Miscellaneous Approaches To Migraine Treatment

Treating a migraine headache should not be as complex as it is often made out to be. The condition of migraine headaches is complicated enough with its neurological upsets and chemical shifting abilities why must everything else surrounding migraine headaches become complicated as well? For those who are unaware of how a migraine develops the complicated procedure is about to be summarized in an effective simple way:

Migraine headaches develop in the brain, a migraine is formed when a migraine trigger is encountered. Once a trigger has been encountered the body begins to react chemically. The blood vessels in the brain begin to expand and cause a throbbing/pounding sensation to occur. This throbbing / pounding sensation continues until the blood vessels reach their full expansion or migraine relief is implemented. A harmful chemical is released into the brain sometime throughout the blood vessel expansion. This chemical begins to attack the brains arteries thus releasing a whole slew of miserable migraine symptoms like nausea, vomiting constipation, blurred vision and cognitive difficulties.

Migraine Triggers

A migraine trigger could be influenced by one’s environment or any physiological upset that can lead to the onset of a headache; those who are prone to headaches are more susceptible. Migraine triggers are difficult to distinguish and very few migraine sufferers are aware that they even exist.

Clinical studies have shown that the triggers listed are common ones that if aware of could help lessen the debilitating effect a migraine could have.

Triggers

• Stress
• Sleep –   one’s sleep habits have much to do with migraines, whether it be: sleep  deprivation, too much sleep or broken up sleep they are all connected to  headaches. Studies have shown that when sleep habits are improved migraine  headaches are less current and have shorter duration.
• Fasting –   caution should always be had when headache prone individuals take to  fasting. A lack of nutrients to the body can reduce blood sugar levels setting off a series of stress-related hormones.
• Hormones –   for women who experience migraines once a month around the time of their   menstrual may be aware of menstrual migraines and how they can affect      functionality. Some women during their monthly cycle lose estrogen and the  loss of estrogen sets off a chemical imbalance and the result is a  migraine.
• Lighting –    lighting has been known to enhance mood and is often used as a mood   enhancer however, flashing, bright high intensity and visually stimulating  light sources can be a factor in developing painful migraine symptoms.
• Smells    – cigarette smoke
• Alcohol  – Tyramine is a chemical found in wine that has been proven to activate a   migraine quicker than if no alcohol was used.
• Foods
  • Aged   cheese
  • Chocolate
• Caffeine –   often used to help improve energy levels can have the reverse effect on  headache prone people. Caffeine in small doses may have little effect on  migraine sufferers but if overindulgence is had one can expect regular migraines.

Treatment Options

Treating migraines can be done through various forms and methods. One of the most common forms of treatment is the use of prescription medications but medications are not the only treatment options available. There are two treatment options that are often overlooked but should not necessarily be ruled out.

Migraine Surgery

Migraine surgery has been a treatment option for those individuals who simply do not respond well to medication and feel that their quality of life is habitually hindered as a result of their migraine headaches. Deciding to undergo migraine surgery implies that a surgical cauterization of the superficial blood vessels in your scalp will need to be had in order to limit and possibly remove all signs of migraine pain forever. However, before the surgery could happen, a doctor must first determine with absolute certainty that it is indeed the superficial blood vessels causing the intense migraine pain before operating.

Trigger Sites

There is reason to believe that by the removing of muscles or nerves in certain areas that are considered trigger sites could be helpful in relieving migraines. Trigger sites are said to exist where sensory nerves are stimulated by a certain muscle, due to the stimulation caused by the muscle a series of painful symptoms begin to develop thus creating a migraine. Migraine surgery such as this one is not often considered as a migraine headache treatment plan unless no other form of migraine treatment is providing the needed relief to improve quality of life.

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