Migraines are an intrusive condition that affect many people for various reasons. They are much more than a headache, and for some people a headache is least on the list of symptoms that come with a migraine.
While there is no single reason that migraines occur, the two most common manifestations include either too much pressure in the body’s fluid systems (think blood flow and lymphatic flow) or not enough pressure in those same systems.
Migraine triggers include stress, weather, nutrition/digestion, emotions, trauma, allergies and seasonal changes, among many other things. Symptoms range from upper body tension, headaches, vision changes, digestion issues, nausea, sinus issues, anxiety, sleep disruptions, sound and light sensitivity, energy issues, balance issues and dizziness.
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We can’t always prevent the reasons that migraines happen, although I have experienced cases where symptoms can decrease or the frequency reduced after work is done around certain triggering factors.
There are many options for treatment and management of symptoms related to migraines. One of the first steps is recognizing common triggers and then negotiating ways to change the body’s reaction to them.
Exercises to ease tension
As a general statement, a common effective technique is to ease tension through the body, specifically the upper body, to support appropriate circulation and neurological function. Migraines differ from other headaches in that they involve neurological functioning, and often the nervous system and even the brain are involved in symptoms.
In terms of regulating neurology and pressure through the body to support migraine relief and prevention, there are a few key areas to start with.
Breath awareness
Our breath supports the regulation of our nervous system, emotions and body-mind state, and also supports the appropriate flow of fluids and pressure in our bodies.
Many people who suffer from migraines demonstrate a restricted breath pattern that uses upper body muscles to breathe, instead of the balloon-like muscles called the diaphragm under our lungs to bring air in and out. When we breathe with the upper body muscles, we promote tension in the system and exacerbate many of the triggers that can cause migraines.
The first step to pressure and symptoms regulation is to employ the full mechanics of breath. As a starting point, lie on your back with knees bent and feet resting on the surface. Place your hands on the sides of your rib cage with slight pressure inwards.
Take a few breaths, and on the inhales work to breathe into the pressure of your hands (as if you were inflating a balloon in your mid- body) and release all the air through the exhale (as if the balloon was deflating).
It can take a bit of work at first to direct the breath downward instead of upward, and sometimes it is a challenge to explore that.
Those with high levels of tension in their system may also experience the exhales as the hardest or most limited part of the breath. It can be beneficial to focus on increasing the length of the exhale.
As you develop the feeling for breath moving downward, you can begin to imagine that balloon filling up with air in all directions. The breath should be felt through the belly, the side body and the back with the inhale, and all air released on the exhales.
Aim for equal length inhales and exhales of about four to five seconds each way, and eventually longer exhales, to help regulate tension and support the body’s essential biological processes.
Soft tissue support
A few things can be done to relieve tension in the main areas that seem to affect migraine symptoms — the neck, shoulders and head. Easy, do-it-yourself pressure point-style release can be done as follows:
- Circular pressure at the temples, about 10 circles in each direction.
- Circular movements below the earlobe and the corner of the jaw, about 10 circles in each direction.
- Press thumb pads under inner edge of eyebrows, just outside upper nose bridge on either side (this spot is often very tender) and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Breathe slowly while in this position.
- Press fingers along upper and lower edges of collarbones. When you palpate tender spots, pause and hold pressure for a few breaths.
- Gently place your palm on your forehead and the other palm on the back of your head. Imagine your breath as a mist — filling up the space between the palms with that mist as you inhale, and the mist emptying that area as you exhale. Repeat 10 to 20 times. Let the exhales become sigh-like, exiting via your mouth.
- Repeat these points for a few rounds, a couple times daily or as needed when experiencing the onset of migraine symptoms.
Mindful restorative movement
While all movement has benefit, movements that are slow, gentle and restorative can support the things we’ve talked about. Some of my favourite starting points for those experiencing migraines are:
- Seaweed flow: from a seated position, soften or close your eyes and get a sense for your seat on the chair and your feet on the floor. Imagine the inhales travelling to that surface, and the exhales moving up and out from that point. Then, gently let your body sway side to side, or rock forward or backwards, whichever feels most interesting. Imagine your upper body is like seaweed drifting in water. Let the neck and shoulders gently and slowly sway back and forth. Breathe while allowing this gentle movement.
- Shoulder circles: slowly draw circles with your shoulders by shrugging up and around. Do about six to eight rounds in each direction, moving as slowly as possible while breathing fully.
- Upper body twist: lying on one side and with your head resting on a pillow, bend knees up to about 90 degrees toward the chest. Stack arms straight out from the chest, and rotate the top arm slowly open to the opposite side, twisting through the mid- and upper body. Rotate arm back to original position and repeat eight to 10 times.
These techniques can be used on a regular basis to help prevent the onset of migraines and manage symptoms once a migraine has come on.
For migraine sufferers, it is important to consult health-care providers. There are many treatment and management options, and the first step is seeking professional guidance.
