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  • Best Treatments for Migraines: Treating the Symptoms

    Best Treatments for Migraines: Treating the Symptoms

    Those who suffer from migraines know the feeling creeping up on them. It’s a tightness behind the eyes, stiffness in the neck and shoulder. Before they can respond, they’ve got a full-blown migraine hammering away inside their head. How can you take steps to alleviate your migraine symptoms?

    Today we’re taking a look at some of the medicines and treatments that are most effective for curtailing the effects of a bad migraine. While there’s no cure-all for the condition, there are steps you can take to make the symptoms a bit more bearable. So, let’s take a look.

    What is a Migraine?

    First, let’s look at what migraines are. Scientists aren’t sure, definitively, what causes a migraine, or what exactly they are. However, the symptoms are well-documented: splitting headaches, photosensitivity, nausea and extreme pain. The prevailing theory as to their physical origins in the body holds that they occur when your brain sends a wave of activity across your nerves into you trigeminal nerve.

    This, in turn, causes something of a “cascade” effect. The body releases a series of neurotransmitters that cause the blood vessels around the skull to enlarge, putting more stress on the nerves and muscles of the cranium. This, in turn, causes more of these neurotransmitters to be released, further engorging the blood vessels and increasing the pain. This creates a feedback loop that makes migraines incredibly painful.

    Remember, however, that migraines are not life-threatening, and you’re in no danger from them: they just hurt very badly. Your symptoms will not cause any long-term damage to you, they’re just highly uncomfortable.

    Setting

    Often, one of the best things you can do for a migraine is change your setting. If you’re finding yourself battling migraine symptoms in public, you might want to try to find a nice, quiet area to rest in. Migraines are usually exacerbated by bright lights and loud sounds, which prevent you from recovering from the symptoms quickly.

    In some cases, extreme temperature fluctuations can also make migraine symptoms worse. If you’re in a very cold room, or a very hot room, try to find an area that’s milder and more neutral. This will help you to focus on just feeling better!

    Stress

    Stress is a major factor in migraines. In many cases, stress is the only actual trigger for the headache, but just an emotional one. If you find yourself experiencing a major migraine while you’re stressing out, grab a stress ball and try to work out your emotions. Breathing meditation, yoga and the like can also be helpful for reducing stress.

    If you work in a stressful environment, consider keeping some tea on hand that you can brew and then drink. Ideally, this will allow you to take a brief break from your duties, if they’re stressing you out, while you steep your tea and drink it. The warm liquid and calming ritual both work wonder in helping you calm down!

    Pain Relievers

    Another way to address migraines is through the use of pain-relieving medicine. If you have them on hand, common NSAIDs can be helpful. Drugs like ibuprofen, Tylenol and Aleve are examples of these kinds of pain relievers. They typically take a few hours to get into your system, but they are rather effective at dealing with headache symptoms in most people.

    Another type of medication you can take is the “migraine abortive” variety of drugs. These usually can’t be taken with migraines that have an “aura” (a period of sensory overload before the onset of the actual migraine symptoms), so speak with your doctor about these types of medications. They’ll be able to help you select one that is right for your specific situation.


  • Best Migraine Treatment

    Best Migraine Treatment

    Are migraines taking over your life?

    If you suffer from migraines, it is important to identify the triggers that cause the migraine. Here are some of the most common triggers and treatments for chronic migraines.

    Triggers:

    1. Specific Foods: Heavily Processed foods, Alcohol, Refined sugar and caffeine (or the lack of) are some common dietary culprits. Keeping a food and drink diary for a week can help understanding of potential patterns between your diet and migraines.
    2. Stress: There are many different approaches to reducing stress.  Remedies including meditation, essential oils and listening to calming music are worth exploring.
    3. Light sensitivity: is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of migraine sufferers. Extended exposure to harsh lighting can further exacerbate mild headache symptoms. If you feel a migraine coming on it’s a good idea to take a break from staring at computer or phone screens.

    Remedies:

    1. Stay Hydrated: Many headaches are caused by dehydration.  Keep a reusable bottle for water with you during the day. This will allow you to drink water when you’re thirsty and help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. 
    2. Triptans: Triptans are medications that combat extreme migraine symptoms. Triptans work primarily by constricting blood vessels and blocking the brain’s pain receptors. Those at risk for heart attacks and strokes are urged to not take triptans.
    3. Botox:  Botox has proven successful for relief for migraines in many cases.  The FDA has only approved Botox for those suffering from chronic migraines. What does this mean? You must have 15 or more days of headaches each month. You must also be 18 years or older
    4. Reduce your Stress: Sources of stress vary for each person. A bit of introspection on what causes stress in your life may be useful to help with your migraines.

  • Do These Things and Stop Your Migraine Before it Starts!

    Do These Things and Stop Your Migraine Before it Starts!

