on the table.

    Point 3. Located at the outer corner of the eye, in the recess, it is symmetrical. Mass it the same way as the previous point.

    Point 4. Symmetrical point, located at the base of the ear, in the groove. Massage it should be the same as point 2.

    Point 5. It is also symmetrical, located at the outer end of the eyebrow, in the groove. It should be massaged in the sitting position, both right and left.

    Point 6. This point is also symmetrical, located on the face, near the inner corner of the eye, 2-3 mm closer to the nose. It should be massaged simultaneously from both sides, in the sitting position. Elbows should rest on the table.

    Point 7. Symmetrical point, located on the back of the palm, between the first and second metacarpal bones. Massaged in the sitting position, alternately on both sides of the palm.

    The palm of the massaged hand should lie on the table, touching it with the palm of your hand.

    Point 8. It is symmetrical, located on the arm, at the end of the fold, formed when the arm is bent at the elbow joint. The point should be alternately massaged on the right and left, while the arm should be slightly tense and rest on the table, and the palm rest on the table surface.

    Point 9. A symmetrical point, located on the foot, if you retreat 3 mm from the thumb nail towards the second finger. Massage should be performed in the sitting position, acting on the points of both legs simultaneously.

    Point 10. Located on the tibia, just above the inner ankle, symmetrical. Massage should be performed sitting, acting simultaneously on the points of both legs.

    Point 11. Symmetrical point, located on the back of the foot, between the second and third fingers. Perform massage should be sitting, working simultaneously on the points of both legs.

    Point 12. It is located on the second toe of the foot, 3 mm from its nail hole, symmetrical. The massage is performed by sitting, simultaneously acting on the points of both legs.

    Point 13. It is symmetrical, located on the back of the foot, between the heads of the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones. It should be massaged in the same way as points 9-12.

    Point 14. Symmetrical point, located on the face, near the nose, above the point 6. Massage is performed in the sitting position, acting simultaneously on the points of both legs.

    Point 15. Located on the foot, 3 mm from the corner of the nail of the little finger, it is symmetrical. Perform massage should be in the sitting position, acting on the points of both legs alternately.

    Point 16. Symmetrical point, located on the foot, under the ankle. It should be massaged in the sitting position, simultaneously with the left and right sides of the foot.

    Point 17. It is also symmetrical. It is located on the head, in the temporal region, above the upper part of the ear. To perform the massage, you need to bend your ear forward and find the point. Massage it the same way as point 16.

    Point 18. It is located on the abdomen, just below the navel. Perform massage in the supine position on the back, completely relaxing the muscles.

    Point 19. It is above the point 18, above the navel. Perform massage of this point should be the same as the previous one.

    After massage, rub the ear lobes with your thumb and forefingers, and then relax, relax, calmly lie in silence for 15-20 minutes. Imagine that the massage helped you, and the attack of migraine gradually subsides. Give your body an order to heal and try to mentally reproduce this process. Continue to imagine that the headache completely disappears, you feel good, full of energy and desire to live.

    There are many ways to relieve the tension of the eye muscles, and you will surely find among them one that suits you more than others. What exercises to prefer? Choose acceptable for yourself, based on the usual way of life.

    We offer you a complex of health improving gymnastics for the eyes from the "Yogic treatise on vision" yoga Ramananthata. Take from the yogic system all that is useful to you. Do not delay for tomorrow, start from today to take care of your eyes, and pretty soon you will feel the first improvements.

    The easiest way to relax the eyes is to close them for a while and mentally imagine something pleasant. This method is a means of first aid, and many people instinctively resort to it with eye fatigue.

    Wash

    Tired eyes should not be overtaxed, forcing them to continue working. If you feel the appearance of tension in the eyes, refresh them with washing, and then cover for a few minutes and shade your hands. You can use tea brew for washing. Suitable for this purpose is simple tap water. Washing perfectly tones up the eyes, relieves fatigue, improves their blood supply. Fill the handfuls with cold water and pour it into the wide open eyes several times.

