It can really take a toll on an entire family when even one member is suffering from migraines. If you are wondering how to deal with your kids and mate, maintain the house, hold down a job, and afford the healthcare you need – this article is for you.

Let’s look at six things you can do to reduce the impact that migraines have on your household.

#1 Teach Your Family

The better your family understands what migraines are and the impact behind them, the better position you will be in when you need to ask for quiet time, help, or for your loved ones to be understanding. Obviously, children have to be taught in connection with their age, so you may not be able to get into all the details about symptoms. Plus, you don’t want to scare your kids into thinking you are dying. However, you should explain your needs and how to respond when you have an attack.

#2 Strive to Be Consistent

Kids thrive in a consistent household, so while migraines may throw you off your game, they shouldn’t change a child’s routine if at all possible. Obviously, if a migraine occurs during a time you are supposed to be reading to the kids, that may change things up. Even then, your mate will hopefully step in and keep up the routine. Don’t let the kids fall into thinking they can do whatever they want because you need to go to a dark room to lay down. Whatever homework or chores they had should be done when you get up.

#3 Maintain Your Composure

If you want your family to keep their cool about your condition, you need to do the same. Your kids will be scared if you are, but if you express yourself confidently, then the children will know you have things under control. Do the same with your mate. If you don’t want your spouse to get frustrated with you and any limitations your condition may cause, try to be understanding and not get frustrated when he or she fails to show empathy on occasion. Your coping behavior will likely dictate that of the entire household.

#4 Ask for Help and Accept It

Your mate may not be in a position to provide all of the assistance you need, so don’t be afraid to include friends and other family members, especially those who live close by. You may be able to have your parents watch the kids occasionally. Or you may have a close friend you can call upon for a trip run to the store, pharmacy, etc. As an added benefit, when the kids see you accepting help and even asking for it, they learn to do so as well.

#5 Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself

It can be easy to spend all of your time feeling bad about what you haven’t accomplished or worrying about when the next attack will strike. Learn to adjust your expectations of yourself (even if you feel that others haven’t made the same adjustment). Don’t be afraid to make plans just because you may have to cancel sometimes. If you want to take a vacation, book an Airbnb with a good cancellation policy. Take vacations you can drive to instead of worrying about non-refundable plane tickets. RSVP to that wedding, even if your plate ends up going uneaten. It’s okay to do what you can and not stress about the rest.

#6 Try Upper Cervical Chiropractic

This is a natural form of care that more and more migraine patients are discovering. It offers a drug-free and cost-effective means of reducing the frequency and severity of migraines and has a high success rate for those with an upper cervical misalignment. Who is a prime candidate for upper cervical care?

• Migraine patients with a history of head or neck trauma
• Migraine patients who have neck pain before or during a migraine
• Anyone with a misaligned C1 and C2

When the C1 and C2 become misaligned, this can result in migraines in three primary ways.

• Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Drainage – If this drainage is inhibited by a misalignment, increased intracranial pressure may result and lead to recurring migraines.
• Blood Flow – The C1 and C2 also play a key role in blood flow to the brain via the vertebral foramen (tiny loops of bone that provide passage for the vertebral arteries). A misalignment may affect this flow of blood and cause migraines.
• Brainstem Function – The brainstem has been linked to migraines by researchers. Since the C1 (atlas) houses the brainstem, even a slight misalignment may result in pressure and inhibited function.

Natural Migraine Prevention

How is an upper cervical misalignment corrected? Upper cervical chiropractors use diagnostic imaging to precisely measure a misalignment and then calculate the exact adjustments needed to correct the problem. A low force correction means that minimal pressure is applied to get the C1 and C2 back into place. This makes upper cervical care safe and effective for the whole family.

As adjustments hold, you can go longer between visits. That also makes this a cost-effective option, which is something most migraine patients can appreciate. After all, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, families in the US with at least one migraine sufferer spend an average of 70% more on healthcare per year.

If upper cervical chiropractic sounds like something you want to try, call a practitioner in your area to schedule a consultation. You may be about to take your first step on the road to better overall health and well-being.

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