Stress is a major part of our lives, and it showssometimes in the form of a head-splittingmigraine.
If youve ever experienced a stress migraine, it probably left a lasting impression.
While everyone has different migraine triggers, stress tops the list.
A stress migraine can be hard to avoid, but prioritizing self-care can help.
Since we all experience stress at some level, avoiding stress-induced migraines can feel pretty tough.
Throw in a global public health crisis, and it feels downright impossible.
SELF asked experts to break down what causes stress migrainesand how you’re able to fight back.
First, its important to understand why migraines can be due to stress.
Weirdly enough, a stress migraine is not considered an official diagnosis in a clinical setting.
But that doesnt mean that stress-induced migraine attacks dont happen.
Okay, so we know stress can set off a migraine, but what does that actually feel like?
Remember, a stress migraine and a tension headache arent the sameand they feel very different.
Tension-pop in headache is a mild-to-moderate headache that is featureless, clarifies Dr. Zhang.
Were also living in a stressful world full of migraine triggers.
Theres a reason that migraines from stress are so common.
According to another APA survey, the pandemic isnt the only thing on peoples minds these days.
So, how do you get rid of a stress migraine?
It can be a bit complicated.
For prevention, your doctor might prescribe a beta-blocker, antidepressant, or anticonvulsant.
These medications can reduce migraine frequency by at least 50%.
Those can include pain relievers and triptans.
Now on to the big one: managing stress.
Things like yoga, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, spending time in nature, the list goes on.
(If youre not sure where to start, here are some tips for how to dogrounding techniques.)
Other times, it can be something more fun, like de-stressing during a game night with your classmates.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up emotionally.
So just say yes to an hours-long snuggle with your pup on the couch.
For a lot of people, though, working from home is actually one pandemic perk.
