Statistics show that more than 38 million people suffer from migraines, with some studies revealing that nearly 13% of U.S. adults deal with these debilitating headaches. And, although you could seek medical attention for a particularly bad migraine (along with commonly diagnosed illnesses like sinusitis, upper respiratory infection, cough, pharyngitis, and bronchitis), most sufferers tend to wait it out in a dark room or rely on home cures mixed with modern medicine. For some, physical activity might hold the key. But for others, it’s possible that exercise triggers migraines (or makes an existing one worse).
Exercise and Migraines
Despite all the benefits exercise can bring, less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Because working out can reduce stress and improve sleep, it may also reduce two of the biggest triggers for some sufferers. But working out has also been known to bring on headaches in some people. So is exercise the answer for migraine sufferers? Or should they steer clear of physical activity?
Frustratingly, it likely depends on the individual. As is often the case with migraines, triggers and treatments vary. What causes a splitting headache for one person might not ever be linked to a migraine for someone else. Triggers aren’t even consistent within the same person, and with lots of migraine sufferers reporting that stress plays a factor, there’s no way to eliminate the possibility of its onset.
And while some people have found success with certain piercings or with Botox injections (the results of which last anywhere from three to six months), most migraine sufferers find that there’s no one definitive cure-all that eliminates the problem for good.
Could Exercise Trigger Migrains?
The same goes for exercise. Because medical experts can’t precisely pin down what causes migraines, it’s tough to say whether working out could help or hurt those who are already prone to them. But, data from 2013 revealed that 38% of study participants believed their migraines were brought on by exercise.
To add to the confusion, a separate study involving migraine sufferers found that working out three times per week could reduce the number of migraines those individuals experienced more than participating in a relaxation program. Most likely, it comes down to individual experience, which isn’t exactly encouraging for those who experience migraines but who want to stay or get fit.
How To Avoid Possible Migraines from Exercise
If you want to go to the gym but are afraid of being hit with a monster headache, medical experts recommend upping your hydration, eating a snack beforehand, and listening carefully to what your body tells you.
Make sure to warm up and cool down, as well as keep your pace slow and steady rather than pushing yourself too far. You might even want to take an anti-inflammatory medication an hour before you exercise as a preventative measure.
Because atmospheric conditions can also have an impact on migraines, you may want to track the barometric pressure and humidity before starting your workout; if the conditions lead you to believe you’re more likely to get a migraine, you may want to switch your schedule around so you can work out another day instead. You need to look around at urgent care locations.
In Conclusion
Knowing whether or not exercise triggers migraines or helps them may come down to experimentation. Although you might not relish the thought of giving yourself a migraine by running on the treadmill, it’s better to have definitive information about your triggers than to wonder whether there might be an easy and effective cure for your pain.
If you’re ready to find out, start on a day that’s free. That way, if the worst occurs, you’ll have the time and the ability to relax and recover afterward. If you feel great after a workout, it might become part of your headache prevention routine in the long term.