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What Causes a Migraine Headache and How to Relieve It

What is a Migraine Headache?

A migraine headache is a neurological disease, and is usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, and can also often be accompanied by photophobia as well, which is that of hypersensitivity to light. There are certain signs and symptoms of a typical migraine headache, which are important to realize not only if you have never had a migraine headache before, but also if you have them regularly so that you can determine when the onset of one is happening.

The typical signs and symptoms of a migraine headache are: the prodome, which happens hours or days before the migraine; the aura, which is what immediately precedes the migraine; the headache phase, and lastly the postdrome, which quite obviously is what occurs immediately after the migraine. The typical migraine consists of throbbing and can also be intensely aggravated by light and physical activity, and the pain may be bilateral at the onset or it can start on one side and then become generalized.

How to Relieve a Migraine Headache

There are many approaches available that you can take to relieve your migraine headaches, and they include everything from herbal and home remedies to prescriptions and medications. Physical therapy is also considered to be extremely helpful in this regards, and chiropractic adjustments to the upper cervical spine are also found to be incredibly effective. Stress management activities, such as massage therapy and relaxation, are also incredibly helpful, and they may also help to make attacks happen less often.

However the best method of all of course is that of prevention, and the best way to prevent migraines is to find out what events or activities actually cause their onset, and then you should obviously try to avoid these triggers or at least limit them as much as you can.

As well, if you have consulted your physician and they prescribed you medication, you must make sure that you take it exactly as prescribed in order for it to work properly. If you do happen to miss a dose, ask your doctor what you should do, and never use medications such as these improperly, as using them too often can in fact cause a condition called rebound headaches, and with this condition not only will your medication stop helping the existing pain that you have, but it can also cause you to experience more headaches.