    Are migraines taking the joy out of your day? Are you not able to concentrate on conversations or enjoy time outside? When you suffer from intense migraines it can change you into a different person. That’s why it’s so important to identify your triggers and the best solution to provide you with relief. Here are some of the most common triggers and treatments for chronic migraines.

    Common Triggers

    The first step to ridding your life of migraines is to prevent them from starting in the first place. This advice may seem like common sense, but with there being such a wide variety of causes it’s important that you determine the cause for yourself.

    Many people who get migraines notice certain foods can be the trigger.

    Heavily Processed foods, Alcohol, Refined sugar and caffeine (or the lack of) are some common dietary culprits. Keeping a food and drink diary for a week can help you to understand if there’s a pattern between your diet and your migraines.

    Stress can be another common trigger. There are many different approaches to reducing stress. It’s worth your time to try remedies like meditation, essential oils and listening to calming music.

    Light sensitivity is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of migraine sufferers. Extended exposure to harsh lighting can further exacerbate mild headache symptoms. If you feel a migraine coming on it’s a good idea to take a break from staring at computer or phone screens. These sources emit blue-green light wavelengths that have been shown to affect the chemistry of the brain.

    Stay Hydrated

    Many headaches are caused by dehydration. If this is true of yours, a great preventative action could be to try to stay well-hydrated. Keep a reusable bottle for water with you during your job or during class. This will allow you to drink water when you’re thirsty and help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. Make sure to refill it between classes or on breaks from the job.

    Find Relief With Triptans

    Triptans are medications that were designed specifically to combat extreme migraine symptoms. Triptans work primarily by constricting blood vessels and blocking the brain’s pain receptors. These are primarily taken by people who are experiencing infrequent but intense migraines.

    Triptans are available in pill, injection and nasal spray varieties. Typically, people who want relief from extreme migraines but don’t get them often enough to merit full preventative regiments opt for triptans. Those at risk for heart attacks and strokes are urged to not take triptans.

    Migraines and Botox

    We’ve all heard of Botox. It is most commonly known as the secret weapon that has been keeping generations of smooth foreheads in Hollywood. What you may not know, however, is that Botox has been successfully bringing great relief to those who suffer from chronic migraines for years. Since Botox was approved to treat chronic migraines in 2010, an excruciating number of patients are reporting great success. The FDA has only approved Botox for those suffering from chronic migraines. What does this mean? You must have 15 or more days of headaches each month. You must also be 18 years or older. Does this sound like you?

    Reduce Stress Like a Pro

    Another option is to listen to calming music throughout the day if your school or work is conducive to this. Consider adopting a mantra, a personal saying, that you can repeat throughout the day to help calm yourself. Other calming techniques include deep-breathing exercises, short jogs while between classes or during breaks, and doing yoga or tai chi before or after school or work.

    Essential oils can also be used to naturally reduce stress. Lavender is an essential oil that the scientific community is currently experimenting with for the relief of stress, anxiety and migraines.


  • They thought It Was Just A Headache. Thank Goodness for This Miracle Cure:

    They thought It Was Just A Headache. Thank Goodness for This Miracle Cure:

    Yes, it’s true. Botox will prevent that throbbing migraine before it even starts. In fact, patients reported that two Botox treatments helped to reduce the number of migraine days by a whopping 50%. Here is everything you need to know:

    We’ve all heard of Botox. It is most commonly known as the secret weapon that has been keeping generations of smooth foreheads in Hollywood. What you may not know, however, is that Botox has been successfully bringing great relief to those who suffer from chronic migraines for years. Since Botox was approved to treat chronic migraines in 2010, an excruciating number of patients are reporting great success.

    Migraines and Botox

    The FDA has only approved Botox for those suffering from chronic migraines. What does this mean? You must have 15 or more days of headaches each month. You must also be 18 years or older. Does this sound like you?
    Botox may be the treatment to finally offer you some relief. In fact, the more frequently you suffer from headaches, the better you’ll do with Botox treatments. With that being said, Botox is not recommended for patients who experience less than 15 headache days each month.

    What is the treatment like?

    Your physician will use a tiny needle that won’t feel like anything more than a pinprick. The doctor will continue to inject small amounts of Botox into shallow muscles on your skin. Typically, patients receive about 30 injections in 7 key spots on their head and neck. You should expect your appointment to last about 20 minutes.

    How long does it last?

    You’ll receive a Botox Treatment once every 10 to 12 weeks to dull or prevent migraine headaches. Keep in mind that the treatment won’t work right away. You will see results 2 to 3 weeks after your first treatment.

    What are the side effects?

    Those who treat their chronic migraines with Botox have reported neck soreness as the most common side effect. We recommend using an ice pack to reduce the discomfort.

    Is it covered by my insurance?

    For cosmetic reasons? No. As a chronic migraine treatment? Yes – by most plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Allergan, a Botox manufacturer, offers a “Botox Savings Card,” which offers patients reduced fees.


