4 Key Benefits of Migraine Journaling

People living with migraine will testify how uncomfortable and painful migraine episodes will be. And it's not always that you can be up on your feet thinking about your next move or what you should do to make it all go away. This article will explore how journaling can help you navigate and manage migraine episodes before, during, or after they come. For long-term relief, you may also reach out to a trusted Boise migraine chiropractor for an effective, precise, and natural way to help manage your pain and symptoms.


What's causing your migraine?
This is perhaps the first thing in mind as soon as your first symptoms show. Unfortunately, at present, there is no known exact cause of migraine. However, experts believe that it is a result of abnormal brain activity that affects your brain's chemical composition, blood vessels, and nerve signals. To help you understand and manage your migraine better, identifying your triggers might be helpful.
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How Keeping a Migraine Journal Helps

​#1. You understand your symptoms
Understanding your symptoms is essential to help you get through a difficult day as soon as the symptoms start showing up. It can also help keep you safe as you will know not to engage in risky activities or tasks. By journaling your symptoms, you get a better idea of the following:

What symptoms you notice 
Migraine is usually beyond just a painful headache but a variety of symptoms that may include the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Vertigo
• Visual disturbances (aura)
• Sinus symptoms (watery eyes or stuffy nose)
• Neck pain

a. When your symptoms begin
Typically, migraine episodes can last for a couple of hours, though others experience pain and other symptoms that can last for days. There might also be a "hangover phase" taking place after your painful headache phase. By tracking when you start noticing migraine signs and symptoms, you may eventually find it easier to manage your subsequent attacks.

#2. You notice your migraine patterns
Migraine episodes are different for everyone. If you have a circle wherein you talk about your migraine patterns, symptoms, and other things, you might realize yours is different than others. So it will be helpful to keep a log of your migraine patterns for your benefit and pay attention to these two crucial points:

a. The frequency of your migraines
There are migraines episodes, especially chronic ones, that occur more than 15 days per month. Write down how frequently your migraine episodes happen so your Boise migraine chiropractor will better understand your situation and help you get long-term relief.

b. The duration of your migraine attacks
Observing the duration of your episodes is equally essential. Try to keep track of the hours or days when your symptoms are present. This is so you can manage your future migraine attacks better. 
Apart from these basic details, we also recommend taking note of other information about your episodes like:

• Your headache characteristic
• Medications that you use and works
• Medicines or food supplements you take 
• Sleep quality
• Physical activities 
• Migraine triggers (food, stress, lights, sounds, etc.)
• Changes in weather conditions when you experience an attack

​To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

#3. You discover your triggers
Your migraine triggers are not the reason why it happens but only serve as contributing factors to the attack. Observing your migraine triggers can help prevent or reduce your episodes. Here are some common migraine triggers:

• Emotional stress
• Sudden weather changes
• Noise
• Allergens exposure
• Air pressure changes 
• Air pollution 
• Smell
• Injuries to the head or neck 
• Menstrual cycle
• Pregnancy 
• Other illnesses like traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, meningitis
• Diet changes
• Caffeine intake

#4. You find migraine relief options
Having a migraine journal makes you understand your migraine episodes beyond the pain and discomfort it brings. You can keep track of the relief options and log how it helps, if it does, how long relief lasts, and other necessary information you should take. Here are some natural migraine relief options you can explore with to find the one that works best for you:

• Proper Posture
• Stretching and Exercise
• Stress Management
• Healthy Sleeping Habits
• Giving up bad habits such as smoking
• Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care 

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for Migraine
Among the natural relief options we shared above, upper cervical chiropractic care is something you cannot do alone, yet we encourage you to explore. A Boise migraine chiropractor will walk you through the process when you come for a consultation.

You're probably wondering how upper cervical chiropractic care can help with migraine. Your neck is vital in getting rid of headache episodes. If you experience misalignment in your upper cervical spine, even a slight shift out of alignment, you tend to experience headaches and other severe symptoms. Your C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis) bones are of your upper cervical spine and prone to shift out of alignment due to their position. 

Misalignment can follow if you experience an injury, trauma, excessive pressure, or stress. When the misalignment is left unaddressed, the rest of your spine will eventually compensate to keep your head balanced. This will put more pressure on your muscles, tissues, ligaments, and joints. 

Upper cervical chiropractic care slowly shifts the alignment of your upper cervical spine through careful and gentle adjustments, which relieve your nerves, muscles, tissues, and other parts from excessive stress and pressure. Once the alignment is corrected, the rest of your spine follows, and you might notice your symptoms slowly disappearing or eliminated with less chance of recurrence.
 

Visit a Trusted Boise migraine chiropractor
A misalignment in your upper spine is not something you will notice right away. Honestly, there is no way to confirm a misalignment unless you consult with an upper cervical chiropractic doctor.

Dr. Grayson Blom is a trusted upper cervical chiropractic doctor in Boise who has helped patients complaining about chronic headaches and migraines. He focuses in correcting the misalignment in your upper cervical bones to eliminate your pain and discomfort and let you live a pain-free life!

To know if a misalignment is the culprit of your migraine, book a consultation with Dr. Blom by calling our office at (208) 559-0541 or filling out this online contact form.
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To schedule a consultation with Dr. Blom, call 208-559-0541, or just click the button below.