A migraine is a severe heading that can cause throbbing pain, usually on just one side of the head. Someone experiencing a migraine may get nauseous and vomit, or become more sensitive to light and sound. Migraines can last for hours, or even days, usually lasting between four and seventy-two hours.

Thirteen percent of adults in the US experience migraines, which admittedly may seem like a small percentage. However, if you think about the fact that African Americans make up thirteen percent of the US population, you’ll realize that migraines are considerably common. In fact, you probably know a fair amount of people who experience migraines, even if they don’t talk about it often. Here is a list of some celebrities that experience migraines.

1. Kristen Chenoweth
2. Lisa Kudrow
3. Ben Affleck
4. Serena Williams
5. Janet Jackson
6. Carly Simon
7. Troy Aikman
8. Terrell Davis
9. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
10. Hugh Jackman
11. Whoopi Goldberg
12. Kanye West

Learning more about migraines can help you to better understand what people around you are going through, or even prepare you for your own future, as migraines usually start happening between the ages of 10 and 40. Those that are more likely to have migraines in their future are listed below, along with the percentage of people who suffer from migraines that fall into each category.

1. People who have a family history of migraines
2. Women
3. Caucasians, followed by African Americans and Asian Americans
4. People with pre-existing mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, epilepsy)
5. People between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-five
6. Low-income groups

There are prescription medications that help decrease the symptoms, although some of them may not work as well as others. Using too much medication can actually trigger more migraines, so those using them should be careful about the dose. You can also use over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen, but again, be extremely careful about overdosing.

Another way to prevent migraines is by establishing a consistent daily schedule. It helps to go to sleep and wake up at the same times every day, and even eating at the same time. Decreasing stress is also beneficial.

Exercising is another way to prevent migraines. Of course, exercising during a migraine probably isn’t a good idea, but if you work out regularly it can help you to avoid them.

Studies show that eating foods that contain Magnesium can also help to prevent migraines. Here is a list of some Magnesium-rich foods:

1. Spinach
2. Kale
3. Avocado
4. Bananas
5. Nuts and seeds
6. Raspberries
7. Figs
8. Black beans
9. Chickpeas
10. Kidney beans
11. Peas
12. Broccoli
13. Cabbage
14. Green beans
15. Artichokes
16. Asparagus
17. Brussels Sprouts
18. Salmon
19. Tuna
20. Brown rice
21. Dark chocolate
22. Tofu

You can also use a cold pack, pressing it against your forehead to make the pain subside a bit. Even ice cubes wrapped in a towel or a cold shower could help. Just keep the ice or cold pack on your forehead for fifteen minutes at a time, taking a fifteen-minute break between each.

Dimming the lights can also help, because of the extra sensitivity to light. You can close the blinds in your house, or just lie down with the lights off and try to fall asleep. If you are able to take a nap, you should, as the pain may be more or less gone by the time you wake up. If you have to go outside, wear sunglasses. This will also help with the sensitivity to light.

Some people who experience migraines have a hard time finding and keeping jobs because employers think they will be unreliable, but that’s absolutely not true. People also have a hard time understanding the severity of migraines if they don’t have personal experiences with them, and we all know that experiencing any kind of pain is only made more difficult when nobody understands you. That’s why it’s important to know about these things.

Thank you for reading this article all the way through. Hopefully, now you know some new ways to cope with migraines or help others cope with theirs. Awareness is key, so stay woke! (Oh man that was cringy)