How long can a migraine last. What are the four stages of a migraine attack. Which treatments are most effective for migraines. When should you seek medical help for migraine symptoms.

Understanding Migraine: A Complex Neurological Condition

Migraine is a neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It’s characterized by severe, recurring headaches that can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Approximately 39 million Americans suffer from this debilitating condition, making it a prevalent health concern.

The duration of a migraine attack can vary significantly from person to person, typically lasting between 4 to 72 hours if left untreated. However, in some cases, a more severe form known as status migrainosus can persist for over 72 hours, even with treatment.

Is migraine just a bad headache?

No, migraine is much more than just a severe headache. It’s a complex neurological condition that involves a variety of symptoms beyond head pain. These can include:

• Visual disturbances
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Cognitive difficulties

The Four Stages of a Migraine Attack

Understanding the stages of a migraine attack can help individuals better manage their condition. While not everyone experiences all four stages, recognizing the signs can lead to more effective treatment and prevention strategies.

Prodrome: The Warning Phase

The prodrome stage, also known as the premonitory phase, serves as a warning sign that a migraine is approaching. This stage can begin several hours to days before the actual headache sets in.

Common prodrome symptoms include:

• Mood changes, often involving irritability or depression
• Food cravings
• Increased thirst and urination
• Neck stiffness
• Yawning
• Constipation

Aura: The Neurological Phenomenon

The aura stage affects approximately 25% of migraine sufferers. It typically occurs just before or during the headache phase and lasts about 20-60 minutes.

Aura symptoms can be quite diverse and may include:

• Visual disturbances (e.g., flashing lights, zigzag lines, or blind spots)
• Sensory changes (e.g., tingling or numbness in the face or extremities)
• Speech difficulties
• Motor weakness (in rare cases)

Headache: The Main Event

The headache phase is often considered the most severe stage of a migraine attack. It can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours and is characterized by:

• Intense, throbbing pain (usually on one side of the head)
• Increased sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness and blurred vision
• Difficulty concentrating

Postdrome: The Recovery Phase

The postdrome phase, often referred to as the “migraine hangover,” can last for 24-48 hours after the headache subsides. During this time, individuals may experience:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mild headache that may worsen with sudden movements
• Mood changes (either elation or depression)

Identifying Migraine Triggers: A Key to Prevention

Recognizing and avoiding migraine triggers can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. While triggers vary from person to person, some common ones include:

1. Stress and anxiety
2. Hormonal changes (especially in women)
3. Certain foods and drinks (e.g., alcohol, caffeine, aged cheeses)
4. Changes in sleep patterns
5. Environmental factors (e.g., bright lights, loud noises, strong odors)
6. Weather changes
7. Dehydration
8. Skipping meals

Can keeping a migraine diary help identify triggers?

Yes, maintaining a migraine diary can be an excellent tool for identifying personal triggers. By recording details about your migraines, including potential triggers, symptoms, and the effectiveness of treatments, you can gain valuable insights into your condition and work with your healthcare provider to develop a more targeted management plan.

Effective Migraine Management Strategies

Managing migraines often involves a combination of lifestyle changes, preventive measures, and acute treatments. Here are some strategies that can help:

Lifestyle Modifications

• Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
• Eating balanced meals at consistent times
• Staying hydrated
• Exercising regularly (but avoiding intense workouts during migraine attacks)
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques (e.g., meditation, deep breathing exercises)

Acute Treatments

For immediate relief during a migraine attack, consider:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers (e.g., ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen)
• Prescription medications (e.g., triptans, ergotamines)
• Anti-nausea medications
• Resting in a dark, quiet room
• Applying cold or hot compresses to the head or neck

Preventive Treatments

For those with frequent or severe migraines, preventive treatments may be recommended:

• Beta-blockers
• Antidepressants
• Anti-seizure medications
• Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors
• Botox injections

The Role of Diet in Migraine Management

Diet can play a significant role in migraine management. While trigger foods vary among individuals, some common culprits include:

• Aged cheeses
• Processed meats
• Chocolate
• Artificial sweeteners
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Alcohol, particularly red wine

Can certain diets help prevent migraines?

