Is Your Parent Experiencing Migraines?
Elizabeth, age 73, was familiar with regular headaches. She was, after all, a mother and grandmother and had had her share of noisy days and tension.
However, when she began having painful headaches that were accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity, she worried that she might have a serious medical condition. Though Elizabeth no longer drove herself, she made an appointment with her doctor and asked her home care provider for a ride. The doctor diagnosed Elizabeth with migraine headaches and prescribed medication. Her home care provider took her to the pharmacy to fill the prescription and later reminded her to take it.
Elder Care in Herndon VA: Seniors Experiencing Migraines
If your aging parent is having headaches with other unusual symptoms, it’s possible they are suffering from migraine headaches. Although migraines are more common in young adults, they can occur at any age. Knowing more about them could help you to recognize the signs.
Migraine Symptoms
Migraines often happen in stages. The stages are:
Prodrome: Occurs one or two days before a migraine. The signs are subtle and may include constipation, changes in mood, and a stiff neck.
Aura: The aura stage can happen either before or during a migraine, but some people never experience aura at all. Auras cause nervous system symptoms, like seeing flashes of light or a “pins and needles” feeling.
Attack: A migraine headache can last for just a few hours or for up to three days without treatment. During a headache, a person might have pain on just one side of the head or on both, throbbing pain, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, and blurry vision.
Post-Drome: After a headache passes, the older adult might feel very tired. They may also be confused, moody, dizzy, or weak.
Tips to Manage Migraines
The first step in managing migraines is to schedule an appointment with the senior’s doctor. Medications can help to control symptoms and prevent an attack. In addition to medication, some lifestyle changes can help, such as:
Maintain a Schedule: Getting up, going to bed, and eating at roughly the same times each day can help to prevent migraines.
Adequate Sleep: Not getting enough sleep can trigger a migraine. Help the older adult to get enough sleep by discouraging naps longer than 30 minutes during the day, removing distractions from the bedroom, and engaging them in calming activities close to bedtime
Eat Well: A healthy, balanced diet can help to prevent migraines. Because some foods can trigger migraines, it can help you to identify them by keeping track of what the older adult eats and when migraines occur.
Home care can help older adults to prevent migraines. Home care providers can help older adults to stay on schedule by coming to get them up in the morning or helping them to go to bed at night. Home care providers can also prepare healthy meals and keep a food log. And, if the doctor prescribes medication, a home care provider can remind the older adult to take it.
Are you or a loved-one considering Elder Care in Herndon, VA? Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
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