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It's bad enough that we have to
deal with unfriendly environments when we're away from home. Our homes should be
our refuge, the place that's safest and most comfortable for us. Let's take a
look at ways to make our homes more head pain friendly:
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1) Reduce or eliminated
fragranced items in your home, especially if they're a trigger for you.
If fragrance seems not to be a problem or is a minor problem, limit
yourself to a single fragrance rather than mixing fragrances. Remember,
fragrances can gang up on us when we have a headache or Migraine. They can
very quickly add to our nausea, making our home an unpleasant place for
us. So, plan ahead, and reduce fragrances now.
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2) Following the fragrance
thought: If you're sensitive to fragrances, keep that in mind when you
shop for cleaning products. Even if they don't contain fragrance, the
smell of the chemicals in them can linger and either be a trigger or make
you feel worse if you have a headache or Migraine. Even some of the
products that make the bathroom bowl "sparkling blue" have fragrance, so
read the labels.
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3) Make a room your "comfort room"
where you can retreat.
- Choose a room that's in as quiet an
area of your house as possible.
- Install darkening shades on the
windows so you can make it as dark as possible.
- If you're more comfortable lying down
when you have a headache or Migraine, be sure there's a comfortable
place to lie down. If you need to sit or recline, try a nice recliner or
comfortable chair.
- Put a small lamp with a low wattage
bulb in your room.
- Be sure to have a box of tissues and a
trash can.
- Some people find that the fragrance of
peppermint or peppermint candy can help with nausea. If you're one of
those people, keep a peppermint candle or some peppermint candy in your
room.
- If you can tolerate soft sound, you
may want to have a CD player with soft music CD's or a relaxation CD.
- Anything else that makes you more
comfortable.
- This can also be a good place for your
meds, as mentioned below.
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4) Simplify household chores by
making lists of tasks that need to be done on a daily basis and tasks that
need to be done on particular days. Do this on the computer so you can
change them easily and print copies as needed. If they're delegated to
family members, make note of who is to do what. Keep copies of them in a
place where everyone knows to look for them. Then, if you're unable to do
or oversee chores, your home can still run smoothly and remain friendly to
you instead of becoming a stressor.
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5) Find a safe, special place in your home
for your medications that's easy for you to access but where nobody
else will find them, especially children. The bathroom is not a good place
for medications because of the temperature changes from hot baths and
showers. If available, a locking night stand drawer is an excellent
location.
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6) Make your kitchen
more friendly by being ready for meals, snacks, and drinks.
- If you can't eat when you have a
headache or Migraine, it's still important to keep yourself hydrated. Be
sure to talk to your doctor about antinausea meds.
- Then be sure to keep your pantry
stocked with what you like to drink. If you can't eat, think about
nutrition when selecting drinks and consider juices and broths.
- If you can eat, try to keep foods
you'll eat at these times stocked. You can cook ahead and freeze to make
things easier. "Comfort foods" tend to be good at these times, but don't
compound things by forgetting and eating trigger foods.
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7) Don't forget to
prepare the bathroom!
- Install a darkening window shade so
you can make the bathroom dark.
- Put a good nightlight in the bathroom.
That's probably all the light you'll need, and possibly all you'll be
able to tolerate at times.
- Keep a roll of paper towels and some
small trash bags in the cabinet. That way, if you have to clean up after
yourself, it's all disposable.
- If there's room, stash a small pillow
in the bathroom. If you're sick, you may need to sit on it or even lie
down for a few minutes.
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