Migraines are a type of headache which affects both your brain and nervous system, often manifesting themselves with severe headaches that recur throughout life. Migraines can be debilitating and lead to considerable impairment.
Simple painkillers such as ibuprofen, aspirin and paracetamol may help provide effective migraine pain relief. But taking these drugs too frequently increases the risk of medication overuse headache; so always consult your GP before taking too many of these medicines regularly.
Prescription Medications
Migraines can be difficult to treat, and no single medication can prevent all episodes. But certain medicines can help manage pain, nausea and light sensitivity during an attack.
Triptans, such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, Onzetra and Tosymra), rizatriptan (Maxalt), naratriptan (Almitrazepam) and zolmitriptan (Zomig), are medications known as triptans that work by narrowing your blood vessels to block pain pathways in your brain and narrow blood vessels to stop bleeding. You can take these as pills, injections or nasal sprays; although they might not work for everyone and could increase risk for heart attacks or stroke.
Many older medications also work effectively for people living with migraines, and may even be covered by their health insurance provider. Examples include beta-blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor), propranolol and venlafaxine (Effexor XR/Pristiq), as well as antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil), which may help relieve symptoms while often available as generics.
Alternative Therapies
Migraines can cause much more than headaches; they also often involve nausea, light or sound sensitivity and other disabling symptoms that impede daily living. Many find relief through home treatments and complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM; complementary and alternative medicine therapies such as acupuncture, botulinum toxin injections and mind-body therapies).
Dietary changes and supplements may also help prevent migraines. Studies indicate that fish oil may help alleviate headache pain; however, additional research needs to be completed. Furthermore, studies show riboflavin, magnesium, calcium and folate all offer relief; feverfew has only mild side effects but still requires further investigation.
Studies suggest massage and reflexology may relieve migraine symptoms, yet additional research needs to be conducted. Green light therapy helps mitigate migraines by forcing the brain to send fewer electrical signals; it may also increase production of pain-relieving chemicals by the brain. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen at elevated pressures; one three-arm RCT concluded it reduced migraine pain significantly but more research should be undertaken before making definitive statements.
Lifestyle Changes
Changes to eating, sleeping and exercise habits on a regular schedule can help prevent migraines. Avoid foods and beverages known to trigger migraines if possible and increase consumption of healthful options like fish and nuts to lower your risk.
Some herbs, such as feverfew and butterbur, may provide relief from migraine symptoms; however, their effectiveness remains untested and potential adverse side effects should be carefully considered before using these treatments.
When suffering from migraines, it’s essential to have pain relievers and preventive medication on hand at all times so you can quickly address symptoms as soon as they appear. A headache diary will allow you to identify patterns and collaborate with your healthcare provider on developing an effective treatment plan – there may not be a cure yet but by following such plans regularly you may reduce both frequency and severity. Talk to them today to explore their best options!
