How Meditation Help You Recover From Migraine

Meditation

Migraine is a form of headache that is characterized by a throbbing pain that is felt either at the front of the head or on one side only. The condition affects women more than men and it usually begins to manifest during early adulthood. Individuals with migraine may have different symptoms. Some may experience nausea and vomiting with the headache while others will not. When migraine occurs without any warning signs, such as the symptom of flashing lights, it is called a migraine without aura. But when signs of flashing lights precede the symptoms of migraine, the condition is called as migraine with aura.

Episodes of migraine can be debilitating to the individual. It can interfere with the person's ability to perform his activities of daily living. Migraine can be a recurrent condition and it may become dormant for quite some time and will recur months or years later. Understanding what triggers the symptoms of migraine to occur can help reduce the risks of experiencing its debilitating symptoms. Various forms of migraine management are available. Medical researchers are now focusing their efforts of using meditation to help individuals with migraine in order to get relief from their symptoms.

Meditation can mitigate the impact of the symptoms of migraine

In the latest study conducted by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, stress has been considered to be a major trigger for the symptoms of migraine to occur. They are able to correlate the interventions happening between the mind and the body in causing the classic headache felt during a migraine attack. Under this stressful condition, the headache occurs and meditation can help bring back the mind in its relaxed state. Standardized meditation techniques and yoga were used as the forms of meditation intervention in adults with migraines, which the researchers referred to as the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).

During the evaluation of the participants in the research study, it becomes apparent that those patients undergoing the MBSR have reduced migraine level as compared to those without undergoing through the meditation intervention. The effect of meditation to patients showed some improvement in their ability to control their stress level and self efficiency in managing their condition. The headache becomes less disabling and it becomes shorter in duration. The research study was conclusive as an effective and safe form of management of migraine.

Forms of meditation therapy for migraine management

There are different forms of meditation therapy available in the management of migraine symptoms. Not all of them will be effective for all and it is important to find the one where your body will best respond positively.

• Vipassana

The person tries to remain calm and detached to the environment while focusing his concentration between the connection of the mind and body.

• Transcendental

This form of meditation is performed by repetitious sound, phrase or words that are called as a mantra. By repeating the mantra, the individual is able to keep himself alert and focused about his goals while blocking some distracting thoughts.

• Mindfulness

This form of meditation exercise is performed with breathing exercises. This teaches the person to bring balance to his life with a more positive perspective.

The mechanisms of meditation

Although many doctors are already patronizing the use of meditation therapy in keeping their patients efficient in managing their migraine symptoms, there is no clear understanding about the mechanisms involved in meditation and how it helps reduce the headache in migraine. Some believe that meditation helps to increase the body and brain's tolerance to pain and a relaxed mind promotes a healthy general well-being.

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