How can you quickly relieve migraine pain. What are the most effective methods to stop a migraine from worsening. Which natural remedies can help alleviate migraine symptoms. How does proper hydration impact migraine frequency and severity. What role does caffeine play in migraine management. How can stress reduction techniques help prevent migraines.

Temperature Therapy: A Cool Solution for Migraine Relief

Temperature therapy has long been a go-to method for managing various types of pain, and migraines are no exception. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, cold therapy has shown promise in alleviating migraine discomfort.

Recent studies have demonstrated that ice bands around the neck or ice packs applied at the onset of a migraine can significantly reduce pain perception. The cold may help constrict blood vessels or slow nerve signals involved in migraine pain, providing relief for many sufferers.

How to Apply Cold Therapy for Migraines

• Use an ice pack or cold compress on your forehead or neck
• Try a cool, damp cloth over your eyes
• Consider a cooling headband or cap designed for migraine relief

It’s important to note that individual responses to temperature therapy may vary. Some people find that heat provides more comfort than cold. Experiment with different temperatures to discover what works best for your migraine symptoms.

Creating a Migraine-Friendly Environment: Darkness and Quiet

One of the hallmarks of migraine is heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Creating a calm, dark environment can significantly reduce the intensity of these symptoms and promote relaxation.

Tips for a Migraine-Friendly Space

1. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block light
2. Employ noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs to minimize sound
3. Consider using a white noise machine to create a soothing background
4. Keep the room cool and well-ventilated

Once you’ve created a suitable environment, focus on deep, diaphragmatic breathing. This technique can help reduce stress and promote relaxation, potentially easing migraine symptoms.

Hydration: A Simple Yet Powerful Migraine Prevention Strategy

Proper hydration is crucial for overall health, but it can also play a significant role in migraine management. Recent research has shown that maintaining adequate hydration can reduce headache frequency, severity, and duration.

How much water should you drink to prevent migraines? While individual needs vary, aiming for 8-10 glasses of water per day is a good starting point. Pay attention to your body’s signals and increase intake during hot weather or physical activity.

Benefits of Proper Hydration for Migraine Sufferers

• Reduced frequency of headaches
• Decreased severity of migraine pain
• Shorter duration of migraine attacks
• Improved overall well-being

Consider keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day and setting reminders to drink regularly. Herbal teas and water-rich foods can also contribute to your daily fluid intake.

The Caffeine Conundrum: Friend or Foe in Migraine Management?

Caffeine’s role in migraine management is complex and can vary from person to person. For some, a cup of coffee can provide quick relief from migraine pain. However, for others, caffeine can act as a trigger, initiating or exacerbating migraine symptoms.

If you find that caffeine helps alleviate your migraine symptoms, it’s crucial to consume it in moderation. Excessive caffeine intake can lead to dependency and withdrawal headaches, potentially worsening the migraine cycle.

Guidelines for Caffeine Use in Migraine Management

• Limit intake to no more than one cup of coffee per day
• Be consistent with your caffeine consumption to avoid withdrawal
• Monitor your response to caffeine and adjust accordingly
• Consider caffeine-containing medications specifically designed for migraine relief

If you’re unsure about how caffeine affects your migraines, keep a detailed diary of your consumption and symptoms to identify any patterns.

Mindful Chewing: An Unexpected Factor in Migraine Prevention

While eating is essential for survival, excessive chewing, particularly gum-chewing, has been linked to an increased frequency of headaches and migraines. Research suggests that the repetitive motion of chewing may contribute to tension headaches and migraine attacks in some individuals.

Strategies to Reduce Chewing-Related Migraine Risk

1. Limit or avoid chewing gum
2. Be mindful of jaw clenching or teeth grinding, especially during sleep
3. Consider softer foods during a migraine attack
4. Practice relaxation techniques to reduce jaw tension

If you suspect that excessive chewing might be contributing to your migraines, consult with a dentist or healthcare provider. They can assess for underlying issues like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and recommend appropriate treatments.

Stress Reduction Techniques: A Holistic Approach to Migraine Management

Stress is a well-known trigger for migraines, and implementing stress reduction techniques can be a powerful tool in managing and preventing attacks. While these methods may not completely eliminate migraines, they can significantly reduce their frequency, duration, and severity.