    There is another way of washing. Fill the wide jar with cold water. Dip your face into the water without closing your eyes. After a few dives, this action will not cause any unpleasant sensations. Keep your face lowered in water until you can hold your breath. Eyes remain wide open all the time.

    Eye massage

    Massaging the eyes also causes them to increase blood circulation, strengthens the nerve endings and gives a wonderful rest to tired eyes.

    Sit at the table and put your elbows on it.

    Lower your head so that your palms rest on your closed eyes with your lower part, and your forehead rest against the upper part of your hands and fingers.

    Relax the muscles of the neck. The forehead becomes the point of support, and the lower part of the palms only touches the eyes.

    Easily massage the eyes with the lower part of the palms. Alternate stroking, rotation, pressing and vibration. Massage for 1-2 minutes. A sign that you are doing the massage correctly, will be a feeling of warmth in the eyes. Relax your eyes.

    Paddling

    This is one of the most effective ways to relax the eye muscles. The followers of the American doctor Bates call this method palming, which in English means "hold the palm."This method has long been used in India, China and Tibet. It is called paddling because it involves covering the closed eyes with the palms of both hands in order to completely eliminate the entry of light into the eyes.

    The starting position for performing padding: sit in a comfortable pose;straighten the fingers of your left hand and place it with your palm on the closed left eye. The elbow is slightly drawn to the left, the fingers of the hand lie on the forehead and are turned slightly to the right. Place your right hand now with your little finger across the base of the four elongated fingers of your left hand. Hands in this case form something similar to the inverted Latin letter V. The palms as a result will be folded crosswise in such a way that the joints of the first phalanx of little fingers will be superimposed on each other. Take care that your hands do not touch the closed eyelids and do not exert any pressure on the eyeballs - for this palms should be folded cup-shaped.

    Try at this time to relax as much as possible and imagine the field of view completely black, for example, as black velvet or fur. Through the memory of black, you can accurately measure the degree of your relaxation: if blackness is remembered almost perfectly, then relaxation is also ideal.

    If, when making a peg, you see brightly colored specks, glitters and dots in the field of vision, then instead of thinking about them, try to remember something pleasant-beautiful landscapes, joyful events from your life. Pleasant, bright memories and presentations will bring mental and emotional relief. And when you take your hands off - you feel that fatigue and pain in the eyes have passed, the headache and even pain in other parts of the body have decreased.

    Do a pie slowly, but often. Even if you cover your eyes with your hands for 10 seconds, you will give them a feeling of relaxation and peace.

    Blinking

    A healthy eye often blinks to distribute evenly the liquid secreted by the lacrimal gland over the surface of the eyeball. The tear not only constantly moistens the cornea, but also disinfects the eye, protecting it from germs. Blinking also gives instant periods of rest to the nerves of the retina, which are in constant work, contributes to relaxation of tense muscles. Therefore, try to blink more often, especially if you feel that your eyes are overstrained and tired.

    Take on board one more tip: more often, even for a few seconds, break away from your work and look at any object remote from you.

    Preliminary Exercises

    Close your eyes, gently massage the lower eyelid with medium fingers for 10-20 seconds without pressure.

    Blink, quickly squeezing and unclenching the eyelids, for 30-60 seconds. It is not necessary to tighten the muscles around the eyes. Close your eyes and relax them for a minute. Such rest should be given to the eyes at the slightest appearance of fatigue during the whole complex of exercises.

    Both of these exercises, if performed in front of groups of basic exercises, help focus on the eyes, give the eyes a good rest, increase blood circulation in them and are an excellent soothing agent.

    Concentrating the view of

    These exercises increase the ability of the lens to focus the vision at different distances, develop the ability to focus attention.

    Do not turn your head, squint your eyes as far as possible to the left. Hold in this position. Do not blink. If fatigue occurs, go back to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times.

