As with most other chronic health issues, migraine episodes can strike anytime and thus create a sense of dread and terrible anxiety for patients who feel as if they are forced to live with their adverse conditions. One of the most dreadful aspects of living with migraines is the possibility of a debilitating attack taking place far from home, in an unfamiliar place and during a difficult situation.
When debilitating migraine episodes happen close to home, patients are usually able to fend for themselves or else get help from relatives, loved ones and associates who can help. When a strong attack takes place at work, the goal is almost invariably to get home. Since migraines are often related to anxiety and stress, many patients long for the comforts of home so that they can get through their episodes; alas, this may not always be the case.
Dealing with Migraines Away from Home
When migraine patients visit their health care specialists, they are often asked a series of questions about their lifestyles and then they receive various suggestions on what they should do in certain situations related to migraine episodes. This interaction is part of cognitive behavioral therapy, which is essentially training for a lifestyle that includes migraines; patients are learning coping skills that allow them to deal with their conditions during various facets of their lives.Being prepared to deal with a migraine attack away from home is the best thing patients can do. This means paying close attention to physicians' advice and putting it to work. Here are some of the most common recommendations:
- Quick Reaction - It is important to act fast by taking medication or else getting to a safe place.
- Learn to Relax - This is a crucial coping skill, and physicians can suggest many strategies.
- Caffeine - Many migraine medications include caffeine to increase the absorption rate of the active ingredient. Drinking a little coffee or tea at this point can be beneficial.
- Seek Darkness - Bright lights are known migraine triggers, and they can exacerbate headaches.
- Sleep - When traveling for business or pleasure, migraine patients are usually able to get quick relief by retreating to their hotel rooms and taking naps.
It can be particularly difficult to deal with a migraine attack while on a boat or a bus, plane or train. In such cases, the goal is to not succumb to motion sickness. Some migraine patients are able to control this by closing their eyes while others feel better by moving closer to the front of the aircraft, vehicle or vessel.
Patients who live with chronic migraine conditions tend to experience sensory auras, which are actually very helpful when they are far from home since they warn them about impending headache episodes. Many patients are able to develop coping skills and condition themselves to stop auras from advancing to the headache phase. Developing such skills takes time, but it is a worthy endeavor for migraine patients.
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