Effective Stress Reduction Techniques for Migraine Sufferers

• Meditation and mindfulness practices
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Yoga or tai chi
• Deep breathing exercises
• Regular physical activity

Incorporating these techniques into your daily routine can help lower overall stress levels, potentially reducing the likelihood of migraine attacks. During an active migraine, focusing on deep breathing and relaxation exercises may help alleviate symptoms and shorten the duration of the attack.

The Healing Touch: Massage Therapy for Migraine Relief

Massage therapy has shown promising results in the management of migraine pain. Beyond its relaxation benefits, massage can help relieve tension and potentially prevent headaches and migraines from developing.

A recent study found that 80% of participants experienced a 50% reduction in headache pain after just one massage treatment, with most reporting nearly immediate relief. This suggests that massage could be a valuable tool in the migraine sufferer’s arsenal.

Types of Massage for Migraine Relief

1. Swedish massage for overall relaxation
2. Deep tissue massage for chronic tension
3. Trigger point therapy for specific areas of pain
4. Reflexology targeting pressure points on feet, hands, and ears

When seeking massage therapy for migraine relief, communicate clearly with your therapist about your condition and any specific areas of tension or pain. They can tailor the treatment to your individual needs and sensitivities.

Ginger: Nature’s Remedy for Migraine Relief

While certain foods can trigger migraines, others, like ginger, may offer relief. Recent research has highlighted ginger’s potential in reducing migraine pain and associated symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

A study found that ginger was able to significantly reduce migraine pain within two hours of consumption, rivaling the effectiveness of some prescription medications. This natural remedy offers a promising option for those seeking alternatives to traditional migraine treatments.

Ways to Incorporate Ginger for Migraine Relief

• Ginger tea (fresh or bagged)
• Ginger capsules or powders
• Candied ginger for a quick, portable option
• Fresh ginger added to smoothies or meals

While most studies have used ginger in powder form, various ginger products may offer relief. Experiment with different forms to find what works best for you, and consult with a healthcare provider before adding any new supplements to your regimen.

Medications: A Comprehensive Approach to Migraine Management

While lifestyle modifications and natural remedies can be effective, many migraine sufferers also rely on medications for relief. The choice of medication depends on the frequency and severity of migraines, as well as individual response to different treatments.

Types of Migraine Medications

1. Over-the-counter pain relievers (e.g., ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
2. Triptans (prescription medications specifically for migraines)
3. Anti-nausea medications
4. Preventive medications (taken regularly to reduce frequency of attacks)
5. CGRP inhibitors (newer class of migraine-specific drugs)

It’s crucial to work closely with a healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate medication regimen for your specific situation. They can help balance effectiveness with potential side effects and consider any other health conditions you may have.

Identifying Triggers: The Key to Migraine Prevention

One of the most effective strategies in migraine management is identifying and avoiding personal triggers. These can vary widely from person to person but may include certain foods, environmental factors, hormonal changes, or lifestyle habits.

Common Migraine Triggers to Consider

• Specific foods (e.g., aged cheeses, chocolate, alcohol)
• Changes in sleep patterns or lack of sleep
• Dehydration
• Stress and anxiety
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Bright lights or loud noises
• Strong odors
• Weather changes

Keeping a detailed migraine diary can help you identify patterns and potential triggers. Record your daily activities, food intake, sleep patterns, and any migraine symptoms. Over time, this information can provide valuable insights into your personal migraine triggers.

The Importance of Early Intervention in Migraine Management

When it comes to managing migraines, timing is crucial. Recognizing the early signs of a migraine and taking prompt action can significantly reduce the severity and duration of an attack.

Steps for Early Migraine Intervention

1. Learn to recognize your personal prodrome symptoms
2. Have a plan in place for immediate action
3. Take medication at the first sign of a migraine
4. Implement relaxation techniques
5. Create a migraine-friendly environment

By acting quickly, you may be able to stop a migraine in its tracks or at least reduce its impact. This proactive approach can lead to better overall migraine management and improved quality of life.

Holistic Approaches to Migraine Management

While individual treatments can be effective, a comprehensive approach to migraine management often yields the best results. This may involve combining various strategies, including lifestyle modifications, stress reduction techniques, dietary changes, and appropriate medications.

Elements of a Holistic Migraine Management Plan

• Regular exercise and physical activity
• Consistent sleep schedule
• Balanced, nutrient-rich diet
• Stress management techniques
• Proper hydration
• Trigger avoidance
• Appropriate use of medications
• Regular check-ins with healthcare providers

Remember that finding the right combination of treatments may take time and patience. Be open to trying different approaches and adjusting your strategy as needed. With persistence and the guidance of healthcare professionals, many people with migraines can achieve significant improvements in their symptoms and overall quality of life.