    Do the same, but on the right side. Repeat 2-3 times, after which several times blink and rest for half a minute, closing your eyes.

    Raise your eyes as high as possible, looking up, but not bringing it to the point between the eyebrows. The head does not change the position. Look up, not blinking. If fatigue occurs, go back to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times.

    Lower your eyes as low as possible, keeping your head straight. Do not look down to one point. Do not blink. If fatigue occurs, go back to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times, then several times blink and rest for half a minute, closing your eyes.

    Skew your eyes in the lower left corner( on your left shoulder).Focus on the left shoulder and carefully, without blinking, look at it. Do not turn the head to the left. If fatigue occurs, go back to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times.

    Do the same on the right side with a focus on the right shoulder. Repeat 2-3 times.

    Skew your eyes in the upper left corner( 2-3 times).

    Cut your eyes to the upper right corner( 2-3 times).Blink a few times and rest for half a minute, closing your eyes.

    Look at an object that is directly in front of you, and turn your head to the left and to the right, without taking your eyes off this object.

    Blink for half a minute, close your eyes and rest for a minute.

    Rotation with eyes around the circle and the figure-eight

    This group of exercises trains the muscles of the eyes, increases the ability to focus. Movements must be continuous, smooth, effortless.

    Raise or lower your eyes and from this point of reference, describe 7 circles of maximum radius in a clockwise direction. Movements should be smooth without jerking. The head is stationary all the time.

    The same, but anti-clockwise. Repeat 2-3 times these two exercises, then blink for half a minute and rest for a few seconds, covering your eyes.

    Complete the above exercises, but with your eyes closed. This requires even greater concentration.

    Open your eyes. Begin to describe with your eyes the horizontal eight( 7 times).

    The same, but the other way( 7 times).

    Now describe with your eyes the vertical eight( 7 times).

    The same, but in the other direction( 7 times).

    Now the same movements, but with the eyes closed( 7 times).

    Open your eyes, blink a few times and, having closed your eyes, rest a minute.

    Rotating the eyes to the sides

    Doing these exercises, remember the constant sharpness of the images of objects while moving and stopping the eyes. Achieve this clarity by focusing attention. When you rotate your eyes, the view moves quickly from one edge of the field of view to the opposite one, with a delay of several seconds in each position.

    Up - down( 7 times), no »Left - right( 7 times).

    Straight - up - straight - down( 7 times),

    Straight to the left - right - to the right( 7 times),

    Look at the diagonal;the upper left corner is the lower right corner( 7 times).

    The lower left corner is the lower right corner( 7 times).

    Give freedom to fantasy: for example, describe the eyes of semicircles, all sorts of geometric shapes or just rotate them in the most disorderly manner, while achieving the same clarity of the image.

    Blink a few times, close your eyes and rest for a minute.

    Changing the focal length

    This group combines the most important exercises that strengthen the ring muscle, the straight and oblique muscles surrounding the eyeball.

    The maximum tension and relaxation of the eye muscles are performed for each eye separately, while the other eye, while remaining open, should be covered with the palm. Extremely close, bring to the eye of a small object, for example the tip of a ballpoint pen, trying to see it clearly and clearly. Hold in this position. Look for a moment to the distance and return to this position again. Now bring the object closer to the eye, still trying to see it clearly. Do this exercise several times. In conclusion, look into the distance, relaxing the eye muscles. Do this exercise with the other eye.

    Further exercises in this group are a modification of the first exercise. You can look at the tip of the nose or on the finger, and then translate the view into the distance. The main thing is to keep relaxed when seeing in the near and far points.

    The fixing of the view on the stars, clouds, mountain tops, on the sea surface and the open spaces of the landscape also benefits greatly from sight.

    Practice regularly, with a strong belief in success - and the results will not slow down.

    Often the cause of migraines are negative emotions. To prevent the occurrence of seizures, it is important to understand what psychological causes cause their occurrence. Perhaps your headache is related to your financial situation. And maybe you have troubles in the family, conflicts with your spouse or children. Or do you think that you should change jobs, but do not dare to do it yet.

