Migraine Treatment Plans

Migraines are a chronic neurological condition described as moderate to severe to unbearable headaches, sometimes their symptoms can include sensitivity to light as well as nausea. Migraine headaches are also defined as a biological disease. Migraine attacks are likewise characterized by throbbing head pain, generally located on one side of the head. They can be on one side of the head in one attack and occur on the other side during the next attack; however, for many, the migraines start on the same side almost every time. Nausea, hypersensitivity to light as well as sounds, vomiting, and dizziness ever so often go along with an occurrence of a migraine. Migraine attacks are approximately three times more common in women than they are in men. However they have a tendency to be more prominent in more boys during puberty than in girls at that same age; this is believed to be because of the fluctuating hormones that usually coincide with migraine attacks. Migraines tend to start out as a dull ache then worsen within minutes to even hours and last anywhere from six to forty-eight hours sometimes even longer in more severe cases.

Managing migraine attacks

There is no known cure for migraine however there are a few things you can do to manage them. Do your best to figure out what your most common triggers are and try to avoid them like the plague. Try to find out what kinds of foods, what kinds of smells like which types of perfumes, trigger your migraines. It is always recommended to keep some form of over the counter migraine medicine with you at all times just in case an unexpected attack should occur which is highly likely since they are not always predictable. There are many over the counter pain killers to choose from, I would suggest buying the bottles with the smallest amount in them at first until you can find the one that is most effective for you; then of course, by all means, get the bigger bottle. For the nausea, if that is present when your migraines occur, there are also many over the counter anti-nausea medicines as well. The sensitivity to light and sound is probably the hardest ones to combat for most; because for those ones most individuals usually need to find a dark, quiet room so that they can rest away from the everyday noises and lights which is not always so easy to achieve.

Preventative measures

Some medications when used on a daily basis can help prevent migraine attacks. However, many of these such drugs were originally intended to treat other medical disorders, such as epilepsy and depression. A few examples of these are:

• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, Elavil
• Anticonvulsants for example topiramate , Topamax
• Beta-blockers like timolol, Blocadren
• Calcium channel blockers for instance verapamil

However these drugs may not prevent all migraine attacks, but they can help a lot. However, the best preventative measure against migraines is to find out what triggers your attacks and to avoid or limit these triggers. Also, since migraine attacks are more much common during times of stress, finding productive, healthy ways to relieve and manage stress might help quite a bit. Talk with your doctor about starting a fitness program or possibly taking a class to learn relaxation skills.

Additional alternative treatment methods

Hormone therapy may also help prevent attacks in women whose migraines seem to be linked to their menstrual cycle. Stress management techniques may likewise benefit in preventing migraine attacks in individuals whose attacks seem to stem from excessive stress or tension related issues. Many have found practices such as yoga or aromatherapy very beneficial in assisting with the prevention of migraine attack occurrences. Additional alternative methods such as biofeedback have been shown to provide relief to some people who suffer with migraines. Biofeedback involves learning how to monitor and control your body’s responses to stress, such as lowering heart rate and easing muscle tension. Other methods, such as acupuncture and relaxation, may help relieve stress as well. Counseling also can deliver a great advantage if you think that your migraines may be related to depression or anxiety; both of which are well known chief contributing factors to migraines attacks.

Tags: Acupuncture, Alternative treatment, chiropractic care, herbal supplemetns, migraine treatment, Migraines, natural alternative, therapy