How to Relieve Migraine Quickly (and Stop it From Worsening)

Caffeine, massage, ginger, and over-the-counter pain relievers are just a few of the methods used to help ease migraine pain. Identifying your triggers — and taking other medications — may even help prevent the pain altogether.

A migraine is more than just a headache. It’s a complex neurological condition that can cause a variety of symptoms.

If you experience migraines, you know how painful the condition can be — and how difficult it can be to make a migraine go away. Prevention and early action when a migraine strikes are key to keeping this condition under control.

Here are 12 tips you can try to help treat your migraine early and keep it from getting worse.

If you’ve ever put an ice pack on an injury or a heating pad on a sore back, you know the power of temperature therapy. This can also help when you have a migraine.

Cold therapy has been used to treat migraine for more than 100 years, but there are few scientific studies to suggest why it can help relieve pain for some people. Some theories have suggested that cold therapy can help constrict blood vessels or slow the nerve signals involved with migraine pain.

Even recent studies haven’t pinpointed exactly how cold can help relieve migraine pain, but two recent studies did find that ice bands around the neck, or ice packs applied at the onset of a migraine could significantly reduce the perception of migraine pain.

You may need to experiment to decide what feels best for you. Some people find that an ice pack applied to the head offers soothing, numbing relief. This is particularly helpful if sun or heat brought on your migraine.

Sensitivity to light and sound is one of the most common migraine symptoms. Get away from these things if you can. This can help you find relief from your pain and can alleviate stress.

Lie down and pay attention to your breathing. Try taking slow, deep breaths from your diaphragm. Feel your stomach rise with the inhale and fall with the exhale. This can help you relax.

Dehydration can cause headaches and even migraine, but new research shows hydration can reduce and possibly even prevent headache pain. In the study, people who drank their recommended daily water intake had headaches that were:

• less frequent
• less severe
• shorter in duration

If you don’t regularly drink enough water, increasing your intake may both help reduce your migraine pain and prevent repeat attacks.

For some, a cup of coffee may help stop a migraine. For others, caffeine can be a migraine trigger.

Regardless, if you do indulge in caffeine, make sure you don’t drink toomuch. Drinking more than one cup of coffee could set you up for a caffeine withdrawal headache later.

People with migraine who use caffeine more than 3 days per week may develop a dependency. This can lead to more headaches. Moderation is key with caffeine, but it helps many people find relief.

People have to eat to survive, and chewing is an important part of eating. However, studies suggest that excessive chewing might be linked to more headaches and even migraine.

Researchers focused on gum-chewing for the study and found that tension headaches and migraine were more common in people who chewed gum frequently.

While you can’t avoid eating, you may want to rethink chewing gum if you regularly experience migraine. You may also want to consider if you clench or grind your teeth while sleeping, as this could have a similar effect.

Things like extreme stress, a change in sleeping habits, and even strenuous physical activity have been linked to migraine.

While deep breathing and relaxation exercises alone may not cure a migraine completely, these techniques have been shown to lower stress levels and may shorten the duration and severity of migraine pain. Regular meditation and stress-reduction strategies can also help prevent migraine from developing in the first place.

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.

Where you get a massage can play a role too. Research on pressure points and reflexology in managing headaches suggests that even massages on the feet, hands, and earlobes may help relieve migraine pain.

Some foods can trigger migraine, but others can help get rid of them. Ginger is one of these foods. A new study found that ginger was able to reduce migraine pain significantly in 2 hours, as well as reducing the nausea and vomiting that might be associated with migraine.

While most of the studies used ginger powders, there are all kinds of products that might offer relief, including teas and candies.

Medications are the first thing many people look to when they have a headache, and migraine is no different in this sense. There are many products that can help relieve migraine pain. These can include over-the-counter pain relievers and more targeted prescription therapies.