    Having realized these reasons, you can start working on changing your reaction to these events and, in case of success, avoid the recurrence of seizures.

    You easily succumb to negative emotions if you have low self-esteem. Many of us have unrealistic ideas about who we could or should have become. This is partly to blame for the media, which covers mainly the lives of famous people who have made a brilliant career and achieved success. And then we feel our inferiority and we think that life has failed. .. However, look around: in real life such examples are much less than on the pages of novels and on television screens.

    Therefore, first of all, learn to love yourself as you are. Be yourself a friend, not a critic. And use any occasion to increase your self-esteem.

    Try to remind yourself more often the following. Perhaps you are not perfect, but nevertheless you are a good, kind, worthy person.

    Your spouse, family members and friends are also not perfect. Therefore, one should not expect much from them and be disappointed.

    You can not be good for everyone, so do not try to please everyone. Let people love you for who you are.

    Do not overwhelm your feelings - this will only create an internal tension. Express your feelings, carefully choosing words and not allowing yourself to be rude. Remember that honesty and frankness are necessary in communication.

    Do not exhaust yourself with work. Work by virtue of your abilities, but no more. If you occupy a leading position, learn to distribute responsibilities among employees. Do not do everything yourself and demand from others not less than from yourself. You conduct the same policy at home.

    Do not torture yourself with guilt. We all make mistakes from time to time. Accept your shortcomings and failures as an inevitable evil and learn to enjoy life.

    And to understand if you are paying enough time and attention, answer the questions of the test "Do you love yourself?", Compiled by American psychologists. This test will help you for a moment look inside yourself and find out if you are paying enough time and attention.

    Remember when you were last:

    walked for no purpose, just for fun;

    a little earlier left work to go to the cinema, the theater, to an exhibition or to a meeting with friends;

    went shopping, not going to buy anything;

    went to a dinner party or to a celebration;

    collected old friends who had not been seen for a long time;

    read( and not looked through) magazines and newspapers that you write out or buy;

    sat in the sun and rested, forgetting about business;

    went in for sports;

    reread old letters;

    kept a diary;

    put on, lying in bed, chic underwear;

    tried new perfumes;

    long lingered for a book, from which they simply could not tear themselves away;

    was sweetly dozing after lunch, if such a desire appeared.

    If you answered "for a long time" or "very long time" by 7 points or more, then you really began to forget about yourself. Maybe this is the root cause of failure, discontent and nervous breakdowns?

    Reasonable selfishness - that's what will help you. Refuse to meet with those you do not want to see. Leave the job on time, despite the boss's request to stay. Early put the children to bed - in a word, cut the time only for yourself.

    If there are fewer such answers, it's good: at work, at home, cares about the household, you do not forget about yourself.

    Start a day in a good mood

    Crush on a bus or subway? Try humming yourself under the nose - stress specialists believe that this will help calm down. If you are stuck in a traffic jam, turn on the radio or the radio, and sing along - the mood will improve.

    Unpleasant conversation with the boss? Try to spend this unpleasant event in the morning, so that the whole day does not remain in suspense. Go to the authorities, grab a pen and a notebook. If you are scolded, make notes or just draw something, so you can more safely withstand the onslaught of criticism.

    A protracted meeting? Instead of glancing at your watch every minute, cover your eyes and imagine yourself in a cozy calm atmosphere, for example, on the beach;focus on deep and slow breathing.

    Long working days? Monotone gray office furniture and accessories have a depressing effect on the psyche and often become the culprits of our irritability, especially in a sad autumn season. You will avoid many conflict situations and a decline in performance if you surround yourself with warm colors-yellow, orange, green, red. Hang on the wall a bright poster or calendar, put on the windowsill flowerpots.

