[migrainefilter] Why does training make me sick?

November 8, 2006 6:42 AM

Why do day-long training sessions give me migraines and what can I do to avoid them?

Yesterday I went to a really interesting day-long seminar in a hotel conference room. It was windowless, but otherwise comfortable.

By 2pm I had developed a raging headache heading towards MigraineLand. At 4.30 I had to excuse myself, missing the Q&A session that I wanted to take part in, and had to race home for my migraine meds (Migraleve), a hot shower, and a nauseous evening lying flat in a dark room.

Sigh. This happens EVERY TIME I partake in a day's training. I do suffer with migraines (occasionally) and tension headaches (more often). I know the latter are often caused by poor posture and muscle tension, but I'm always conscious of it; I see a physiotherapist every month, and I'm constantly trying to correct my posture.

And when I'm in training or on a seminar, I generally try to

- Sit correctly
- Take a lot of breaks in the fresh air
- Avoid caffeine and chocolate
- Eat regularly, so no blood sugar dips
- Drink a lot of water

I also take ibuprofen pre-emptively, and sometimes migraine meds, if I feel headachey anyway. But migraine meds make me drowsy and don't do much except take the edge off until I leave the situation.

It doesn't seem to matter if I'm looking at a projector screen or a flipchart, whether the room has natural light or not, or whether I'm sitting on a hard backed chair or a couch... always the same result. I'm not sure if it could be psychological because I have no expectations around any of these events.

I do have LOTS of training coming up before Christmas though, and I'd prefer to be pain free. Any tips?

posted by unmusic to health (11 comments total)

I'm pretty impressed with your level of dilligence but maybe it's too much?. Do you get stress migraines? I'd say work out more and hope for the best. Maybe try to be a little less than "constantly conscious" of how you're sitting .. that doesn't sound like a great attitude for avoiding tension.
posted by shownomercy at 6:55 AM on November 8, 2006

Do you usually have caffeine on non-training session days? If so, stick to a regular amount (whatever is normal for you) on the training session days. Going suddenly and completely off caffeine is just as much a trigger for me as going overboard.

Also, I find that for migraines, the aspirin/acetaminophen cocktail in extra strength Excedrin (or Excedrin Migraine -- they're the same thing, as you probably know) works better for me than ibuprofen (assuming you don't have an aspirin allergy, of course). But I haven't found any of them to be particularly effective in preempting migraines -- I just try to be conscious of what my body is telling me, and take them at the very first inkling of impending migraineyness. I've also been known to up the dosage a bit (e.g. 3 excedrin instead of 2), but that's entirely your call. IANAD, YMMV, and all that jazz.
posted by somanyamys at 7:11 AM on November 8, 2006

I get migraines from the fragances people drench themselves in. Being stuck in a room all day is a recipe for pain. Take medication as soon as you get the slightest twinge and go outside on breaks.
posted by Carol Anne at 7:13 AM on November 8, 2006

I feel your pain - the same thing often happens to me.

I try to take walks outside the conference center (or hotel, whatever) whenever there is a break. For some reason, I think that all of that sitting around kicks it off. If all else fails, I take my migraine meds as soon as I feel a twinge. I get drowsy from my meds, too, but that's preferable to nursing a pounding head for the rest of the day. I'ver also found that when I attend a conference with someone that I'm comfortable with, I have fewer headaches. So, it may be the "pressure" of being in a more formal environment with no mental relaxation.

I also think that clothing has something to do with it. I find that I wear different (read: less comfortable, more formal) clothes during conferences, and the discomfort makes things worse.
posted by Flakypastry at 7:20 AM on November 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

This might not be the most astute suggestion, but what about your vision -- have you had it checked recently? If you use any form of vision correction, maybe it's not what your eyes need?
posted by loiseau at 8:25 AM on November 8, 2006

You mention avoiding coffee and chocolate. Is it possible that what you are interpreting as a migrane is actually caffiene withdrawal? For that matter, do you make an effort to "sit correctly" when you are not in such a seminar? If so, maybe you are just straining muscles and ligaments that are used to slouching.

I don't know if you have experimented with your pre-seminar regimen, but you might try doing the things you'd do *without* going to a seminar and see what happens.
posted by ilsa at 8:29 AM on November 8, 2006

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I've only been trying to sit correctly, cut down on caffeine, etc. *since* I noticed I was getting migraines at training. I was getting migraines when I was slouchy, caffeinated and hyped up on sugar as I am most days...(!)

I have had my vision checked, and it's fine. Le sigh.

I *do* get stress migraines, so maybe it is something to do with the pressure of a more formal environment, as Flakypastry suggests. Hmm...
posted by unmusic at 9:14 AM on November 8, 2006

Is it too hot in these rooms? Maybe you could run a small, QUIET battery-operated fan? I got one for about $6 at Wal-Mart that runs on 2 C's, and it has those foam blades so it doesn't matter if you accidentally stick a finger in it. It might also help if the fragrances are your problem.

I was going to ask how formal it is also... I don't know how your workplace is, but you could suggest that perhaps a slightly more casual environment could help...
posted by IndigoRain at 11:56 AM on November 8, 2006

Are you under fluorescent lights? I know you said it doesn't matter "whether the room has natural light or not," but do you get these migraines in rooms that have only natural lighting?
posted by booksandlibretti at 4:17 PM on November 8, 2006

Caffeine is a headache remedy, so if you drink it normally, and stop on those days, there's your headache right there. Check the headache medicines, they have caffeine :)

I skipped soda for a day and by 8pm I wanted to die in the dark. You have to wean off it, not drink it one day and nothing the next.
posted by jesirose at 7:25 PM on November 8, 2006

UPDATE: Since I started wearing my glasses (which have a higher prescription than my contact lenses) I've stopped having such bad headaches at training/conferences. I'm only slightly nearsighted but I suppose squinting at screens takes effort!
posted by unmusic at 3:58 AM on January 31, 2007