Managing migraines in active people

Migraine patients who are physically active may find that exercise can provoke a migraine attack or that regular exercise helps reduce the severity of their headaches. After the diagnosis of migraine has been made with a complete history and physical examination, the next steps are to identify the triggers, such as certain foods or changes in sleep schedule, and design an individualized treatment plan. If exercise is a trigger, nondrug measures such as adequate warm-up, nutrition, and hydration during activity are important. Whether the triggers are exercise-related or not, exercise and other general measures may be beneficial adjuncts to the appropriate abortive, pain-relief, or prophylactic drug regimen.