Some studies suggest that certain dietary approaches may help reduce migraine frequency and severity. These include:

1. The ketogenic diet: A high-fat, low-carb diet that may help reduce inflammation and improve brain energy metabolism.
2. The low tyramine diet: Avoiding foods high in tyramine, an amino acid that may trigger migraines in some people.
3. The elimination diet: Systematically removing potential trigger foods and then slowly reintroducing them to identify personal triggers.

It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have other health conditions or are taking medications.

The Impact of Hormones on Migraines

Hormonal changes can significantly influence migraine patterns, particularly in women. Many women experience migraines in relation to their menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause.

How do hormones affect migraines?

Estrogen fluctuations are thought to play a key role in hormone-related migraines. Some women experience:

• Menstrual migraines: Occurring just before or during menstruation
• Pregnancy-related changes: Migraines often improve during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters
• Perimenopausal migraines: Increased frequency or severity of migraines during the transition to menopause

Managing hormone-related migraines may involve working with a healthcare provider to explore options such as hormonal birth control or hormone replacement therapy, in addition to standard migraine treatments.

When to Seek Medical Help for Migraines

While many people manage their migraines at home, there are times when professional medical attention is necessary. Seek immediate medical care if you experience:

• A sudden, severe headache often described as a “thunderclap”
• Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizures, double vision, or weakness
• Headache after a head injury
• A chronic headache that is worse after lying down
• A headache that is preventing you from performing daily activities

Should you see a specialist for migraine treatment?

If you’re experiencing frequent or severe migraines that are not well-controlled with over-the-counter treatments, it may be beneficial to consult a neurologist or headache specialist. These experts can provide a comprehensive evaluation, diagnose any underlying conditions, and develop a personalized treatment plan to help manage your migraines more effectively.

Emerging Treatments and Research in Migraine Management

The field of migraine research is continuously evolving, with new treatments and management strategies emerging. Some promising areas of research include:

Neuromodulation Devices

These devices use electrical or magnetic stimulation to interrupt pain signals in the brain. Examples include:

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices
• Vagus nerve stimulators
• Supraorbital transcutaneous neurostimulators

Gene Therapy

Researchers are exploring the genetic factors that contribute to migraine susceptibility. This could lead to more targeted treatments in the future.

Advanced Imaging Techniques

New imaging technologies are helping researchers better understand the brain changes that occur during migraine attacks, potentially leading to new treatment approaches.

Personalized Medicine

As our understanding of the genetic and biological factors influencing migraines grows, treatments may become more personalized, targeting an individual’s specific migraine profile.

These advancements offer hope for more effective migraine management in the future, potentially improving the quality of life for millions of migraine sufferers worldwide.

How long do migraines last? Duration, symptoms, and what to do

Migraine can cause severe, recurrent, and potentially disabling headaches that typically last from 4–72 hours. Symptoms may also include fatigue, impaired vision, and dizziness.

Many people associate migraine episodes with feelings of nausea, heightened sensitivity to light and sound, and occasionally skin and muscle sensitivity.

Migraine is surprisingly common. Around 39 million people in the United States experience this neurological disease’s incapacitating symptoms.

This article looks at how long migraine attacks last, migraine stages, causes, and common triggers. It then explores treatments, prevention, and when someone should seek help for symptoms.

Migraine is a complex condition with different stages and contributing factors. They can last from 4–72 hours if left untreated.

The length and frequency of migraine varies from person to person.

There is an especially intense form of migraine called status migrainosus (SM).

These long-lasting migraine headaches can cause symptoms for more than 72 hours, even with treatment.

Although exact epidemiological data is lacking, an 11-year study showed that SM affects around 3% of people with migraine.

Migraine progresses through different phases that lead on from each other. Not everyone will experience each phase with every migraine attack they have. The four stages are:

• prodrome
• aura
• headache
• postdrome

Each stage lasts a different length of time, varying between people and between each migraine attack.

