Teachers are as susceptible to migraine as anyone else, but having to go to school and face groups of rowdy children or teens when your head is splitting might not feel very normal. For migraine sufferers, the school week often starts with the tired, heavy feeling that signifies a headache is on the way. By break time, migraine aura is in full swing and the pain is starting to announce its arrival like a hot poker behind your eyes. If this is a common occurence, here are some methods you can try to deal with your chronic migraine in a classroom environment.
Knowing your migraine triggers is the first step towards avoiding them, so keeping a diary is vital to determine what sets you off.
Keep your classroom as dust-free as possible, if allergies are your trigger for you. Even if you have to sweep it daily yourself, it might be worth it for you.
Getting a good night’s sleep at every possible opportunity can help prepare you for school days. Check the quality of your sleep, and make sure you rest well on weekends ahead of the new week. If it’s possible, try scheduling downtime to take a quick nap somewhere quiet during break-times. This could even mean resting in your car while parked in a safe, undisturbed spot.
Find a secure place to keep a supply of non-drowsy medications. If your migraine attacks come on suddenly, you need to have preventive migraine medicines close at hand. This can be complicated, especially since you might not want to keep strong opiates in your purse. Many over-the-counter medications can help stave off the headache, at least for a while. If you have a locker in the staff room at school, put your medications in an unidentified container like a toffee tin, and keep them stashed away for emergency use. It’s important not to let word spread that you have medical products on the premises, in case it encourages theft.
Only you will know how news of your migraine attacks might be received by the school’s administration. In some instances, coming out can be a blessing that generates all the support you need. In others, it can open the door for discriminatory treatment. Disclosure is more likely to be a positive experience if you accompany the news with a doctor’s note confirming your condition.
If you tell a few trusted colleagues about the problem, though, it will make it easier for you on days when you need support. Knowing the truth can also reduce the risk of resentment or being judged incompetent when headaches get the better of you.
Chronic migraine sufferers in the teaching world know how difficult it is to keep up appearances in the face of frequent headaches. The truth is, however, you have to find ways to do so in order to keep doing the work you love.