Gaining More Wisdom On The Migraine Front

Migraine headaches are very painful and can have a negative effect on a person’s physical, emotional, mental and professional life if left untreated. For those unlucky enough to become diagnosed with a chronic condition like migraines, they should be aware of the damage that the migraine can have on their life as well as their lifestyle which increases or decreases the quality of their life. Migraine treatments can be sometimes frustrating to sort through as some treatment work well with some people while other struggle to find even one option that will give them the relief they are looking for. Doctors of every specialty love to prescribed medication for the treatment of their patients as prescriptions are easy to take and have the stamp of approval from the ADA. Now when it comes to a condition of migraines, the best way to learn is not by hard knocks but by journaling or writing down the things and detail to help you learn more about how migraines affect you.

How Do Migraines Begin?

There are many trigger of the migraine process but two come to mind right now; they are sleep depravity and weather changes. Who knew that sleep was so valuable? Sleep plays a vital role in the onset of a migraine headache. Quality and adequate sleep time are deterrents of a migraine attack. If you have ever suffered from a severe migraine attack you know the amount of pain and limitation one can have on an individual and that sleep is difficult in the midst of a migraine attack. Taking the time to perfect snoozing habits will help reduce the effect migraines can have on you. I suffer from weather triggered migraine headaches and right now, we want to briefly go over the role weather can play on migraines occurrences. Changes in the weather such as the ones mentioned below are thought to create a chemical reaction in the brain that sets the serotonin levels off balance bringing about a painful migraine headache. Chronic migraine sufferers often note an increase in migraine activity during weather and climate changes. Research on the weather and its direct influence on migraines is still under research, therefore it is suggested that migraine sufferers keep a headache journal noting which weather changes bring on migraine headaches and symptoms. Weather related migraines are often noticed when the following changes occur:

• Mostly Bright Sunshiny Days
• High Humid Air
• Barometric Changes
• Windy weather can trigger migraines due to the wind changing the pressure in the ears
• Hot and Cold weather changes
• Rainy Weather
• Dry Air

The Migraine Pill Of Choice

Triptans are a collection of tryptamine-based drugs. Tryptamine is a monoamine alkaloid that can be found in certain vegetation such as plants, fungi and animals. Triptans are used as a tool to prevent migraines from being successful in completely immobilizing an individual. Because of triptans unique ability to attach to the serotonin receptors on the blood vessels and the surrounding nerves, they can help reduce and in some cases completely stop migraine headaches from occurring. Ergots are similar to triptans in that they too constrict blood vessels, the difference is that triptans tend to constrict blood vessels in the brain whereas ergots are known to restrict blood vessels more in the heart and other parts of the body making them not nearly as safe of a treatment as triptans.

A Cautionary Tale

If you are being encouraged to use a prescription medication as the main source of migraine treatment, be sure you know all the adverse side effects and remain under the care and supervision of a medical professional. Triptans work at relieving migraine pain by restricting the blood vessels or by narrowing them to prevent them from enlarging and creating migraine pain. Though narrowing is part of their job, it can also have a reverse effect by not only narrowing the arteries in the head but also create a narrowing of the arteries in the heart. This becomes increasingly dangerous for those individuals that have already experienced some form of coronary narrowing. The narrowing caused by the triptans could lead to further thinning initiating a heart attack or stroke.

The Road Less Traveled

Now anyone can walk into most medical facilities and have a doctor write a prescription for migraine treatment; however it is important for migraine sufferers to understand that often those prescription medications come with the baggage of negative side effects. There are however many alternative therapies available for migraine treatment that would be considered both holistic and natural treatment, these therapies have been through multiple studies and their effects in the area of migraine treatment are both effective and highly beneficial. A few of the most common alternative therapies available for migraine treatment are Acupuncture, Biofeedback, Chiropractic, Massage Therapy and various supplements.

Tags: headaches, migraine attacks, migraine treatment, Migraines, side effects, symptoms, treating migraines, vascular headachce