“What can I do to help?”
This is a fairly common question asked by the family and friends of migraine sufferers worldwide. Responses include, “close all the curtains”, “find my medication”, “find out where that noise is coming from and make it stop”, and “call (insert name here) and tell them I’m not able to make it today.” Even so, when all that can be done to help is done, those who are nearby can feel useless as they watch their loved one in so much pain while being unable to do anything to make it stop. Well according to science there is something you can do to help and it’s actually much simpler than you might think: give them a hug.
When someone touches you, the sensation activates pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles, and these send signals to the vagus nerve in the brain which then (as well as a few other things) lowers your blood pressure. So, in particular for anyone who suffers from migraines that are a result of constricting blood vessels, this can be incredibly helpful.
Also, when we hug we lower the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) that is produced in our bodies. This helps us to release tension (muscle tension is a common migraine trigger) and so should help to reduce the length of an attack.
So, if in doubt how you can help, try administering a few hugs.
DISCLAIMER – When using any medication, always read the label and make sure you keep all medicines out of reach of children. The information supplied within this online resource is brought to you by Imigran Recovery Tablets (contains sumatriptan) for migraine relief, from a variety of author sources including health care professionals, lifestyle experts and the general public. None of the published authors endorse any brands.
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