Migraine Prevention:
There are also behavioral treatment options and lifestyle changes that can help. Applying ice or cold packs to painful area is an easy way to reduce migraine pain. In one study from 2015, 20 people who frequently experienced migraines either had full or partial relief after spraying a cooling mist into their nose. In another study, see researchers found that icing the neck at the onset of a headache reduced pain intensity after 30 minutes. To qualify for preventive treatment, patients should be experiencing migraines more than four days a month. Measures taken to prevent migraine headaches, a type of headache that some people get repeatedly over time.
Increased screen time, poor posture, and changes in your normal routine could all be contributing to an uptick in headaches or migraine attacks. CGRP is a protein in the brain and nervous system that plays a role in pain transmission and the way that tissues and blood vessels respond to pain. Blood levels of CGRP are elevated when a migraine attack strikes, and subside when these attacks are effectively treated. Your doctor may recommend topiramate (Qudexy XR, Topamax) or valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote) to prevent headaches. Preventive prescription medications for migraine are offered in many forms such as tablets, nasal sprays and injections. Medication classes used to prevent migraine include antiepileptics, antidepressants, antihypertensives, onabotulinumtoxin-A and CGRP antibodies.
Research suggests that going to sleep can stop a migraine. No set amount of sleep time is known to be necessary, and every case varies. Evidence suggests that applying pressure on several points can help reduce nausea. They include Li4, or “Hegu,” found between the thumb and active forefinger, and PC6, on the inside arm, about three finger lengths up from the wrist. The presence or absence of caffeine, as in coffee or certain teas, can affect the dilation of the vessels. Both too much of this substance or withdrawal from it can bring on migraines.
Acupuncture may be as impactful as daily meditation when used for reference. Research studies that have reported the benefits of acupuncture for migraine prevention generally involved treatments ranging from several times per week to several times per month. Even though you can get it over-the-counter, do not use magnesium for migraine prevention without your healthcare provider’s approval, because it can interact with other medications. Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant and experience migraines.
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can aggravate how often you have migraines. Mild pain and redness at the site of the IV are the most common side effects. Although we can’t always control stressful situations, we can control how we react to them. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and biofeedback can help reduce levels of stress.
Research on pressure points and reflexology in managing headaches suggests that even massages on the feet, hands, and earlobes may help relieve migraine pain. A diary may help you determine what triggers your migraines. Note when your migraines started, what you were doing at the time, how long they lasted and what, if anything, provided relief. The same lifestyle choices that promote overall good health also can reduce the number of migraines you have and lessen the migraine pain.
Whereas other people need both an acute and a preventive treatment plan. Preventive treatment reduces the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. It might be a daily oral medication, a monthly injection, or even injections and infusions that are delivered once every three months. The right medications combined with lifestyle changes can be helpful to improve the lives of those living with migraine.
Headache duration and severity are important considerations, and significant decrease in these end points can lead to a dramatic reduction in disability and improved ability to function. It isn’t clear how beta-blockers work to prevent migraine attacks, but they may have different actions on the brain and reduce stress, which is a trigger for migraine. Natural approaches to preventing migraine can include making dietary changes. For example, if caffeine or alcohol triggers a person’s migraine headaches, then avoiding these can help prevent them. Staying hydrated, getting enough quality sleep, avoiding bright lights, and managing stress may also help.
Do your best to stick to a sleep schedule that will ensure adequate Zzzzs. Your provider may also order blood tests and imaging tests (such as a CT scan or an MRI) to make sure there aren’t any other causes for your headache. An electroencephalogram (EEG) may help your provider rule out other conditions. Up to 80% of people with migraines have a first-degree biological relative with the condition. Every migraine is different, and you won’t necessarily experience symptoms during all four stages of every migraine.
In animal pain models, antidepressants potentiate the effects of coadministered opioids. The antidepressants that are clinically effective in headache prevention either inhibit norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) reuptake or are antagonists at the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 (5-HT2) receptors. Although monotherapy is preferred, it often does not yield the desired therapeutic effect, and it may be necessary to combine preventive medications. The need for selective treatment of two disorders is illustrated in Case 2-2, in which a tricyclic antidepressant alone was inadequate to manage both migraine and major depression. Antidepressants are often used with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, and topiramate or divalproex sodium may be used in combination with any of these medications.