What To Do For A Migraine:
With this type of headache, you’ll experience pain all day, every day for at least three consecutive months. The pain ranges from moderate to severe and affects only one side of your head. Strenuous physical activity, dehydration, alcohol, caffeine, stress, weather changes, and hormonal fluctuations can all contribute to attacks, she notes. So if you encountered any of those things in the days leading up to an episode, record it. This can help you and your doctor spot potential patterns (say, you see an uptick of issues near your period), Dr. Preston explains. You can store info in a written journal, the Notes app on your phone, or via an app like Migraine Monitor.
It may take time to find a treatment option that’s right for you. Let your healthcare provider know if your symptoms improve or get worse. A massage might be a good way to relax and practice self-care, but it can also help relieve tension and may even prevent headaches and migraine. One study found that 8 out of 10 people had their headache pain cut in half with just one massage treatment, and most reported nearly immediate relief. An extensive 2020 systematic review looked at studies that evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating migraine. The study authors found that acupuncture was a safe and effective treatment choice for people with migraine headaches.
For some people, an aura might occur before or during migraines. They’re usually visual but can also include other disturbances. Each symptom usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes and can last up to 60 minutes. Try keeping a headache diary and noting the frequency, intensity, and duration of attacks.
See a doctor right away or go to the emergency room if you have a headache with a stiff neck, fever, vomiting, numbness or weakness in the limbs, or trouble speaking. But medications can help prevent or stop them, or keep your symptoms from getting worse. The most common are migraine with aura (also known as a classic migraine) and migraine without aura (or common migraine).
However, these drugs are not always covered by insurance. Even when they are covered and the copay is reasonable, individuals typically have to try multiple other medications and find them ineffective before they’re allowed to try CGRP drugs. And these are also newer medications, so we don’t know about long-term side effects.
More research is needed to understand the extent and usefulness of ginger for treating migraine-related pain. The chemical menthol found in peppermint oil may help prevent migraine episodes, although there’s a very limited amount of research. my sources You don’t need a prescription to get painkillers like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. You can also buy migraine remedies that have a combination of pain relievers. Put an ice pack on your forehead, scalp, or neck to get pain relief.
With this type of migraine, the aura may gradually occur, with symptoms spreading over several minutes and moving from one symptom to another. After visual symptoms, people may have numbness, speech problems, and/or tingling in the face or hands. People who have episodic migraine have attacks up to 14 days a month. Thus, people with episodic migraine have fewer attacks a month than people with chronic ones.
A 2020 review of studies published in the journal Phytotherapy Research examined the ability of various herbal treatments, including lavender therapy for migraine. The authors found mixed or limited evidence to support the use of butterbur and feverfew for treating migraine but didn’t note that current research supports the use of lavender. Exercise that gets your heart pumping can prevent migraines, but it can also be a headache trigger for some people. This activity, though, with its slower movements, is a safe alternative. Research shows that regular yoga sessions cut the number of attacks you get and make them less intense when they do happen. Doctors don’t know the exact cause of migraine headaches, although they seem to be related to changes in your brain and to your genes.
Steps like making a plan and identifying triggers can help you prevent migraines from occurring. Additionally, in cases in which medications aren’t yielding results, Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) injections can be considered. In this therapy, doctors target specific areas in your forehead, temples, sides, and back of the head and neck. Though the frequency and intensity of migraines are reduced, the effect is temporary, and appointments are needed every three months.
Biofeedback is a therapy that involves learning how to consciously control bodily functions that are typically unconscious. For example, a person might learn how to relax muscles. Acupressure involves applying pressure to specific parts of the body. The my sources aim of stimulating these points is to alleviate pain. When you have a migraine, use home remedies that have been effective for you in the past. Make your tax-deductible gift and be a part of the cutting-edge research and care that’s changing medicine.
A healthcare provider can help you with this, so migraines don’t take over your life. Be cautious when taking over-the-counter reference pain relievers. Sometimes, overusing them can cause analgesic-rebound headaches or a dependency problem.