Migraine Treatment Options

There are several different ways to treat migraine headaches once you have been diagnosed. A doctor can help to decide what the right treatment will be and this will depend on the severity of the symptoms, frequency, and personal preferences. Some people chose traditional medical treatment involving medication. For others alternative medicine is an option they are more comfortable with.

Traditional medical treatment is what most people will use to treat their migraine headaches and for this a doctor will prescribe medication. There are two categories of medication that a doctor can prescribe, these are preventative and abortive.

Preventative medication is used for people with frequent migraines. These are medications that will be taken every day and will treat the causes of migraine headaches. High blood pressure will cause some people to have migraine headaches and beta blockers are used to treat these. For others depression will cause migraine headaches and antidepressants will be used. Antiseizure medication can be prescribed for seizures, and antihistamines will be used for those with allergies.

Abortive medication is a medication that will help to prevent a migraine headache. It can also be used to stop a migraine headache once it has started. These medications if taken during prodrome or headache phase can stop the migraine headache. There are two different ways to take them, one type can be an injection that a person gives themselves and the other melts on the tongue. These are broken down into three groups that each have a different effect.

Triptans will treat headache pain by effecting the serotonin in the brain. These drugs are typically; Imitrex, Zomig, Relpax, Amerge, Naramig, Maxalt, Frova, and Axert. Most of these triptans can be used during aura phase for relief except for Frova which cannot. The possible side effects are; discomfort of the throat, head, jaw, chest, and arm, and cramps. The only triptan with different side effects is Relpax, which has those side effects plus dry mouth, dizziness, increased tiredness, numbness, and tingling sensation.

The next group of medications also effects the serotonin as well as some of the other chemicals in the brain and will be prescribed if the triptans are not effective. These medications include; Cafergot, Dihydroergotamine, and Midrin. Cafergot can be taken during aura phase but is rarely prescribe today because its side effect is extreme nausea and vomiting. Dihydroergotamie is a nasal spray that can be taken during aura phase and its side effects are numbness in hands and feet and nausea. Midrin can be taken during aura phase and its side effects are nausea and sedation.

The last group of abortive medication is the group of narcotics which can help stop a migraine headache. These are only used when other medications are not working and can only be taken for a short period of time because they are addictive. These medications are Fioricet, Fiorinal, and Tylenol With Codeine. It is important to monitor these drugs because the side effect is addiction, but it will stop the pain from a migraine headache.

A doctor can also prescribe medication to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with migraine headaches. One symptom of a migraine headache is depression so a doctor may want to have you begin taking an antidepressant. Some antidepressants that are used for migraine headaches are; Norpramin, Sinequan, Tofranil, Pamelor, and Vivactil. Side effects for this type of medication are; fatigue, dry mouth, headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, increased appetite, and weight gain.

There are also medications that are used to stop nausea because nausea is a symptom that many people suffering from migraine headaches will feel. In some people this will also help with the headache phase of a migraine headache. This is usually in pill for but some people will become so nauseated that they will be unable to take the medication orally and will need a rectal suppository. These medications include; Thorazine, Phenergan, Reglan, Compazine, and Tigan.

Most of the medications are available in both pill and suppository form except Thorazine which is only available as a suppository. side effects of these medications include; drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, upset stomach, excitability, nightmares, uncontrolled muscle actions, and lip smacking. Tigan will also have hypotension as a side effect, and Reglan can have diarrhea and some will become sensitive to light.

Alternative medicine can be used for people who do not want to take medication or can be used with the medication to assist in the treatment of migraine headaches. Biofeedback, stress management, massage, acupuncture, herbs , and diet changes are all forms of alternative medicine that may be used in the treatment of migraine headaches. There are some doctors who will practice these alternative medicines, but patients should be cautious and check for credentials as there are some people practicing alternative medicine who are not honest.

Biofeedback is helpful to those who suffer migraines due to stress. During this process electrodes are attached to your body to measure temperature and muscle tension. With this information people are able to learn to train their bodies to control the blood that is flowing to the brain. This will not mean that migraines will not happen anymore but it does diminish the occurrence and length of a migraine headache.

Massage therapy is used by many migraine headache sufferers who say that it works for them. However, clinical trials have been conducted and there was no real evidence shown to prove that this method works. There are people though who use massage therapy for their migraine headache relief because it does help relieve stress which can cause migraine headaches. Massage therapy will also increase the blood flow to areas of the body including the back, neck, and head which can help relieve some of the symptoms of migraine headaches.

Acupuncture is very helpful for those who experience migraine headaches because the relief it brings can last for months. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that is said to allow the body to control pain and illness. During acupuncture fine needles will be inserted into different points in the body. This is said to release chemicals into the body that can reduce pain which will bring relief to someone with a migraine headache.

Aromatherapy is one type of herbal treatment that some people use in treating migraine headaches. In this treatment people will rub essential oils on their bodies and smell them, which is thought to relieve stress and tension. Ginger lavender, and peppermint oils are the main essential oils that people will use for this therapy.

Herbs like feverfew are yet another form of alternative medicine that will treat a migraine headache. Feverfew is an herb that is said to help reduce the occurrence of a migraine headache. Some people will use this herb to help prevent a migraine headache, but this is typically only effective in people with mild migraine headaches. Studies have been conducted and have found that there are very few side effects of feverfew but they also did not find a lot of evidence proving that this is effective.

Diet changes are also used as an alternative method of treating migraine headaches. This is because for some people the only trigger they have is certain foods. These people will begin by keeping a diary documenting what is eaten, the time it is eaten, and the time their migraine headache occurs. By doing this some people are able to figure out what food is triggering their migraine headache. After they discover what foods are causing their migraine headache they will eliminate those foods from their diet. This form of treatment is typically used along with another form of treatment that will help with the pain.

Next, we are going to talk about Alternative Relief Options For Migraines.