What is the best cure for migraine?
The best cure for migraine involves preventive medications and lifestyle changes. Some newer medications and therapies are effective in controlling the symptoms of migraine. Avoiding or controlling triggers may provide considerable benefit. Migraine can be prevented mainly by
- Daily use of medications
- Avoiding triggers
- Lifestyle changes
What is migraine?
Migraine is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent, intense, throbbing pain on either one side or both sides of the head. Most people with migraine feel the pain in one eye or ear or the temples.
Migraine can occur at any time of the day, although in some cases, it usually starts in the morning. Pain may last for a few hours or up to one to two days. The frequency of a migraine attack varies from individual to individual. In some, it may occur once or twice a week, whereas in others it may occur once or twice a year. Migraine significantly diminishes the quality of life.
Migraine is the third most prevalent disease and affects one billion people worldwide.
What are the medications that are useful in migraine?
Migraine medications do not cure migraine; instead, they treat or relieve the symptoms. Migraine can be treated using over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers or prescription medications, which include
- Pain medications: OTC medications such as aspirin or Advil (ibuprofen) are useful in relieving pain.
- Triptans: Imitrex (sumatriptan) or Maxalt (rizatriptan) are prescription drugs used for migraine.
- Reyvow (lasmiditan): This is a new oral tablet used for the treatment of migraine. Lasmiditan has been effective in relieving pain.
- Ubrelvy (ubrogepant): This is an oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist useful for the treatment of acute migraine with or without aura.
- Opioid medications: Narcotic medications that contain codeine are effective in treating migraine.
- Antiemetic drug: Reglan (metoclopramide) and Compro (prochlorperazine) are useful in treating nausea and vomiting accompanying the migraine.
Which preventive medications are useful in the treatment of migraine?
Individuals experiencing frequent headaches or headaches lasting for a long time may require preventive medications. Different medications used as preventive medications involve
- Blood pressure medications such as Inderal (propranolol), Corgard (nadolol), Covera (verapamil) and flunarizine
- Antiseizure medications such as Topamax (topiramate), Neurontin (gabapentin) and Depakote (divalproex sodium)
- Antidepressant medications such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline
- Botox injections such as Onabotulinium toxin A may be useful in patients who experience 15 headache days every month.
- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists such as Aimovig (erenumab), Ajovy (fremanezumab) and Emgality (galcanezumab) are beneficial to reduce migraine frequency. These medications are injected monthly or quarterly.
Which new devices are useful in the treatment of migraine?
There are now four new devices that allow patients to self-administer electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve, which has proven to be effective in treating migraine and cluster headaches.
- Cefaly: This device is worn as a headband around the forehead. The headband is connected to the electrode and then to the forehead for about 20 minutes.
- GammaCore: This device uses electrodes to send signals to the vagus nerves.
- Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS): This device sends a magnetic pulse that excites a part of the brain.
- Nerivio: This device transmits electrical pulses to the vagus nerve at the start of a migraine headache. It is worn on the arm.
What are some of the lifestyle changes useful in the treatment of migraine?
Some lifestyle changes that can help prevent the attack include
- Staying hydrated
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly but avoiding exertion
- Keeping track of all the triggers
- Taking preventive medicines to avoid migraine headaches around the time of periods
- Eating at regular intervals
- Reducing stress
- Avoiding foods that trigger attacks
- Rubbing or applying pressure to the spot where you feel pain
- Placing a cold cloth on the head during a headache
- Getting counseling sessions
SLIDESHOW
16 Surprising Headache Triggers and Tips for Pain Relief See SlideshowHarvard Medical School
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Migraines are most common in adults of working age. Since migraines are still misunderstood, there's not typically a lot of support at work. Talk to your employer and discuss sick policies. They may have information about managing migraines and work. You should also tread your company's Equality and Diversity and Health and Safety policies.
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How Long Do Migraines Last For?
Migraines typically last from four to 72 hours. The frequency of migraines differs for everyone, but usually, there would be two to four headaches per month. In some, the migraines may occur every few days, while others may get them once or twice a year.
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Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a genetic disorder that affects the small arteries in the brain, leading to stroke-like episodes, cognitive decline, and other symptoms. It can be life-threatening in some cases, but symptoms, severity, and progression of the disease varies. The exact mortality rate for people with CADASIL is not known, but a person with CADASIL on average lives for 61 years.
