June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, a good reminder that migraines are more than just “bad headaches.” Migraines can affect work, sleep, family time, exercise, and daily activities.
Migraine symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people have intense head pain, while others may also experience nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, neck stiffness, dizziness, fatigue, or visual changes.
Track Your Migraine Pattern
One of the most helpful things patients can do is track their symptoms. A simple headache diary can help identify patterns and make appointments more useful.
Try writing down:
- When the headache started
- How long it lasted
- Where the pain was located
- How severe the pain felt
- Possible triggers
- Medications taken
- What helped
- Any nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, or vision changes
Know Your Triggers
Migraine triggers are different for everyone. A trigger may not cause a migraine every time, but recognizing patterns can help.
Common triggers may include:
- Stress
- Poor sleep
- Skipped meals
- Dehydration
- Weather changes
- Bright lights
- Strong smells
- Hormonal changes
- Certain foods or alcohol
- Too much screen time
- Neck or shoulder tension
Build Healthy Daily Habits
Consistent routines may help reduce migraine frequency or severity for some patients.
Helpful habits include:
- Keeping a regular sleep schedule
- Drinking enough water
- Eating regular meals
- Limiting known triggers
- Taking screen breaks
- Managing stress
- Stretching the neck and shoulders
- Getting regular, gentle physical activity
- Avoiding overuse of headache medication
Pay Attention to Neck and Muscle Tension
For some patients, headaches may be associated with neck tightness, poor posture, or muscle tension in the shoulders and upper back.
Helpful steps may include:
- Taking posture breaks
- Avoiding long periods looking down at a phone
- Adjusting your desk or workstation
- Using heat for tight neck muscles
- Doing gentle stretching
- Noticing whether neck pain happens before or during headaches
Use Medication Safely and Know When to Check In
Many patients use over-the-counter medication for headaches. These can be helpful, but it is important to use them as directed.
Consider checking in with a healthcare provider if:
- You are needing headache medication often
- Your headaches are happening more frequently
- Your headaches are lasting longer than usual
- Medication is not working as well as expected
- Headaches are interfering with sleep, work, or daily activities
Most headaches are not emergencies, but some symptoms should be evaluated right away. Seek urgent medical attention if you have a sudden severe headache, headache after a head injury, weakness, confusion, vision loss, fever with headache, or symptoms that feel very different from your usual headache pattern.
DOC Pain Management can help evaluate recurring headaches, migraines, neck-related pain, and other contributing factors to develop a treatment plan that fits your symptoms and goals.
To schedule an appointment, please call DOC Pain Management 937-252-2000 or fill out our contact form so our team can call you back.
