Exercising WITH MIGRAINE

According to Alan M. Rapoport, M.D., director of The New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Conn., migraine sufferers who exercise regularly report fewer and less sever headaches. But how they approach exercise can make a critical difference in whether they experience relief or risk triggering an attack

Common psychological triggers include stress, depression and anger. Altitude, humidity and sun exposure are common environmental triggers. Physical triggers can range from lack of sleep to premenstrual hormonal fluctuations to certain foods, such as red wines, hot dogs, citrus fruits, cheeses and foods containing caffeine.

When started too quickly, exercise can be another physical trigger. Portuguese researchers discovered that sudden heavy physical exertion releases high levels of nitric oxide into the bloodstream of migraine-prone individuals, prompting the dilation of blood vessels and the onset of a migraine headache within the next several hours. Most experts agree that an adequate warm up can prevent such episodes and that exercise can be a helpful tool for decreasing the severity and frequency of migraine headaches. The key is to perform a slow and thorough warm up each and every time and if you're new to exercise, build your program slowly.

How Can Exercise Help In Headache Management?

Here's how exercise makes a difference if you are dealing with headaches.

܀ Reduced muscle tension You know, all that tension that makes you feel tired out all the time, that makes you not want to exercise in the first place? Another headache and exercise link.

܀ Reduced anxiety which makes it easier to cope with any kind of pain

܀ Toned up blood vessels, a place where an important part of the migraine and headache chainreaction takes place.

܀ Increased relaxation 

܀ Increased blood and lymph circulation That means more oxygen in (an important headachefighter), and more toxins out!

܀ Reduced fatigue Some people believe that fatigue itself is a migraine trigger, or perhaps the lack of exercise that results.