Below is a list of medications that are used for treating acute migraine pain:

• acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• aspirin
• diclofenac (Cataflam)
• ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• naproxen (Aleve)
• almotriptan (Axert)
• eletriptan (Relpax)
• frovatriptan (Frova)
• naratriptan (Amerge)
• rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT)
• sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• sumatriptan and naproxen (Treximet)
• zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• chlorpromazine
• droperidol
• metoclopramide (Reglan)
• prochlorperazine (Compazine)
• promethazine (Phenergan)
• dihydroergotamine (DHE-45, Migranal)
• ketorolac (Toradol)
• rimegepant (Nurtec ODT)
• ubrogepant (Ubrelvy)
• lasmiditan (Reyvow)

Other medications may also be used, but the goal of these medications will be to prevent migraine rather than to treat them. Examples include:

• divalproex (Depakote)
• metoprolol (Lopressor)
• propranolol (Inderal)
• timolol (Istalol)
• topiramate (Topimax)
• amitriptyline
• atenolol (Tenormin)
• nadolol (Corgard)
• naratriptan (amerge)
• venlafaxine (Effexor)
• calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists (Qulipta, rimegepant)
• CGRP monoclonal antibodies (Emgality)
• candesartan (Amias)
• onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox)

Which of these medications — or combination of medications — you use will depend on your individual health, other medications you’re taking, the severity of your migraine, and your symptoms. For migraine prevention, avoiding triggers is key.

If you suffer from regular migraine, talk with your doctor about how to prevent them from happening. One of the best ways to do this is to identify and avoid things that can trigger your migraine.

Many doctors recommend that their patients with migraine keep a journal of what they ate or what they were doing when they developed a migraine to look for patterns. Everyone has different triggers and these can range from sleep patterns to certain foods. Even a lack of food, and the low blood sugar or hypoglycemia that results, can lead to a migraine.

If you have identified your triggers, try to avoid them. If you haven’t, consider keeping a headache diary to track your triggers. There are even apps available that can help track and analyze your triggers.

If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.

When it comes to treating your migraine, timing is everything. Waiting too long to address your migraine symptoms or take preventive steps can increase how often — and how severely — a migraine strikes.

Some people get warning signs called auras that tell them a migraine is coming. The American Migraine Foundation recommends taking your medication during the prodromal phase of the attack. A prodrome is a warning sign that a migraine is developing. Treating your symptoms in the early stages is your best chance at avoiding a more severe migraine.

One challenge of early treatment is knowing the signs. Prodromal signs can vary widely between people, but they often include things like:

• sensitivity to light or sound
• mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, or euphoria
• trouble concentrating
• food cravings, usually carbohydrates
• fatigue or yawning

If you’ve had a migraine for a long time, you may be able to easily spot your prodromal symptoms. This will help you be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to treating your pain. If you have migraines frequently or without much notice, you may want to keep your migraine medications with you at all times so you can take them as soon as an attack begins.

Developing a good relationship with the doctor who’s helping you manage your migraine is important. Review your symptoms and triggers with your doctor. Together, you can create a treatment plan that will not only help you manage the pain when a migraine happens, but also keep them from developing in the first place.

A good treatment plan should include:

• identifying the type of migraine you have
• identifying triggers
• avoiding triggers
• taking steps to promote good overall health, including getting enough sleep and eating well
• staying hydrated
• identifying medications and other strategies to help prevent migraine
• establishing a plan for acute migraine treatment
• talking with your doctor about when to seek additional help

The intense pain that comes with a migraine can be intense and debilitating. Talk with your doctor about when to seek emergency treatment.

Intense pain isn’t usually considered an emergency, but if that pain is interfering with your ability to complete your daily tasks, it’s definitely a situation that requires more care. If you can’t get an appointment with your doctor, you may want to consider emergency or urgent care services.

You should seek treatment immediately if you have an intense headache that causes things like:

• uncontrollable vomiting
• loss of consciouness
• seizures or convulsions
• blurred vision or other vision changes
• loss of balance or coordination
• lightheadedness
• a pounding in your chest or high blood pressure

There are many things you can do to prevent and treat migraine pain, but not there isn’t one treatment that works all the time for everyone.

The key to treating migraine is to know and avoid your triggers, treat symptoms early, and find medications or therapies that work best to relieve your specific type of migraine pain.

You should also develop a support system to lean on when a migraine strikes. You may be limited in what you’re able to do while dealing with migraine pain, and support from others is a powerful coping tool.

You can find a diverse community of real people who experience migraine in our free app, Migraine Healthline. Ask questions, seek advice, and access expert resources on managing migraine. Download the app for iPhone or Android.

Was this helpful?