Understanding the distinct phases of a migraine attack can help people manage the condition.

When someone recognizes the earliest symptoms of a migraine episode, they can take measures to prevent the situation from progressing.

Here is an outline of the stages, including duration and the most common symptoms someone may experience:

Prodrome

This stage is also called the premonitory or warning stage. It may begin several days or just a couple of hours before the onset of the aura stage.

During this stage, an individual may notice subtle changes that are not necessarily headache-related. The symptoms serve as a warning of an upcoming migraine attack.

Prodrome symptoms include:

• anxiety
• constipation
• fatigue
• food cravings
• increased thirst and urination
• mood changes
• neck stiffness

Aura

Not everyone who has migraine also experiences the aura stage with each attack. It only occurs in around 25% of individuals with migraine.

The aura stage typically occurs shortly before the main migraine attack and lasts around 20–60 minutes. Auras are sensory disturbances that range from flashes of bright light to the inability to speak normally.

Aura symptoms include:

• dizziness
• hearing noises
• impaired vision, or hearing
• numbness or pins and needles in the limbs
• seeing bright or flashing lights, sparkles, colored spots, or zigzag lines
• slurred speech
• weakness in the face or body

The aura stage usually happens before the primary headache. However, in some adults, and commonly in children, the aura symptoms may occur with the migraine itself.

Headache

The symptoms during the headache stage are usually the same, no matter if someone experienced the aura stage or not. Headache symptoms include:

• blurred vision
• dizziness and lightheadedness
• extreme sensitivity to light and noises
• irritability
• possible sensitivity to odors, touch, and movement
• stiffness in the shoulders and neck
• throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head that worsens with movement or activity
• upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting

This stage is the most acute, with more than 90% of people experiencing symptoms severe enough to prevent them from functioning normally.

Postdrome

Postdrome happens at the end of the primary headache stage for around 80% of people. It can last for 24–48 hours and may include the following symptoms:

• aching body
• confusion
• difficulty concentrating
• dizziness
• elation or depression
• feeling drained
• weakness

Some people find that sudden head movement or a return to strenuous activity may cause the headache to return, but only briefly.

Identifying migraine causes and triggers can help people avoid them and prevent a migraine attack from occurring.

Triggers are different for everyone, but some common ones include:

• alcohol and caffeine
• bright lights
• changes in the weather
• dehydration
• diet
• hormonal changes
• odors
• overuse of medication
• stress

Migraine treatments can involve using medications and home remedies to reduce the severity of symptoms.

Home remedies include:

• increasing water intake
• napping
• resting in a dark and quiet room
• using a cold compress
• taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen

If home remedies do not relieve symptoms, an individual can ask their doctor for prescription medication.

A doctor may recommend the following medications:

• antiepileptics
• antidepressants
• beta-blockers
• serotonin antagonists
• botulinum neurotoxins (Botox)
• CGRP antagonists

The American Migraine Foundation estimate that less than 50% of people with migraine seek help from a doctor.

If a migraine episode lasts for longer than is typical for an individual, they should seek a doctor’s advice.

They should visit the emergency room if a migraine episode becomes too severe and at-home treatments do not alleviate symptoms.

An individual should seek immediate medical attention if they have the following symptoms:

• an extremely severe headache
• a headache that starts abruptly like a thunderclap, especially if the individual is aged over 50 years
• a migraine headache accompanied with a stiff neck, or fever, confusion, slurred speech, or seizures
• speech, vision, movement, or balance problems that differ from the regular migraine pattern

Always seek medical attention if someone has a headache following a head injury.

Preventing migraine involves identifying and avoiding an individual’s specific triggers.

With that in mind, keeping a headache diary that records migraine details and triggers can help someone predict when a migraine attack could occur.

There are also a number of apps that can help people to track migraine symptoms and identify their triggers.

Learn more about migraine tracking apps here.

If someone finds that their triggers are weather-related, for example, extreme cold and wind, they could choose to stay indoors during this time.

When stress plays a role in someone’s migraine pattern, looking for ways to relax and relieve stress may be enough to prevent future migraine attacks.

