90% of migraine patients named driving while suffering a migraine as the most common risk faced by migraine sufferers. This is from a recent Migraine Survey by MAXALT , conducted in New Zealand.
Aura, nausea, tunnel vision, you name it - all the factors that contribute to the risks migraine people take when getting behind a wheel.
Rena Sherwood of Dealing With Headaches has recently penned a nice little guide for those of us who have to drive, migraine or no migraine.
The ideas are simple yet oft overlooked:
- Make sure you've eaten something before driving to keep blood sugar up
- Have some painkillers with caffeine in them at the ready
- Keep a bottle of lavender essential oil in the glove compartment
- Keep a spare pair of sunglasses in the car
- If migraine hits when driving, better pull over and wait it out
- If driving in pain and cannot stop, breath deep; playing some music might take the mind of the pain, Rena advises
- Keep meds in a purse since keeping them in your glove compartment could cause the meds to deteriorate or lose effectiveness more quickly because of the heat
- Carrying a bottle of water wouldn't be a bad idea, since dehydration is a big Migraine trigger as well
Do check the complete article, my gentle readers. Not only it's practical, it's also based on a first-hand experience.
link: Driving With Migraines
2 comments:
One thing to keep in mind with keeping meds in your glove compartment is that the heat could cause the meds to deteriorate or lose effectiveness more quickly. Additionally, if you have kids, you may not want them to find your meds.
It is a good suggestion to keep meds with you, though. I keep some in my purse so I have them with me at all times. Carrying a bottle of water wouldn't be a bad idea, since dehydration is a big Migraine trigger as well.
Be well,
MJ
Good points MJ. I went ahead and added your contribution to the article.
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