How to Relieve Migraine Quickly (and Stop it From Worsening)

Caffeine, massage, ginger, and over-the-counter pain relievers are just a few of the methods used to help ease migraine pain. Identifying your triggers — and taking other medications — may even help prevent the pain altogether.

A migraine is more than just a headache. It’s a complex neurological condition that can cause a variety of symptoms.

If you experience migraines, you know how painful the condition can be — and how difficult it can be to make a migraine go away. Prevention and early action when a migraine strikes are key to keeping this condition under control.

Here are 12 tips you can try to help treat your migraine early and keep it from getting worse.

If you’ve ever put an ice pack on an injury or a heating pad on a sore back, you know the power of temperature therapy. This can also help when you have a migraine.

Cold therapy has been used to treat migraine for more than 100 years, but there are few scientific studies to suggest why it can help relieve pain for some people. Some theories have suggested that cold therapy can help constrict blood vessels or slow the nerve signals involved with migraine pain.

Even recent studies haven’t pinpointed exactly how cold can help relieve migraine pain, but two recent studies did find that ice bands around the neck, or ice packs applied at the onset of a migraine could significantly reduce the perception of migraine pain.

You may need to experiment to decide what feels best for you. Some people find that an ice pack applied to the head offers soothing, numbing relief. This is particularly helpful if sun or heat brought on your migraine.

Sensitivity to light and sound is one of the most common migraine symptoms. Get away from these things if you can. This can help you find relief from your pain and can alleviate stress.

Lie down and pay attention to your breathing. Try taking slow, deep breaths from your diaphragm. Feel your stomach rise with the inhale and fall with the exhale. This can help you relax.

Dehydration can cause headaches and even migraine, but new research shows hydration can reduce and possibly even prevent headache pain. In the study, people who drank their recommended daily water intake had headaches that were:

• less frequent
• less severe
• shorter in duration

If you don’t regularly drink enough water, increasing your intake may both help reduce your migraine pain and prevent repeat attacks.

For some, a cup of coffee may help stop a migraine. For others, caffeine can be a migraine trigger.

Regardless, if you do indulge in caffeine, make sure you don’t drink toomuch. Drinking more than one cup of coffee could set you up for a caffeine withdrawal headache later.

People with migraine who use caffeine more than 3 days per week may develop a dependency. This can lead to more headaches. Moderation is key with caffeine, but it helps many people find relief.

People have to eat to survive, and chewing is an important part of eating. However, studies suggest that excessive chewing might be linked to more headaches and even migraine.

Researchers focused on gum-chewing for the study and found that tension headaches and migraine were more common in people who chewed gum frequently.

While you can’t avoid eating, you may want to rethink chewing gum if you regularly experience migraine. You may also want to consider if you clench or grind your teeth while sleeping, as this could have a similar effect.

Things like extreme stress, a change in sleeping habits, and even strenuous physical activity have been linked to migraine.

While deep breathing and relaxation exercises alone may not cure a migraine completely, these techniques have been shown to lower stress levels and may shorten the duration and severity of migraine pain. Regular meditation and stress-reduction strategies can also help prevent migraine from developing in the first place.

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.

Where you get a massage can play a role too. Research on pressure points and reflexology in managing headaches suggests that even massages on the feet, hands, and earlobes may help relieve migraine pain.

Some foods can trigger migraine, but others can help get rid of them. Ginger is one of these foods. A new study found that ginger was able to reduce migraine pain significantly in 2 hours, as well as reducing the nausea and vomiting that might be associated with migraine.

While most of the studies used ginger powders, there are all kinds of products that might offer relief, including teas and candies.

Medications are the first thing many people look to when they have a headache, and migraine is no different in this sense. There are many products that can help relieve migraine pain. These can include over-the-counter pain relievers and more targeted prescription therapies.