In children, changing sleeping habits and improving their night-time routine may be enough to curtail migraine attacks.

Magnesium, vitamin B2, and Coenzyme q10 may have some success in preventing migraine.

Migraine attacks are severe headaches frequently accompanied by nausea and neurological symptoms.

There are four stages of migraine that have different durations. Overall, an attack may last for 4–72 hours, or even longer.

People with migraine may be able to identify particular events or circumstances that trigger the condition. They can use this information as part of a migraine prevention routine.

If someone has an especially severe migraine episode, an extreme or sudden headache, one accompanied with fever or seizures, they should seek urgent medical attention.

Read this article in Spanish.

How Long Do Migraines Last?

A migraine attack is a bad headache that can leave you feeling wiped out. According to the American Migraine Foundation, it is a neurological disease that affects approximately 12% of Americans. Migraine attacks are three times more common in women than in men. Approximately 1.5% of Americans experience chronic migraine (primary headache on most days).

Several effective acute migraine treatments are available, including over-the-counter and prescription medication. But when you’re experiencing migraine pain, you might wonder how long the migraine attack will last. 

Please continue reading to learn more about migraine headaches, including why they occur, how long they last, and when you should see a doctor for your headache symptoms.

What is a migraine attack?

Migraine attacks are severe headaches characterized by pulsing or throbbing pain. The migraine pain can occur on one or both sides of the head, at the front or back of the head, and in or around the eyes.

Migraine pain can be severe enough to prevent you from going about your normal activities. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensory symptoms such as sensitivity to light, noise, and smells. 

What causes migraine attacks?

The causes of headache disorders such as migraine are not fully understood. Experts believe these neurological disorders occur due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The trigeminal nerve and blood vessels are believed to be involved, as are neurotransmitters (natural chemicals in the brain that regulate pain) and inflammatory molecules.

Many people who suffer from migraines are able to identify specific triggers for their headaches. Common triggers include: 

• Hormonal changes in women, such as around the menstrual cycle, at the time of menopause, or those who use hormonal contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy.
• Certain foods (aged cheeses, salty snacks, chocolate) and drinks (alcohol, caffeine).
• Food additives like MSG are known migraine triggers.
• Head injury.
• Skipping meals.
• Mental stress.
• Sensory stimuli like flashing lights, strong smells, or loud sounds.
• Poor sleep.
• Physical exertion.
• Weather changes, especially barometric pressure changes.
• Some medications can trigger migraines or make attacks worse.

How to recognize migraine symptoms?

Not everyone with migraine has the same symptoms. A common feature, however, is moderate to severe throbbing or pulsing pain that is severe enough to interfere with everyday life.

Head pain in migraines can be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms such as blurred vision and increased sensitivity to light, sounds, and smells. 

Some people experience migraine with aura. Aura symptoms consist of visual disturbances (bright spots, flashing lights), pins and needles in the limbs, difficulty speaking, or weakness and numbness in the face or on one side of the body. Migraine aura usually occurs before the migraine pain starts and acts as a warning. 

How long does a migraine take to clear?

Migraine attacks can last anywhere from several hours to several days. There are four stages of a migraine attack—prodrome, aura, headache phase, and postdrome. 

Not everyone experiences all four phases. Also, each migraine attack can be different for the same person. The full migraine attack, including all four phases, can last up to a week, but this is unusual. A typical migraine headache lasts for 1-2 days.

Prodrome

Prodrome symptoms include a stiff neck, mood changes, fluid retention, or food cravings. They warn of an oncoming migraine attack. The prodrome phase typically lasts 1-2 days.

Aura

Aura symptoms can last up to 60 minutes before the headache pain starts. 

Headache Phase

In most people with migraine, the headache portion lasts for 4 to 72 hours without treatment. 

Post-Drome

Migraines tend to leave you feeling washed out, drained, or confused for up to 1 day after an attack—this is called the recovery phase, post-drome, or migraine hangover. Sudden head movement during this phase can bring back the head pain.

