What Can You Do to Manage Headaches and Migraines for Your Senior?
Migraines and headaches are miserable and if your senior is experiencing them more often, that’s something you’ll both want to address as well as possible. Here are just a few of the things you can try to help your senior to reduce the headaches she’s having.
Start Tracking Symptoms
In-Home Care Falls Church, VA: Headaches and Migraines
It can be a good idea to start tracking symptoms if your elderly family member is suddenly having a few headaches and migraines a month. Try to keep track of things like what she’s eating, when the headache started, and whether there were any other symptoms, like nausea. If your elderly family member takes any over-the-counter medications, make sure to track those, as well. This gives you data that you can take to your senior’s doctor.
Talk with Her Doctor about What She’s Experiencing
Do make an appointment and talk with your senior’s doctor, even if you’re still early in the symptom tracking phase. There can be a wide range of health issues that can contribute to headaches and migraines. Looping your senior’s doctor in as soon as possible helps you to narrow down those possible contributing factors.
Try to Identify Headache Triggers
Over time, you’re going to have more information that helps you and your senior to see patterns. Things like weather, how well she’s sleeping, and whether certain chemicals have been in use around her call all serve as triggers. The more that you can spot potential headache or migraine triggers, the more you can do to help your senior to avoid them.
Get Extra Help for Your Senior
In-home care providers can be invaluable during this process, both in gathering information and in helping your senior to feel better. They can assist with monitoring symptoms and noticing potential triggers, especially if they spend a great deal of time with your senior. In-home care providers can also help your senior to stick with the care plan that she and her doctor have established. Consistency can be a big part of making sure that the care plan that your senior has is the right one for her.
You may not be able to completely get rid of your senior’s headaches or migraines, but you can certainly help her to get the best quality of life possible. Working with elderly care providers can also help her to feel less stress around getting more done, which can be another possible trigger for her.