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Spring! It's a beautiful, wondrous season of birth and rebirth, of daffodils and robins, of looking forward to the summer. It's also a time when it's appropriate to remember some possible headache/migraine triggers of the two seasons. Here are some reminders:
Allergy
Alert!
All of those budding trees and blooming flowers can mean sneezing, runny noses,
and sinus/allergy headaches. For migraineurs, the sinus/allergy headaches can
trigger a migraine episode. If you experience these problems, now is the time to
change or clean the filters on your air conditioning and/or air filtration
systems and be sure that you're supplied with any antihistimines or other meds
you need.
Bottoms
Up!
Even mild dehydration can be a major headache/migraine trigger. As the weather
grows warmer, it's easier to become dehydrated. While it's important any time of
year, be extra aware of getting enough to drink. If iced tea is your summer
favorite, beware of the extra caffeine. Try decaffeinated tea or a mix of decaf
and regular.
Time
for Shades and Hats!
Too much sun can lead to major headaches and migraine episodes. Try a good pair
of optical grade sunglasses to protect your eyes and reduce the likelihood of
problems. A hat with a wide brim or a baseball-style cap with a good bill on it
will help, too, by blocking sun that gets in from above your glasses.
Hidden
Perfumes
This is also a time when we tend to use more and different moisture lotions as
well as sun blocking lotions. Be sure to read the labels well. Even products
that aren't "perfumed" can and often do contain fragrance. It's used
in many products to "mask" the smell of other ingredients that may not
have a very pleasant aroma. Since frangrances are a major headache/migraine
trigger, try to find products without any.
Getting
your Z's
With "longer" days, vacations, and a wider variety of activity during
good weather, it's easy to end up getting less sleep without thinking about it.
Remember — too little or too much sleep can cause a headache or trigger a
migraine. Irregular sleep schedules can be a problem, too, so try to set and
maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Meds
and Rays
Sun and some meds don't mix well. Now is a good time to ask your pharmacist
about this from two angles:
- Some drugs will intensify the effects of exposure to the sun.
- Some drugs need to be stored within certain temperature ranges. Be aware of this before you go for a day in the sun with extra meds in your purse or pocket.
A
Real "Picnic"
If you start having more headaches or migraine attacks during these months, be
sure to keep a headache diary, and think about the foods you've been eating. For
some people, diet changes a good deal according to the seasons.
It's a favorite time of year for many of us. Thinking ahead about some of these seasonal issues can help it be even more enjoyable with fewer headaches and migraine episodes. Enjoy!
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