How long is too long for a migraine?

According to the Migraine Research Foundation and National Headache Foundation, a migraine attack that lasts longer than 72 hours (3 days) and does not respond to the usual acute treatment is called status migrainosus. This type of intractable migraine requires medical attention from a healthcare provider, especially if it is accompanied by vomiting, which can lead to dehydration. Doctors treat status migrainosus with IV drugs to break the cycle of pain.

Does a migraine headache go away by itself? 

Mild pain from a migraine may fade away on its own. Many people with episodic migraines find that sleep helps make it go away. In some people with migraine, the attacks stop over time without a known reason. There is no foolproof treatment to prevent future migraine attacks, but migraines can go into remission on their own in some people.

How can I shorten a migraine attack?

If you notice the warning signs and feel a migraine attack coming on, you might be able to reduce the severity and duration of the headache by hydrating aggressively (drinking a lot of water), resting in a cool, dark, and quiet place, and limiting physical activity. Other home remedies that may help include relaxation with a massage, meditation, or stretches for the face, jaw, and neck to release tension. A cold compress to the temples can also help relieve migraine symptoms and make them last for a shorter time.

When to see a doctor for migraine?

According to the American Headache Society, you should see a doctor if you have three or more migraine headaches per week or if you have a migraine that lasts more than 72 hours and does not respond to medications commonly used to treat migraines. 

It helps to keep a migraine journal with information such as what days you had headaches, known triggers, how long the head pain lasted, and what you did to treat it. You should take the headache diary to your doctor’s appointment—it will help your doctor formulate a treatment plan. Even if you already have a diagnosis of migraines, you should be medically reviewed if you notice any changes in your headache pattern.

Keep in mind that taking over-the-counter medications or prescription medications for severe headaches too frequently can trigger medication-overuse headaches, where the medication starts causing migraine pain instead of relieving it. The risk is highest with medications that contain combinations of aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine. You should see a doctor or a headache specialist if you take OTC pain medication on more than 14 days a month or prescription medications such as triptans on more than 9 days a month. 

References:

1. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/ampp/#
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201
3. https://americanmigrainefoundation. org/resource-library/how-long-does-a-migraine-attack-last/#

| Clinic “Alone”

Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks that typically include headache often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, touch, smell or sound, dizziness, visual disturbances, tingling or numbness of the face and limbs.

Migraine attacks may occur suddenly without warning, or they may be preceded by some triggers, such as skipping meals, exposure to smoke or air pollution, changing weather conditions, fluctuations in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. Most migraine attacks last between 4 and 72 hours, but proper treatment can reduce their duration to a few hours. Women suffer from migraine 3 times more often than men.

Causes of migraine

The exact cause of migraine is still unknown. Studies show that genetic and environmental factors may play a role in its occurrence. For a long time, scientists believed that migraine develops due to changes in blood flow in the brain. Now most scientists assure that this can only contribute to the onset of pain, but is not the cause of migraine.

Some factors may increase the likelihood of migraine:

Pos. Migraine is three times more common in women than in men.

Age . Most people get migraines between the ages of 10 and 40. But many women find that migraines go away or get better after age 50.

Family history . Four out of five people with migraine have other family members who suffer from it. If one of the parents suffers from headaches, there is a 50% chance that the child will have them. If both parents have them, the risk rises to 75%.

Other medical conditions . Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, and epilepsy can increase your chances of developing a migraine.

There are many triggers that can lead to migraines and headaches. Common migraine triggers include:

• Hormonal changes. Many women notice that they have headaches during menstruation, pregnancy or ovulation. Symptoms may also be associated with menopause, birth control, or hormone replacement therapy.
• Stress. When you’re stressed, your brain releases chemicals that cause changes in your blood vessels, which can lead to migraines.
• Foodstuffs. Certain foods and drinks, such as aged cheese, alcohol, and dietary supplements such as nitrates and monosodium glutamate, can cause migraines in some people.
• Skipping a meal.
• Caffeine. Too much or too little of what you’re used to can cause headaches. Caffeine itself can be a treatment for acute migraine attacks.
• Weather changes. Thunderstorm fronts, changes in barometric pressure, strong winds, or changes in altitude can trigger a migraine.
• Sense organs. Loud noises, bright lights, and strong smells can trigger a migraine.
• Medicines. Vasodilator drugs can trigger migraines.
• Physical activity. This includes exercise and sex.
• Tobacco smoking.
• Sleep changes. Headaches can occur if you sleep too much or not enough.