Migraine Headache
Migraine headache is a type of headache associated with a sensitivity to light, smells, or sounds, eye pain, severe pounding on one side of the head, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. The exact cause of migraine headaches is not known. Triggers for migraine headaches include certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, strong stimuli (loud noises), and oversleeping. Treatment guidelines for migraines include medicine, pain management, diet changes, avoiding foods that trigger migraines, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and exercising regularly. Prevention of migraine triggers include getting regular exercise, drinking water daily, reducing stress, and avoiding trigger foods.
Migraines and Seizures
Migraines are a type of headache and seizures are the main symptom of epilepsy. Migraine headaches and seizures are two different neurological problems that have similar signs, symptoms, and auras, for example, sensitivity to light (photophobia) and sound, irritability, nausea, and vomiting.Symptoms unique to migraine and migraine auras are water retention, problems sleeping, appetite changes, and talkativeness. Symptoms unique to seizure and seizures auras are depression, a feeling of heaviness, a feeling that a seizure is approaching, and depression.
Many of the symptoms of migraine and seizures are the same, however, seizures do not cause migraines; however, people who have seizures are twice as likely to have migraines and vice-versa. People who have migraines are twice as likely to have seizures, and people with seizures are twice as likely to have migraines; however, one condition does not cause the other.
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Migraine vs. Headache: Differences and Similarities
Headaches are the most common reason why a person goes to the doctor or other healthcare professional for treatment. There are different types of headaches, for example, migraine, tension, and cluster headaches. The most common type of headache is tension headache. Migraine is much less common. There are few similarities between migraine and other headaches, for example, the severity of the pain can be the same, mild, moderate, or severe; and they can occur on one side or both sides of the head. However, there are many differences between migraine and other types of headaches. Migraine headaches also have different names, for example, migraine with aura and menstrual migraine.Symptoms of migraine that usually aren't experienced by a person with another type of headache include nausea, vomiting, worsens with mild exercise, debilitating pain, eye pain, throbbing head pain.
Migraine trigger include light, mild exercise, strong smells, certain foods like red wine, aged cheese, smoked meats, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, alcohol, and dairy products, menstrual period, stress, oversleeping, and changes in barometric pressure.
Untreated migraine attacks usually last from 4 to 72 hours, but may last for weeks. Most headaches resolve within 24-48 hours. Doctors don't know exactly what causes migraine headaches; however, other headaches like tension headaches have more specific triggers and causes. Additional tests usually are required to diagnose migraine from other types of headaches, diseases, or other medical problems. Most headaches can be treated and cured with home remedies like essential oils, massage, and over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn) or ibuprofen (Advil, Midol, Motrin). Most headaches resolve with OTC and home remedy treatment, while your doctor may need to prescribe medication to treat your migraines. If you have the "worst headache of your life," seek medical care immediately.
Should I Go to the ER for a Migraine?
A migraine is a severe throbbing and pulsating headache that causes pain on one side of the head. A patient should visit an emergency department if they have a severe headache with or without nausea and vomiting.What Are the First Signs of a Migraine?
The first sign of a migraine is severe eye pain associated with a dull headache. Migraines gradually worsen with physical activity.What Causes Migraines?
A migraine is a complex disorder that involves episodes of recurrent and severe headaches. An episode of a migraine can be very painful, lasting for hours, making day-to-day activities difficult until the episode is resolved. The frequency and severity of migraine attacks tend to decline with age. And women are more likely to suffer from migraines than men.What Causes Migraines in Females?
Migraine is most commonly seen in women. Every three out of four women are affected by migraines.Some of the most common triggers affecting women are changes in hormonal levels or birth control pills, lack of sleep or too much sleep, and others
What Is the Best Thing to Do for a Migraine?
There is no permanent cure for migraine headaches, but there are migraine treatments that can prevent attacks and relieve symptoms. When you get migraines, you can ease the pain immediately by simple measures such as resting with your eyes closed in a dark, quiet room, putting an ice pack on your forehead, and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids.
What Is the Most Common Type of Migraine?
The most common type of migraine is migraine without aura (common migraine). 70-90% of people with migraine experience this type. The frequency of this type of migraine may range from once a year to several times per week.