Below is a list of medications that are used for treating acute migraine pain:

• acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• aspirin
• diclofenac (Cataflam)
• ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• naproxen (Aleve)
• almotriptan (Axert)
• eletriptan (Relpax)
• frovatriptan (Frova)
• naratriptan (Amerge)
• rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT)
• sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• sumatriptan and naproxen (Treximet)
• zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• chlorpromazine
• droperidol
• metoclopramide (Reglan)
• prochlorperazine (Compazine)
• promethazine (Phenergan)
• dihydroergotamine (DHE-45, Migranal)
• ketorolac (Toradol)
• rimegepant (Nurtec ODT)
• ubrogepant (Ubrelvy)
• lasmiditan (Reyvow)

Other medications may also be used, but the goal of these medications will be to prevent migraine rather than to treat them. Examples include:

• divalproex (Depakote)
• metoprolol (Lopressor)
• propranolol (Inderal)
• timolol (Istalol)
• topiramate (Topimax)
• amitriptyline
• atenolol (Tenormin)
• nadolol (Corgard)
• naratriptan (amerge)
• venlafaxine (Effexor)
• calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists (Qulipta, rimegepant)
• CGRP monoclonal antibodies (Emgality)
• candesartan (Amias)
• onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox)

Which of these medications — or combination of medications — you use will depend on your individual health, other medications you’re taking, the severity of your migraine, and your symptoms. For migraine prevention, avoiding triggers is key.

If you suffer from regular migraine, talk with your doctor about how to prevent them from happening. One of the best ways to do this is to identify and avoid things that can trigger your migraine.

Many doctors recommend that their patients with migraine keep a journal of what they ate or what they were doing when they developed a migraine to look for patterns. Everyone has different triggers and these can range from sleep patterns to certain foods. Even a lack of food, and the low blood sugar or hypoglycemia that results, can lead to a migraine.

If you have identified your triggers, try to avoid them. If you haven’t, consider keeping a headache diary to track your triggers. There are even apps available that can help track and analyze your triggers.

If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.

When it comes to treating your migraine, timing is everything. Waiting too long to address your migraine symptoms or take preventive steps can increase how often — and how severely — a migraine strikes.

Some people get warning signs called auras that tell them a migraine is coming. The American Migraine Foundation recommends taking your medication during the prodromal phase of the attack. A prodrome is a warning sign that a migraine is developing. Treating your symptoms in the early stages is your best chance at avoiding a more severe migraine.

One challenge of early treatment is knowing the signs. Prodromal signs can vary widely between people, but they often include things like:

• sensitivity to light or sound
• mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, or euphoria
• trouble concentrating
• food cravings, usually carbohydrates
• fatigue or yawning

If you’ve had a migraine for a long time, you may be able to easily spot your prodromal symptoms. This will help you be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to treating your pain. If you have migraines frequently or without much notice, you may want to keep your migraine medications with you at all times so you can take them as soon as an attack begins.

Developing a good relationship with the doctor who’s helping you manage your migraine is important. Review your symptoms and triggers with your doctor. Together, you can create a treatment plan that will not only help you manage the pain when a migraine happens, but also keep them from developing in the first place.

A good treatment plan should include:

• identifying the type of migraine you have
• identifying triggers
• avoiding triggers
• taking steps to promote good overall health, including getting enough sleep and eating well
• staying hydrated
• identifying medications and other strategies to help prevent migraine
• establishing a plan for acute migraine treatment
• talking with your doctor about when to seek additional help

The intense pain that comes with a migraine can be intense and debilitating. Talk with your doctor about when to seek emergency treatment.

Intense pain isn’t usually considered an emergency, but if that pain is interfering with your ability to complete your daily tasks, it’s definitely a situation that requires more care. If you can’t get an appointment with your doctor, you may want to consider emergency or urgent care services.

You should seek treatment immediately if you have an intense headache that causes things like:

• uncontrollable vomiting
• loss of consciouness
• seizures or convulsions
• blurred vision or other vision changes
• loss of balance or coordination
• lightheadedness
• a pounding in your chest or high blood pressure

There are many things you can do to prevent and treat migraine pain, but not there isn’t one treatment that works all the time for everyone.

The key to treating migraine is to know and avoid your triggers, treat symptoms early, and find medications or therapies that work best to relieve your specific type of migraine pain.

You should also develop a support system to lean on when a migraine strikes. You may be limited in what you’re able to do while dealing with migraine pain, and support from others is a powerful coping tool.

You can find a diverse community of real people who experience migraine in our free app, Migraine Healthline. Ask questions, seek advice, and access expert resources on managing migraine. Download the app for iPhone or Android.

Was this helpful?

neurologist about a procedure that will improve life

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November 21, 2022

read 4-6 minutes

Migraine is not just a severe headache. This is a neurological disease that is inherited. If you have been diagnosed with a migraine, getting rid of it forever, alas, will no longer work – just learn to control the frequency and intensity of attacks.