    Take vitamins

    For normal metabolism, the body needs vitamins. They are mostly found in vegetables and fruits and are usually in sufficient quantities contained in human food. Therefore, vegetables and fruits must necessarily enter the daily diet( not less than 350 g per day).And in the early spring, when there are few vitamins in them, due to the natural loss during storage, one should additionally take vitamin preparations. Today in the pharmacy you can buy complex vitamin preparations for any age.

    Vitamins by biological action are close to hormones, they are necessary for proper metabolism in the body. For normal life we ​​need a whole complex of vitamins, but especially our nervous system needs vitamins of group B and vitamin C.

    Vitamin C( ascorbic acid) has a very wide spectrum of action. It is vital for the regulation of cellular metabolism, it releases the body from toxins and foreign substances, helps lower cholesterol, increases the body's immunity. Vitamin C is soluble in water and does not accumulate in the body( its excess is excreted in the urine), so it should be taken throughout the day at equal intervals. A lot of vitamin C is found in citrus - lemons, oranges, grapefruits, as well as in wild rose, black currant, sweet pepper.

    Group B vitamins provide us with a rush of vigor and energy. But almost all of them are destroyed by heat treatment of food.

    It is recommended to take Vitamins B1 and B6 in order to normalize metabolic processes. Insufficient content of these vitamins in the body leads to disruption of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, causes diseases of the nervous system. Vitamin B2 participates in the processes of energy metabolism, is necessary for the normal functioning of the retina. Vitamin B12 participates in cell division and plays a decisive role in the construction of nerve envelopes.

    The sources of B vitamins are cereals, legumes, bran, rye bread and wholemeal bread, dairy products, chicken meat, and vitamin B6 - brewer's yeast, liver, milk, bread from coarse flour.

    Do not succumb to the stresses of

    Today, each of us lives at the limit of our possibilities: overload and the state of constant mental stress at work, at home, in transport, at school. .. The psycho-emotional status of a person gradually changes: you will not have time to look back, how chronic stress will lead to serious oneshealth problems. Headaches, fatigue, distraction affect the performance and, of course, the quality of life.

    Try using the following relaxing techniques.

    Put your palms on your stomach and take a few deep breaths.

    Well stretch to relieve muscle spasm.

    Massage your neck and upper back muscles for a few minutes - this will help relieve tension.

    Open your mouth and move your lower jaw to relax your muscles.

    Lift your shoulders up and take them back( take a deep breath), lower your shoulders( exhale).Repeat this movement 4-5 times.

    Turn on quiet music and completely relax.

    The ability to relax not only allows a good rest, but also helps to increase concentration. As a result, you can work much more productively than usual without experiencing fatigue.

    Changing the situation, fresh impressions, a new circle of communication, just a complacent attitude to rest - this is another antidote to stress, a push to mobilize the internal forces. Psychologists advise Sunday and holidays and, of course, it is obligatory to spend a vacation outside the house. A fascinating sea walk with breezes and salt spray, a test of your own courage on the steep water slide or a hiking trip is much more pleasant and useful than the hassle of the plate over the traditional plentiful Sunday lunch. Replace it with a picnic in a forest glade or a light snack on a ski trip, joy and health benefits it will bring much more. Do not pass by the small things of life, which will bring you joy, even a small one.

    Smile more often!

    This is the advice of Paul Bragg, a well-known advocate of a healthy lifestyle.

    Smile is a signal of security, love and understanding. There is an old saying: "If you laugh, the whole world laughs with you. If you cry, you cry alone. "Laughter is in a certain sense an exercise that creates a normal circulation in the abdominal cavity. Laughter creates health due to the happy state of mind of the one who laughs.

    Do this experiment. Stop reading and smile. You will internally feel an inexplicable happiness, although at that moment you did not have any special reasons for this. Now make an angry face, and you will enter the evil disposition of the spirit and will be ready to take seriously any insignificant insult, real or imaginary. You will feel that you are really angry.

    So smile the same! Smile when you read, when you are calm and relax, when you are angry or quarrel. In the end, a smile will give you a sense of happiness.