Migraine symptoms

Migraine progresses differently for everyone, most often in stages.

Symptoms of migraine depend on its type and stage.

Migraine stages may include:

Prodrom

A few hours or days before the onset of a headache, about 60% of migraine sufferers report symptoms such as:

• sensitivity to light, sound or smell
• fatigue
• food cravings or lack of appetite
• mood swings
• intense thirst
• bloating
• constipation or diarrhea

Aura (Migraine with aura)

Migraine with aura includes symptoms related to the nervous system and often affecting vision (so-called ophthalmic migraine) and other senses. These symptoms usually begin gradually over 5 to 20 minutes and last less than an hour.

Migraine with aura may present with the following symptoms:

• black dots, wavy lines, flashes of light before the eyes
• hallucinations
• tunnel vision
• blurred vision
• tingling or numbness of certain parts of the body
• inability to express one’s thoughts clearly
• feeling of heaviness in arms and legs
• ringing in the ears
• changes in smell, taste or touch.

Migraine with aura is also called associated migraine because the headache is combined (associated) with other neurological symptoms.

Attack

Migraine headache often begins as a dull ache and develops into a throbbing pain. It usually increases with physical activity. The pain may move from one side of the head to the other, it may radiate to the front of the head, or it may feel like it affects the entire head.

Approximately 80% of people experience nausea along with a headache, and about half have vomiting. You may also feel faint, pale and lethargic.

Most migraine attacks last about 4 hours, but sometimes severe headaches can last more than 3 days. Usually there are two to four attacks per month. For some people, a migraine may occur every few days, while for others it may occur once or twice a year.

Migraine in women

Migraine can affect people of any gender, age and background. However, migraines are three times more common in women than in men. In addition, women experience longer and more severe migraine attacks. In fact, the development of the disease begins with menarche (the first menstruation in a woman) and continues throughout a woman’s life.

Migraine during pregnancy

Hormonal changes are a common trigger for migraine sufferers. During pregnancy, estrogen levels rise sharply, while progesterone levels decrease and rise again towards the end of pregnancy.

Migraine during pregnancy is more easily tolerated, especially in the second and third trimesters. This improvement may be due to increased levels of estrogen and increased levels of natural pain-relieving hormones (endorphins).

During pregnancy, levels of these hormones rise several fold, and while the relief they provide may last throughout pregnancy, after delivery, levels drop again, usually leading to a recurrence of migraine attacks.

Some women experience an exacerbation of migraine during pregnancy, although this is rare. During breastfeeding, a stable level of estrogen continues to protect against headache attacks.

It is important to avoid triggers such as lack of sleep, stress, missed meals and dehydration.

Migraine Diagnostics

Migraine is diagnosed either by a general practitioner (internist) or by a neurologist. In many cases, an osteopathic doctor and a chiropractor can help determine the diagnosis and choose the treatment.

During the appointment, the doctor asks about the health history and symptoms. Some patients are advised to keep a diary in which all symptoms and precipitating factors noticed will be recorded. Note in the diary:

• What symptoms are present, including where it hurts
• How often do they occur
• How long do they last
• Does the family have other members with migraine
• All medicines and supplements you take, even over-the-counter ones.
• Other medicines you have taken in the past.

