How Well Do You Manage Your Migraines

If you suffer from migraines, you know just how much they can ruin a perfectly good day. While there's no known cure, certain strategies can make your headaches less frequent and less likely to disrupt your plans. Are you coping well with your migraines? Take this quiz to find out.

When I visit the doctor to talk about my headaches, I:

Show her written notes I've taken about recent migraines. I want to give her a complete picture of when I get headaches, how painful they can be, and what I think triggers them.

Let her know that I'm having headaches. But I'm not really sure what triggers them.

Doctor? I haven't talked to a doctor about my headaches.

I feel a migraine coming on. I immediately:

Plan to soldier through the pain as long as I can.

Panic a little. If the pain gets bad enough, I'll take an over-the-counter pain medication that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't.that I'm having headaches. But I'm not really sure what triggers them.

Know what to do. I have a routine of medications and/or other habits that usually stops the migraine or at least helps me manage the pain.

If I were to calculate the amount of water I drink each day, the total would come out to:

Maybe 3 or 4 glasses of water a day. I have a hard time remembering to drink up.

Roughly 8 glasses of water a day, although I sip more when I'm sweaty or drinking alcohol.

One glass of water, if that. I'm much more likely to reach for coffee or a soft drink.

When it comes to knowing what triggers my headaches,

It's a mystery. I really don't know when they'll strike.

I've noticed one or two foods that seem to cause problems.

I can name most of the situations and foods that usually trigger a headache for me.

Which of the following describes how often you eat?

I usually eat three meals a day, although I'm sometimes hungry between meals.

I never miss a meal. I usually carry snacks with me so I can eat something every four hours or so.

I periodically skip meals. Sometimes lunch is my first food of the day.

When I feel stressed, I manage it by:

Dedicating 20 minutes to a stress-busting habit like yoga or deep breathing.

Talking on the phone to a friend when I need to let off some steam.

Watching TV to unplug my brain.

It's 3 p.m., and I'm peckish. Time for:

A soft drink. I'll drink that and push through the hunger pangs until dinner.

A candy bar or bag of pretzels from the office vending machine.

Some trail mix and an apple.

Which of the following describes your sleep habits?

I usually get six, sometimes seven hours of shuteye a night.

My sleep patterns are erratic. Some nights I barely sleep, and then on weekends I sleep late to compensate.

I consistently get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, and I usually wake up around the same time every day.

My purse or briefcase contains the following items:

A pair of sunglasses, a bottle of water, a hearty snack, and medication to treat any migraines that pop up.

A bottle of over-the-counter headache meds, sunglasses, and sometimes a granola bar.

One lint-covered pain-relief pill somewhere near the bottom.

For guidance on treating my migraines, I see:

My primary care doc, who doesn't have specialized headache expertise, but who knows I get migraines.

A physician who specializes in headaches.

I haven't seen a doctor.

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