There is no specific cure for migraine headaches. The goal is to prevent symptoms by avoiding or changing your triggers. A good way to identify triggers is to keep a headache diary. Write down: When your headaches occur ? How severe they are ? What you’ve eaten ? How much sleep you had ? Other symptoms and other possible factors. (women should note where they are in their menstrual cycle)

 

For example, the diary may reveal that your headaches tend to occur more often on days when you wake up earlier than usual. Changing your sleep schedule may result in fewer migraine attacks. When you do get migraine symptoms, try to treat them right away. The headache may be less severe. When migraine symptoms begin:…..

• Drink water to avoid dehydration, especially if you have vomited
• Rest in a quiet, darkened room
• Place a cool cloth on your head

Many different medications are available for people with migraines. Medicines are used to:

• Reduce the number of attacks
• Stop the migraine once early symptoms occur
• Treat the pain and other symptoms

REDUCING ATTACKS

If you have frequent migraines, your doctor may prescribe medicine to reduce the number of attacks. Such medicine needs to be taken every day in order to be effective. Such medications may include:

• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline
• Blood pressure medicines such as beta blockers (propanolol) or calcium channel blockers (verapamil)
• Seizure medication such as valproic acid and topiramate
• Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as venlafaxine

STOPPING AN ATTACK

Other medicines are taken at the first sign of a migraine attack. Over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin are often helpful, especially when your migraine is mild. (Be aware, however, that overuse or misuse of such pain medications may result in rebound headaches.) If these don’t help, ask your doctor about prescription medications.

Your doctor can select from several different types of medications, including:

• Triptans — the most frequently prescribed medicines for stopping migraine attacks — such as almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex), and zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• Ergots such as dihydroergotamine or ergotamine with caffeine (Cafergot)
• Isometheptene (Midrin)

These medications come in different forms. Patients who have nausea and vomiting with their migraines may be prescribed a nasal spray or injection instead of pills.

Some migraine medicines narrow your blood vessels and should not be used if you are at risk for heart attacks or have heart disease, unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider. Ergots should not be taken if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, because they can cause serious side effects to an unborn baby.

TREATING SYMPTOMS

Other medications are primarily given to treat the symptoms of migraine. Used alone or in combinations, these drugs can reduce your pain, nausea, or emotional distress. Medications in this group include:

• Nausea medicines such as prochlorperazine
• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Sedatives such as butalbital
• Narcotic pain relievers such as meperidine
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen

If you wish to consider an alternative, feverfew is a popular herb for migraines. Several studies, but not all, support using feverfew for treating migraines. If you are interested in trying feverfew, make sure your doctor approves. Also, know that herbal remedies sold in drugstores and health food stores are not regulated. Work with a trained herbalist when selecting herbs.

Complications

Migraine headaches generally represent no significant threat to your overall health. However, they can be a long-term (chronic) problem and may interfere with your day-to-day life.

Prevention

Understanding your headache triggers can help you avoid foods and situations that cause your migraines. Keep a headache diary to help identify the source or trigger of your symptoms. Then modify your environment or habits to avoid future headaches.

Other tips for preventing migraines include:

• Avoid smoking
• Avoid alcohol
• Avoid artificial sweeteners and other known food-related triggers
• Get regular exercise
• Get plenty of sleep each night
• Learn to relax and reduce stress — some patients have found that biofeedback and self-hypnosis helps reduce the number of migraine attacks

Tags: attacks, counter pain, cure, headache diary, herbs, identify, medications, migraine, migraine attacks, migraine headaches, migraines, prevent, reduce number, Symptoms, Treatment options, treatments, triggers

This entry was posted on Friday, July 9th, 2010 at 1:28 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.