The doctor may order tests to clarify the diagnosis, including:

• blood tests
• MRI or CT
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Migraine treatment

There is no single cure for migraine. But many medications can relieve symptoms or even prevent migraine attacks. Common treatments for migraine include:

• Pain relief. OTC drugs often work well. The main ingredients are acetaminophen, aspirin, caffeine and ibuprofen. Be careful when taking over-the-counter pain medications, as they can also make headaches worse or become addictive if used frequently. If you are taking any over-the-counter pain relievers more than 2 days a week, talk to your doctor about prescription drugs that may work better. Only a doctor can tell if these drugs are right for you.
• Nausea drugs . If you feel nauseous during a migraine, your doctor may prescribe special medications.
• Triptans . These drugs balance the amount of certain chemicals in your brain.
• CGRP receptor antagonists. Your doctor may prescribe these medications if other treatments don’t work.
• Prophylactic preparations. These include seizure medications, blood pressure medications (such as beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers), some antidepressants, and botulinum toxin type A (Botox) shots. CGRP antagonists such as atogepant (Qulipta), eptinezumab (Vyepti), erenumab (Aimovig), fremanezumab (Ajovy), and galcanezumab (Emgality) may also prevent migraines.
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation devices . At the beginning of a migraine with aura, this device is placed on the back of the head. It sends a pulse of magnetic energy to a part of the brain that can stop or reduce pain.
• Neuromodulation devices. Other devices may work on the vagus nerve and trigeminal nerve to relieve or prevent migraines.
• Physiotherapy and manual therapy.

Risk of migraine

Migraine usually has a favorable prognosis if medical attention is sought and treated promptly. The danger of migraine lies in the possibility of various complications. It increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris, heart attack and migraine stroke. In the presence of persistent symptoms and headache attacks, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is not recommended to self-medicate, since only an experienced attending physician will be able to select individual therapy and drugs for each patient.

Migraine lifestyle

Many people wonder whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse, play sports, drink coffee or alcoholic beverages with a migraine.

Sports for migraines help to cope with poor health. When playing sports, blood flow to the brain is provided and pain-relieving hormones – endorphins are produced. Therefore, physical activity is the key to an effective fight against migraine.

Diet plays an important role in migraine patients. You should stop eating foods that provoke the onset of pain attacks. Products containing tyramine can trigger migraines.

The level of tyramine increases in some foods when they are stored or fermented for a long time. These include red wine, aged cheese, and cured/smoked meats. Champagne, nuts, mature cheeses, whole grain bread, citrus fruits, onions, green peas, bananas, sour cream and some other foods should be used with caution.

Refusing coffee or reducing its consumption can also trigger a migraine attack. It is better to give up coffee gradually, replacing it with other drinks. Complete refusal of coffee and alcohol can significantly improve your well-being.

Visiting baths and steam rooms is contraindicated for people suffering from hypertension or frequent migraine attacks. Overheating and temperature changes often become a provoking factor for the onset of a headache.

Emotional background. With migraines, it is important to maintain balance in the psycho-emotional state. Avoid stress, fuss, strong emotions and experiences. Then migraine attacks will occur less frequently or will be reduced to a minimum.

Only a qualified specialist can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. Contact a neurologist, osteopath or therapist at the Naedine Clinic in the city of Kirov for a detailed consultation and treatment of migraine.

Make an appointment by calling (8332) 32-7777 or on our website!

Migraine during pregnancy – Juno

Migraine during pregnancy – Juno

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Migraine during pregnancy

How to recognize an attack and deal with it properly – read on.
We will tell you how dangerous migraines are and how to get rid of them safely
during pregnancy.

Article content

Features and manifestations of migraine during pregnancy

If a woman was worried about migraines before pregnancy, then during the bearing of a child, the attacks are more likely to stop, or become milder and rarer. Improvements come from the 2nd trimester and are due to the fact that fluctuations in estrogen levels stop. In the early stages, the likelihood of migraine is higher. In the 1st trimester, ailments often occur, including headaches. But it’s not always a migraine.

