If you are a migraine headache
sufferer you know how important it is to get pain
relief fast. A migraine can be so severe that it
can put a stop to your whole day. Many people who
have migraines may have two or more each month. This
article will examine a few ways to get rid of a migraine
headache.
If you experience auras with your migraines then
you have a warning system in place. It you start
to notice bright flashes of light, dark spots in
your field of vision or zigzag lines in your vision
field, then you are about to develop a migraine.
Take an over the counter NSAIDS right away. These
drugs such as, Advil and Motrin can help with mild
pain from migraines. It is probably a good idea to
lie down in a dark, quiet, room also. A cool cloth
applied to the forehead may be of some comfort.
If your migraines are severe, you need to see your
doctor. He will prescribe prescription strength migraine
medicine for you such as,Imitrex. This was the first
drug that was developed specifically to treat migraines.
Imitrex acts like serotonin and binds itself to the
serotonin receptors in the brain. This cause the
blood vessels to constrict, therefore relieving the
pressure on the brain and the migraine pain.
Since Imitrex was developed a few other drugs have
been created also. They work in similar ways to Imitrex
but have fewer side effects and will cause fewer
rebound headaches.
Since nausea is a common complication that occurs
with a migraine, your doctor may prescribe an anti-emetic
medication such as Reglan, Compazine or Phenergan.
These medicines do not decrease the pain from a migraine,
but they can stop the nausea and vomiting associated
with it. Some of these drugs do have the ability
to make you relaxed and very sleepy. Being more relaxed
can help your pain medicine work better and possibly
shorten the duration of your migraine.
The best thing you can do for your migraines is
to find out what causes them. Keep a diary and try
to pinpoint certain triggers that may set off a migraine
headache. Some people are overly sensitive to certain
perfumes or flowers. Others may develop a migraine
after eating certain foods.
Your other option is to talk to your doctor about
preventive medicines for migraine headaches. Studies
have found that certain cardiovascular drugs and
certain antidepressant medications have been highly
effective in the prevention of migraines. New studies
are being done all the time. Who knows, maybe eventually
they will find a cure for your migraine headaches.
But for now all you can do is try to prevent them
or if you feel one coming on, try to treat it as
quickly as possible. |