How to treat migraines

Migraine, a French word derived from the Greek hemi crania half skull and the Old English megrim severe headache is a neurological syndrome characterized by altered bodily perceptions, headaches and nausea. It is more common to women than men. It is a type of recurring headache that involves blood vessels nerves and brain chemicals. The Collins Essential English Dictionary defines migraine as a throbbing headache usually affecting only one side of the head and commonly accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances. The American Heritage ® Science Dictionary defines it as a severe recurring headache, usually affecting only one side of the head that is characterized by sharp, throbbing pain and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and visual disturbances.

Has somebody ever told you that you have no choice but to live with that migraine forever? Have you ever thought if there was a way to treat your migraines? How many books have you read? How many sites or blogs have you checked just because of this migraine? Well the good news is that this is your last stop to finding a lasting solution to your migraine.

Before I continue, it’s one thing to have knowledge of something and it’s another to apply that particular knowledge exactly as it should be applied. So if you are the type that doesn’t take advice or instructions seriously, no matter what you read, you are going back to square one, period!

Treating your migraine goes far beyond taking aspirin. In fact, taking any pain relieving drug may make the matter worse. By knowing the causes, symptoms, classifications and the doctor’s diagnosis and treating it appropriately can help you avoid another visit to the ED. Statistics have shown that most migraineurs (migraine patient) are not using the medications that are specifically designed for migraine. Using any medication not specifically designed for migraine is therefore a fruitless effort.
There are definite steps you should take to treating your migraines.

They are:
1. If there are changes in your headaches or other symptoms are getting worse or you have a new headache, then you should see your doctor right away.

2. Acquire knowledge. Reading this material is a step to acquiring knowledge. What did your doctor say? Did he or she give you specific ideas on how to treat your migraine? Did he or she explain her diagnosis and were they explicit enough? If you were not satisfied with what the doctor said, seek the opinion of another doctor or someone knowledgeable in migraines. Also, learn all you can about migraines and headache types yourself. Not all headaches are migraine and you don’t have to have a headache before you can be diagnosed for having migraine. There are various methods for treating migraines. Educate yourself on which method is available to you.

3. You need to keep a track or record of your migraine attacks. Record when your attacks occur, what were you doing before the attack? what were the symptoms? what did you eat or drink? etc. When the attack occurs, you might be able to figure out what triggered it. Keeping record will allow you to see if any given treatment is working. If you don’t keep record, it’s hard to assess each migraine attack.
4. With different types of treatment available for migraine, you need to try one at a time.

TREATMENT OF MIGRAINES

Treatment of migraine can include non-medication and medication approaches.

Non-medication therapies for migraine:
Therapy that does not involve medications can provide symptomatic and preventative therapy. Using ice, biofeedback and relaxation techniques may be helpful at stopping an attack once it has started. If possible, sleep is the best medicine. Preventing migraine takes motivation for the patient to make some life changes. Patients are educated as to triggering factors that can be avoided. These include smoking, cessation, avoiding certain foods especially those high in tyramine (sharp cheeses) or those containing sulphites (wines) or nitrates (nuts, pressed meats). Generally, leaving a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition, adequate water intake, sufficient sleep and exercise may be useful. Acupunture has been suggested to be a useful non-medication therapy.

Triggers

A migraine trigger is any factor that, on exposure or withdrawal, leads to the development of an acute migraine headache. Triggers may be categorized as behavioral, environmental, infectious, dietary, chemical, or hormonal. In the medical literature, these factors are known as 'precipitants.'

The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, for example, offers the following list of migraine triggers:

Migraine attacks may be triggered by:

* Allergic reactions
* Bright lights, loud noises, and certain odors or perfumes
* Physical or emotional stress
* Changes in sleep patterns
* Smoking or exposure to smoke
* Skipping meals
* Alcohol
* Menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control pills, hormone fluctuations during the menopause transition
* Tension headaches
* Foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG) or nitrates (like bacon, hot dogs, and salami)
* Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods.

Bring an end to that migraine.