Migraine symptoms in pregnant women are similar to those that occur in other people. Approximately the picture looks like this:

1. Harbingers. They are not characteristic for everyone and may be absent. They occur 1-3 days before an attack, manifest as irritability, depression, or, conversely, a surge of activity.
2. Headache. Very intense, more often covers the temporal or frontal region, has a pulsating, bursting character. It can be localized in one half of the head, but sometimes it spreads to the entire head. The pain lasts from 2-3 hours to several days, it is difficult to remove.
3. Aura. It also doesn’t happen to everyone. The phenomenon accompanies headache and lasts 10-40 minutes. Patients note flashes of light, spots, flies before the eyes, sometimes numbness of the extremities worries. With an aura, it is almost impossible to do something around the house or work.

Even after the pain passes, the expectant mother experiences depression, fatigue, irritability. Unpleasant sensations continue for about a day.

Why do pregnant women get migraines

The exact cause of the disease has not been established. However, specialists involved in the management of pregnancy distinguish hormonal changes in the body and an increased load on the body during pregnancy among the provoking factors.

General risk factors:

• sudden change of weather – especially for weather-sensitive women;
• stress and depression have a bad effect on blood vessels and the nervous system;
• violation of the diet – long intervals between meals, overeating, abuse of citrus fruits, smoked products and chocolate;
• overwork – physical fatigue at home and at work, sleep disturbances;
• irritants – unpleasant odors, stuffiness, excessive light or noise;
• fluid deficiency – dehydration due to insufficient water intake;
• concomitant pathologies, for example, hypertension.

The condition of pregnant women is adversely affected by weight gain, hypothermia and overheating. This can also provoke migraine attacks, especially if they have happened before.

Are seizures dangerous for the fetus

By itself, migraine during pregnancy is not critical. If the seizures are not caused by more serious problems – hypertension, eclampsia, then a woman is highly likely to give birth to a healthy child at term. Migraine does not increase the risk of preterm birth or developmental anomalies in the fetus.

But despite the safety for the baby, migraines are debilitating for a pregnant woman. This affects general well-being – worsens sleep, nutrition, causes stress, decreased activity. Therefore, too frequent seizures can result in problems with the nervous system, fetal hypoxia. It is important to help yourself in time.

Treatment of migraine during pregnancy

Tablets should be taken only as a last resort. In the early stages, strong drugs are prohibited. First, try to cope with non-drug methods:

• Drink sweet tea or cola. Caffeine in small doses is harmless and can help relieve headaches.
• Take a walk in the fresh air, do simple exercises. This contributes to the outflow of blood from the vessels of the brain and the elimination of pain.
• Apply a warm or cool compress to the head. It can be a towel moistened with water or a heating pad.
• Take a cool shower (but not too cold). The procedure is useful as a prevention of varicose veins and migraines.
• Relax and sleep in a quiet, dark room.
• Do not hold back the urge to vomit – it can relieve an attack of pain.
• Rub essential oils of lemon, orange, lemon balm into whiskey – just a little is enough. Too much oil can make headaches worse. If you have previously noticed such a reaction of your body to odors, you should not apply this method now.
• Drink freshly squeezed juice or clean water. Replenishing fluids often helps get rid of a migraine.

If the above measures do not help, and the seizures are disturbing enough, you need to consult a doctor. The specialist will prescribe treatment, for example, prescribe pills that will help to cope with pain. The safest drug is paracetamol. It can be taken on its own. The doctor may prescribe magnesium for treatment – it has a beneficial effect on blood vessels.

In some cases, ibuprofen and aspirin are acceptable (only in the 2nd trimester). Opioid analgesics and triptans are strictly prohibited. If a migraine is growing or has appeared for the first time, an aura has joined, pressure rises, you should definitely consult a doctor in the near future.

Prophylaxis

Dealing with migraines during pregnancy is not always easy. It is better to follow some rules that will help reduce the risk of seizures:

• Keep a sleep and rest schedule.
• Control sweets and fatty foods.
• Try to walk every day, do light exercises.
• Massage or self-massage the head and collar area. Movements should be light: it is better if the specialist shows what they should be.

Even if an attack has already happened, try not to abruptly get involved in worries and affairs after it. Remember that you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for the child. Do not be shy to turn to your loved ones for help and do not be heroic. Be healthy!

Obstetrician-gynecologist of the first qualification category –
Panasenko Irina Gennadievna

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