Maintaining a migraine diary and identifying triggers may provide relief, while some individuals also benefit from regular physical treatments like massage, acupuncture or craniosacial therapy.
Triptans, painkillers intended to relieve migraine attacks, and antinausea drugs like ondansetron or prochlorperazine may reduce symptoms like light and sound sensitivity.
Preventing migraines.
Although migraine cannot be cured, treatments can ease and prevent symptoms, including over-the-counter or prescription medicines for immediate relief, triptans for instantaneous comfort and preventive medicines taken regularly to decrease frequency of headaches.
Avoid migraine triggers such as aged cheeses, alcohol, additives (like aspartame and monosodium glutamate) and processed or cured meats like hot dogs and pepperoni; hormonal fluctuations during menstruation in women can also trigger migraine attacks while changes to barometric pressure or strong winds may increase your chance of an attack.
Some antiseizure drugs appear to help prevent migraines and chronic daily headaches, including topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR), divalproex sodium (Depakote), gabapentin (Neurontin and Gralise), as well as new class of medicines called CGRP inhibitors which may also help. You may need to try multiple medicines until finding one that helps; keeping a diary may assist healthcare providers in pinpointing your triggers and provide insights.
Dealing with migraines.
Migraine pain typically presents itself in throbbing or pounding waves that affect one side of the head. It often comes with nausea and other symptoms, including light or sound sensitivity and headache.
Migraines can last from hours or days and may seriously disrupt your daily routine, often appearing in clusters: weeks or months when multiple migraine attacks arise every week or more. Migraines differ from tension-type headaches (TTH), which don’t affect the brain but cause other symptoms instead.
Assimilation of over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen may provide temporary relief from migraine symptoms. You can also opt for triptans – prescription pain medications for migraine sufferers.
Lifestyle changes may also help, including getting enough restful sleep and avoiding triggers like disrupted sleeping and stress to decrease migraine frequency. Beyond medication, non-medication therapies like acupuncture, biofeedback, goggles or hypnosis as well as herbal or homeopathic remedies may also prevent or treat migraine attacks.
Managing migraines.
An ongoing migraine can be crippling and should be taken seriously; though there is no definitive cure, treatment can reduce symptoms by making them less severe and reduce how often they resurface.
Doctors can diagnose migraines by conducting an exam of your head and neck, taking medical history information, and ordering tests – such as a CT (Computed Tomography) scan to check for infections, brain tumors, stroke or any other health conditions that might contribute to headaches.
At the first sign of an attack, triptans can provide immediate pain relief and should be taken at once to help alleviate symptoms. Other drugs used to help prevent migraines include angiotensin II receptor blockers such as candesartan, antiseizure medications such as valproic acid or topiramate and antidepressants like amitriptyline nortriptyline and venlafaxine as well as herbs or supplements such as riboflavin coenzyme Q10 feverfew and butterbur which may also help treat or prevent migraine attacks.
Treating migraines.
Migraines can be more severe than common headaches, disrupting work, school and social life. Luckily, there are effective treatments and prevention methods available for migraine sufferers.
As the first step in treating migraines, speaking to your GP about what’s happening should be your priority. They may ask about frequency, symptoms, triggers and what may cause migraine attacks in you. You may wish to keep a migraine journal or diary to identify patterns more quickly.
As most chronic migraine sufferers require both acute and preventative treatments, acute treatments aim to ease pain once it starts while preventive medicine works to stop it reoccurring.
Medication may include angiotensin II receptor blockers, antiseizure drugs such as valproic acid and topiramate, antidepressants such as amitriptyline and venlafaxine, blood pressure medications (such as candesartan, verapamil or propranolol) as well as blood pressure medicines like candesartan, verapamil or propranolol; also CGRP inhibitors like Botox(r), Erenumab (Aimovig) or Fremanezumab (Ajovy), may help treat chronic migraine; exercise, sleep quality as well as healthy diet are important as well.