How can one resist a headache in order to function and live normally? – Neurologist Anna Meshcheryakova was asked.

The mechanism of migraine occurrence is still being studied. “According to today’s data, the disease is associated with dysfunction of brain structures, and not with vascular pathology,” emphasizes Anna Meshcheryakova.

Genetic traits “successfully” superimposed on environmental and lifestyle factors – and now you are already tormented by seizures. Women suffer from migraines most often – the nerve cells that cause pain become more active under the influence of the female sex hormone estrogen.

Revolutionary Botox

“At the end of the last century, such headaches were treated with antidepressants, antiepileptics, antihypertensives, and painkillers. And also various non-drug methods – massage, herbal medicine and acupuncture were used. Today, doctors do not recommend these methods in the treatment of migraine, although some patients may experience a positive effect. The specific treatment of migraine attacks – with the help of triptans (anti-migraine drugs) – appeared only in 90s of the XX century,” explains the neurologist.

True, doctors did not know that if you often take painkillers and triptans, you can get a drug headache. Today it is not recommended to take triptans more than eight times a month.

“Botox made a real revolution in migraine control at the beginning of the 21st century. In some period after his injections into the forehead and between the eyebrows for cosmetic purposes, patients began to notice a decrease in the number of headache attacks.

Since 2010 in the world and since 2013 in Russia, Botox has been registered for use in the preventive treatment of chronic migraine. This method of treatment does not have a specific name, most often it is referred to as botulinum therapy for migraine.

Botox molecule blocks the release of pain peptides responsible for headaches. In addition, Botox locally relaxes the muscles into which it was injected. This eliminates muscle triggers for pain attacks and reduces the number of pain signals to the central nervous system,” says Anna Meshcheryakova.

Botox for chronic migraine only

The doctor said that Botox injections themselves are painless, but the procedure should be performed by a neurologist who has received special training in the use of botulinum neuroprotein type A.

The procedure takes no more than 15-20 minutes. During this time, the doctor makes 31–39 injections with a thin insulin needle at fixed points in seven areas of the head and neck.

It is recommended to do at least three such sessions of botulinum therapy to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. In this case, the first result is noticeable after the first procedure, and the clinical effect develops on the 7-14th day and lasts up to three to four months.

The result of injections is reversible – this is due to the mechanism of action of the drug itself. Therefore, such a procedure is done as needed every three to four months at a dosage of 155 to 195 units. Sometimes the effect persists for up to six months. The procedure does not cause addiction or addiction.

Anna Meshcheryakova clarifies: “There are two main types of migraine: with or without aura. The aura most often manifests itself in the form of visual phenomena before an attack – dots, spots, zigzags. In addition, migraine is divided into episodic, when attacks occur several times a month, and chronic, which is more than 15 days of headache per month. Botulinum therapy is used only for the correction of chronic migraine. Other types of treatment are used to work with episodic.”

Advantages of botulinum therapy for migraine:

• is a method with proven efficacy, safety and high tolerability;
• is suitable for patients who have comorbidities;
• is approved for patients who are taking a large number of different drugs and who are contraindicated in other migraine prophylactic treatments.

Of the minuses is the high cost of the procedure. But this is incomparable with improving the quality of life.

Contraindications for Botox injections:

• pregnancy and lactation;
• hypersensitivity to drug components;
• inflammatory processes at the injection site;
• myasthenia gravis and myasthenic-like syndromes.

“Side effects can be microhematomas and soreness, which do not require additional therapy and disappear on their own in the first days after the injection. Botox injections for migraine can be given to any patient over 18 years of age who suffers from chronic headache (more than 15 days of attacks per month, where eight of them correspond to the signs of migraine),” the doctor notes.

Botox is traditionally used to control migraine in Russia. In the near future, an indication for the domestic drug Relatox will be registered. They say that for now, drug prices will remain at pre-crisis levels.

Neurologist

Source “Flacon”

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How to relieve migraine pain.

What to do during an attack – how to relieve, remove pain.

How to relieve migraine pain. What to do during an attack – how to relieve, remove pain.

Gimranov Rinat Fazylzhanovich
Neurologist, neurophysiologist, experience – 33 years;
Professor of Neurology, MD;
Clinic for Rehabilitation Neurology. About the author

Publication date: September 24, 2019

Updated: May 16, 2022

Migraine is a neurological disease characterized by severe headache. Only the exclusion of provocative stimuli and time can completely cure this disease, but it is possible to stop an attack.

