What Can I Do To Prevent Different Types Of Headaches?

— -- Question: What Can I Do To Prevent Different Types Of Headaches?

Answer: When we look at the most common headache in the population, tension-type headache, the most important issues involve regulation of your sleep patterns, your meal patterns, your exercise and hydration. And really, it's a matter of good healthy living.

The same thing can be said about migraine as well. That, more important than perhaps avoiding certain things are ways you can live your life. Exercise everyday, walking 30 minutes; that you eat and sleep regular times, regular intervals; that you hydrate adequately, 40-60 ounces of water per day.

We also look at vitamin supplements that may seem to help. Stress reduction, stress management, certainly can be important. And then, modification of dietary excesses so to speak. Stimulants that are in the diet, let's say nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and then processed foods, high in MSG or other stimulants.

One can certainly avoid all those issues as much as possible, and that would limit the frequency and severity of your attacks.

But in any individual when they come to see a headache specialist or any clinician for headaches, we have a discussion regarding what might set these headaches off for that particular case, and then encourage the individual to avoid it. So, for example, if chocolate was a trigger for your headache, then you would avoid chocolate. For someone else, it may be sleep deprivation, so we would suggest, more importantly, regulation of sleep.

So, in individual cases, the triggers or risk factors may vary. But broadly speaking, regular sleep, regular meals, regular exercise, great hydration, and avoiding over-processed foods, certainly is a good start.

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