My Aching Head

Angie SzumlinskiNews

It is midnight, you are laying in bed, pitch black in the room, pillow over your head, and you can get no relief. Migraine. Ugh! Yep, many people who suffer with migraines will attest to the fact that it creeps up, grabs you, and is unrelenting. You try antispasmodic medications, pain medications, meditation, give up chocolate and red wine, and continue to have migraines. What do you do? Exercise! 

In a study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain, researchers were trying to determine whether aerobic exercise was more effective at managing migraines than strength training. Okay, at first glimpse I chuckled. The furthest thing from my mind when suffering with the symptoms described above, is exercise, seriously! But wait, the researchers aren’t asking someone actively experiencing a migraine to get up and work out, thank goodness. What they studied was the efficacy of exercise in the management of migraines.  

What they identified was that exercise assists in managing migraines. 1195 migraine patients were involved in the clinical trial that involved high-intensity aerobic exercise, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and strength training exercises. Not surprising, the strength training exercise regimens demonstrated the highest efficacy in reducing migraines, followed by high-intensity aerobic exercise. Yes, we are bombarded with the experts telling us that exercise is a “cure all,” but here it is, proof! If you suffer with migraines, think about your lifestyle, what can you do to make a difference? It might be as simple as pumping a little iron a few days a week combined with some high intensity aerobic exercise! Stay informed and stay well!