• severe fatigue;
• sleep problems;
• stress;
• stuffiness, strong odors;
• loud sounds;
• weather dependence;
• alcohol, smoking;
• excessive physical, mental stress.

Contents of the article:

• 1 Causes and symptoms
• 2 Medications
  • 2. 1 How to drink?
• 3 Folk remedies
  • 3.1 Prevention
• 4 References

Causes and symptoms

Scientists call the cause of the disease the peculiarities of the work and structure of cerebral vessels, genetics, fluctuations in hormonal levels. If a person has such moments, an attack can be provoked by:

Signs of an incipient attack:

• pain in one side of the head (usually the left), gradually spreading and intensifying;
• nausea;
• fear of light and sound;
• prostration;
• convulsions;
• high temperature.

Depending on the cause, individual characteristics of the course, there are additional symptoms, and precursors of an attack.

Medications

If there is a need to relieve, quickly relieve a headache in a migraine attack, which, as always, began suddenly, you can use drugs containing caffeine.

Regular pain reliever will not relieve symptoms.

How to help yourself with a severe migraine and pain, what to do and what exactly helps if your attack does not go away, a neurologist will tell you.

The doctor selects a drug based on the characteristics of the body of a particular person.

Often, this happens empirically, since it is difficult to predict in advance how the body will react to a particular drug.

Once an effective remedy has been found, it must be kept on hand at all times. Because it is difficult to predict the onset of pain in advance.

The body becomes accustomed to painkillers, causing them to stop working. In this regard, it is not recommended to use the medicine more than 3 times a week. In addition, such frequent migraine pains indicate a critical condition requiring hospitalization.

In order to prevent such cases, it is necessary to undergo a thorough diagnosis in a timely manner, on the basis of which to proceed with complex treatment for activation and stimulation of the brain together with monoclonal antibodies.

According to international studies, complete relief from migraine after a course of monoclonal antibodies is observed in 20% of respondents, and in 60% of cases there is a decrease in intensity. It also became clear from our practice that when combining therapy based on monoclonal antibodies with the treatment of seizures based on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to activate and stimulate the brain, more than patients experience a complete cessation of seizures in more than 88% of patients patients experience a decrease in the intensity of seizures

Monoclonal antibodies

How to drink?

The medicine should be taken at the first signs, as the tablet can take effect within 30 minutes. If the attack has already begun or the pain is stronger than usual, you can inject the drug intramuscularly. Thanks to the injection, the expectation of action is only 15 minutes, and the result is more pronounced.

For the treatment of migraine, drugs with the following substances are used:

• caffeine;
• codeine;
• analgesics;
• ergotamine;
• triptan (available as a nasal spray).

Folk remedies

What to do with a very severe headache, how to treat, only a neurologist knows, but our ancestors knew how to urgently relieve a migraine attack at home, eliminate it. Over the years of fighting pain, a set of various effective folk remedies has been tried:

• Try to relax, go out into the fresh air. Sit on a bench or take a walk in a quiet, peaceful park. This will help you get rid of stress and relax.
• Drink a cup of natural brewed coffee.
• A special massage of sensitive points on the fingers will distract from the problem, relax. The effect is not instantaneous, it occurs after 15-20 minutes of massaging actions.
• Take a warm relaxing bath.
• Eat something light, and after lying down for 30 minutes, it is advised for pain caused by fatigue or hunger.

• Apply a cool compress to the affected part of the head.
• Achieve absolute silence around. Take a relaxing pose or do yoga. Light smooth gymnastics helps to relax, calm the body, allows it to return to normal.

• Herbal folk remedies also have a positive effect, especially with constant use. To relieve pain and migraines, it is advised to drink teas from pharmaceutical chamomile, elderberry, wild rosemary, valerian root, decoction of viburnum bark.

Folk remedies are used in parallel with medicines or instead of them. They have a weak effect, which is not enough if the pain is severe.

Prevention

In order not to think once again about how to remove severe pain and relieve an attack, calm migraines at home, you need to engage in prevention.

If you are prone to or suffer from migraines on a regular basis, practice approaches to make the pain less frequent.

The drug method includes taking anti-migraine drugs in a course, in a reduced dose. You can resort to this method only under the supervision of a doctor who selects the drug. And its dose, suitable both to relieve, remove a headache and stop a migraine attack, and for preventive treatment.