In Argentina, one in 10 adults has migraines, according to the first prevalence study conducted in the country. It is a moderate to severe headache (throbbing, usually on one side), often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light or sound. In severe cases, the discomfort is so great that it arises excruciating daily activities of those who suffer from it. Exercise is one of the measures that can help prevent triggers, but according to a study in the United States, more than two in three people with migraines don’t do enough physical activity.
“Migraine is one debilitating condition It affects millions of people, and yet regular exercise can be an effective way reduce frequency and intensity some migraines, ”said study author Mason Dyess of the University of Washington in Seattle and a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
Why does physical activity help prevent triggers? “Exercise liberates natural painkillers called endorphins, it helps people sleep better and reduces stress. But if people with migraines don’t exercise, they may not get these benefits, ”he says.
Stress and poor rest are migraine triggers. Photo Shuttertock.
Dyess led the study involving nearly 5,000 people diagnosed with migraines. Three quarters of the participants had chronic migraines, ie 15 or more episodes per month; the rest experienced episodic migraines (up to 14 years).
The participants completed a questionnaire about the characteristics of their migraines, sleep quality, depression, stress, anxiety and the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity they did per week. The types of exercises they rated as moderate to vigorous were included jogging, walking very fast, exercising, cleaning a lot and cycling
Participants were divided into five groups based on the level of weekly exercise from moderate to vigorous: fully seated people; those who exercised for up to 30 minutes; 31 to 90 minutes; 91 to 150 minutes; more than 150 minutes per week.
The researchers found that those taking a at least two and a half hours of activity of that intensity per week had a reduced number of migraine triggers such as stress, depression, and sleep problems. The work, the preliminary results of which were known, will be presented in April at the 73rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
Two and a half hours a week of moderate to vigorous exercise, or 150 minutes, is the minimum amount of exercise recommended by the World Health Organization.
Exercise releases endorphins, a natural pain reliever. Photo Shutterstock.
Only 27% of the people in the study reported getting the most exercise. In the rest, higher percentages of factors that may be susceptible to migraine symptoms were observed.
The depression it was reported by almost half (47%) of people in the group who did not exercise, and only one in four (25%) in the most active group.
In addition, 39% of the people in the sitting group came forward anxiety compared to 28% of people in the group that exercised a lot. that reported 77% of sitting participants sleep problems compared to 61% of the group that moves a lot.
The researchers also found one link between exercise and risk of migrainesAmong those who did not do physical activity, 5% reported a low frequency of headaches (zero to four headache days per month) and 48% had a high frequency (25 or more). In the group with a lot of exercise, 10% had a low frequency and 28% a high frequency.
“There are new treatments available for migraines, but they are very expensive. People with migraines should consider this integrate more exercise into your life on a daily basis because it can be a safe and inexpensive way to control and minimize some of the other problems often associated with the chart, ”concluded the paper’s lead author.
The researchers noted that one of the limitations of the study was that participants reported weekly exercise minutes rather than having their activity monitored with a device, so this study only shows associations between exercise and migraine triggers, it doesn’t prove cause and effect.
In migraines, the intense, throbbing pain usually occurs on only one side of the head.
How do you know if you have migraines?
If you answer in the affirmative four of the questions on the MS-Q (Migraine Screen Questionnaire), a simple internationally validated questionnaire, it may indicate that you are suffering from migraines, so you should see a professional.
1. Do you regularly have headaches?
2. Does your headache usually last more than 4 hours? (without taking painkillers)
3. Do you suffer from nausea when you have a headache?
4. Do you suffer from light or noise when you have a headache?
5. Does the headache restrict your physical or intellectual activities?