COVID-19 has completely altered life as we knew it. From the macro impact to the global economies to the its medical threat, each and every aspect of life has completely been changed.
One such facet of life that has been modified in the corona-times is the world of employment. After work-from-home got implemented globally as offices shut down everywhere to reduce the threat of transmission, people were forced to turn their homes into their offices.
This has introduced newer challenges in the lives of the people. Managing work, the house, children, everything has become more difficult. It is especially gruesome to deal with these problems with a raging migraine.
Migraines are not just ordinary headaches; targeting just one part of the head, the throbbing pain is accompanied by varying symptoms like nausea, weakness, sensitivity to light and noise etc. These can be severely incapacitating and prevent one from carrying out the ordinary chores.
It is very likely that your migraines are getting worse due to COVID-19 situation and the anxieties that it has brought forth. In this case, please visit the best neurologist in Lahore to get help and rule out any other underlying reasons.
Whilst it is relatively easier to manage family with migraine with the prospect of help around, work is a different ball game altogether. However, to help you battle so many challenges simultaneously, we have compiled some tips to make migraine management easier, while working from home.
Talk to your superiors
Since there is no solution or treatment of the condition itself, one can safely assume that those suffering from chronic migraines will keep getting them. Hence, rather than finding excuses every time, it is best to be upfront to your superiors and tell them about your serious medical condition.
It does not matter during a migraine whether you are at home or work, it simply renders one unproductive. Therefore, have a detailed conversation about how you will not be able to do the work at the moment on account of your health, but later after the attack.
Talk to your colleagues
Sometimes, the situation is as such that even your supervisor cannot help with the workload. Deadlines strike all the time and work cannot be abandoned. It therefore helps to have a colleague as your confidant, someone who can cover for you and help you with your work. However, it is on you to not abuse this trust and act with integrity.
Take your medication
Migraine, if not treated timely, has the potential to morph into a chronic attack that takes more time and medication to get better. Therefore, take your medication immediately on the onset of symptoms.
Since you are now at home, move away from the work, take your pills out and drown them with water. Leave the work where it was before it gets progressively worse.
Rest
Most people suffering from migraine tend to experience sensitivity to sound and light. As the body deals with the pain prior to the medication kicking in, it is best to take a nap. Draw the curtains, turn off the devices, and just lay down in the cool dark room. Nothing helps the body like rest.
Moreover, as restlessness and stress are amongst the reasons behind migraine, it also effectively helps to relieve the causes of the condition to begin with.
Screen time
Since work from homes require extraordinary use of screens, it can be troublesome for people who are battling with migraine. Therefore, you should move away from the screens (and word) and do not aggravate the pain with more screen time.
If it is imperative for them to do some digital chores, at least use a blue light filter to not make it worse than it already is.
Make the executive decision
You are the best judge of how much and how far you can manage the work. Some people take the prophylaxis so are able to work through the attack or jump back into work after a short nap or break. However, others might not have this luxury during their migraine and get debilitated after its onset.
For the former, take whatever helps. Caffeine helps some people to ward off to pain. Others benefit by using an ice pack cool damp cloth on their nape or on the forehead. Sometimes, it is easier to use these precautions and work through migraine, as well as possible. It can be helpful as logging off might not be an option for some.
Take time off
As long as one is in a virtual office, the pressures are still the same. Hence, if the extent of pain is so much that working is becoming harder, take time off and call it a day; just because one is working from home, does not mean one has to work still.
Taking a day off entails having the luxury to not do the work. This break can be conducive towards helping the body recover from the pain and migraine lows.
De-stress
Migraines can get worse due to anxiety and stress. Considering the global situation, everyone is already at the end of their tether and work induced anxieties are literally the last nail in the coffin.
Therefore, to avoid migraine attacks from worsening and their frequency increasing, it is imperative to have a destressing strategy. Take up meditation or yoga as they help to reduce stress. Try making time out for yourself. Take a few breaks here and there if things are getting overwhelming. Do not obsess over the world and the news; there is little that you can do. Getting worried will jeopardize your health, hence distance yourself before your body cripples under the stresses.
Also, it is crucial to not let the anxiety energy of the work taint the energy of your entire house. Draw boundaries and designate a workspace in your house and leave it once you are done with your work. Do not carry your work with you throughout the day as it will take a toll on your health.
Migraines are not something easy. The pain is tremendous and should not be made light of. If they are getting progressively worse, reach out for the best neurologist in Karachi and get the help you need.
