Sleep, eating on a regular schedule and staying hydrated are key steps towards mitigating migraine attacks. A headache diary might also help identify triggers.
Painkillers may help alleviate symptoms during a migraine attack. Talk to your physician about whether and how often painkillers should be taken, as well as whether or not they’re safe for you.
Relaxation Techniques
Migraine relief goes beyond medication alone. Healthy habits and simple solutions, such as exercise, sleep, diet and relaxation techniques can all play an integral role in decreasing or even preventing migraine headaches from starting in the first place.
Paced breathing can help your body relax by slowly inhaling and exhaling through your nose. While this technique may take some practice to master, try practicing at least 20 minutes each time for several sessions to gain its benefits.
Progressive muscle relaxation entails gradually tightening and then relaxing muscles throughout the body, beginning from your toes and progressing upward through legs, abdomen, arms and shoulders. This technique serves to distract from pain while relieving tension throughout your system.
Meditation and mindfulness practices (think of them as “stop and observe” mental activities) have been proven to lower stress levels – often one of the triggers for migraines. Speak to your doctor about finding a trained therapist to guide these techniques; alternatively use guided imagery apps that transport users to peaceful environments filled with visual and auditory details to engage all your senses.
Over-the-Counter Medication
Acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen are popular pain relievers for migraines; others prefer combination medications such as Excedrin Migraine or Goody’s Headache Powder with Acetaminophen Aspirin Caffeine for optimal results. Be careful to follow dosage recommendations on package and not exceed them as taking too much acetaminophen can damage liver tissue.
These medications work best if taken as soon as the headache begins, or when used in combination with other treatments like ice packs and menthol rubs to alleviate symptoms. Doing this more than twice weekly could cause medication overuse headache, so avoid doing it more than this often.
Over-the-counter medications do not treat the root causes of migraine headaches, so if you suffer from frequent or severe headaches it is advisable to speak to your healthcare team and seek prescription specifically tailored to migraine attacks, such as triptans.
Prescription Medication
Medication may help relieve migraine pain and help prevent future attacks, so consulting with a physician to select the most effective medication is key to staying migraine free.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), aspirin and naproxen sodium (Aleve(r), Naproxen(r)) can reduce headache pain by decreasing inflammation and blocking pain signals. Many migraine products combine NSAIDs with other ingredients for targeted relief from specific symptoms.
Triptans such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, Tosymra), and rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT) work by blocking pain pathways in the brain and can stop attacks before they even begin. Triptans work best if taken at the first sign of pain but should be used with caution in people with coronary artery disease or high blood pressure.
The Food and Drug Administration recently granted approval of three migraine prevention medicines administered as nasal sprays: Erenumab-aooe (Aimovig), Fremanezumab-vfrm (Emgality), and Galcanezumab-gnlmab (Gallcanezumab). Collectively known as gepants, these anti-migraine medications work by inhibiting activation of CGRP proteins in the brain – alleviating other associated symptoms like nausea as well as light/sound sensitivity.