  • Best Treatments for Migraines: Treating the Symptoms

    Best Treatments for Migraines: Treating the Symptoms

    Those who suffer from migraines know the feeling creeping up on them. It’s a tightness behind the eyes, stiffness in the neck and shoulder. Before they can respond, they’ve got a full-blown migraine hammering away inside their head. How can you take steps to alleviate your migraine symptoms?

    Today we’re taking a look at some of the medicines and treatments that are most effective for curtailing the effects of a bad migraine. While there’s no cure-all for the condition, there are steps you can take to make the symptoms a bit more bearable. So, let’s take a look.

    What is a Migraine?

    First, let’s look at what migraines are. Scientists aren’t sure, definitively, what causes a migraine, or what exactly they are. However, the symptoms are well-documented: splitting headaches, photosensitivity, nausea and extreme pain. The prevailing theory as to their physical origins in the body holds that they occur when your brain sends a wave of activity across your nerves into you trigeminal nerve.

    This, in turn, causes something of a “cascade” effect. The body releases a series of neurotransmitters that cause the blood vessels around the skull to enlarge, putting more stress on the nerves and muscles of the cranium. This, in turn, causes more of these neurotransmitters to be released, further engorging the blood vessels and increasing the pain. This creates a feedback loop that makes migraines incredibly painful.

    Remember, however, that migraines are not life-threatening, and you’re in no danger from them: they just hurt very badly. Your symptoms will not cause any long-term damage to you, they’re just highly uncomfortable.

    Setting

    Often, one of the best things you can do for a migraine is change your setting. If you’re finding yourself battling migraine symptoms in public, you might want to try to find a nice, quiet area to rest in. Migraines are usually exacerbated by bright lights and loud sounds, which prevent you from recovering from the symptoms quickly.

    In some cases, extreme temperature fluctuations can also make migraine symptoms worse. If you’re in a very cold room, or a very hot room, try to find an area that’s milder and more neutral. This will help you to focus on just feeling better!

    Stress

    Stress is a major factor in migraines. In many cases, stress is the only actual trigger for the headache, but just an emotional one. If you find yourself experiencing a major migraine while you’re stressing out, grab a stress ball and try to work out your emotions. Breathing meditation, yoga and the like can also be helpful for reducing stress.

    If you work in a stressful environment, consider keeping some tea on hand that you can brew and then drink. Ideally, this will allow you to take a brief break from your duties, if they’re stressing you out, while you steep your tea and drink it. The warm liquid and calming ritual both work wonder in helping you calm down!

    Pain Relievers

    Another way to address migraines is through the use of pain-relieving medicine. If you have them on hand, common NSAIDs can be helpful. Drugs like ibuprofen, Tylenol and Aleve are examples of these kinds of pain relievers. They typically take a few hours to get into your system, but they are rather effective at dealing with headache symptoms in most people.

    Another type of medication you can take is the “migraine abortive” variety of drugs. These usually can’t be taken with migraines that have an “aura” (a period of sensory overload before the onset of the actual migraine symptoms), so speak with your doctor about these types of medications. They’ll be able to help you select one that is right for your specific situation.


  • Best Treatments for Migraines

    Best Treatments for Migraines

    Chronic migraines can be downright disruptive to your daily life. It’s difficult to explain to people who don’t experience them just how hard it is to make it through your normal tasks with such intense, pounding headaches. As such, finding the treatment that works best for you is important. Here are some of the best treatments for migraines.

    Best Treatments for Migraines

    Preventative

    Preventative treatments, such as medicines and therapies, are designed to stop migraines before they even start. Typically, preventative medication is prescribed to those who suffer from serious, chronic and debilitating migraines. That’s because these medications require daily doses and work only if taking consistently.

    Another preventative treatment that some people have noted is getting a daith piercing. The daith is a part of the outer ear that is somewhat above the opening of the ear canal. Piercings in this location have been stated by some to help greatly reduce the number and severity of migraines. While it’s not a guarantee, some people swear by this preventative treatment.

    Relief

    There are a few medications available that are able to relieve pain for those who need immediate relief from migraines. Common NSAIDs, like Tylenol and Ibuprofen, are often taken for mild migraine symptoms. Those who suffer from mild or infrequent migraines often just keep a bottle of their preferred NSAID on hand in case of a sudden flare-up.

    There are also pain relievers that are geared, specifically, toward migraines. These medications use a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine, which are all useful in combating serious headaches. However, these are best when used in a dark room and when attempting to get to sleep. Nothing flares up migraines worse than bright lights and loud sounds.

    Triptans

    Triptans are medications that were designed specifically to combat extreme migraine symptoms. Triptans work primarily by constricting blood vessels and blocking the brain’s pain receptors. These are primarily taken by people who are experiencing infrequent but intense migraines.

    Triptans are available in pill, injection and nasal spray varieties. Typically, people who want relief from extreme migraines but don’t get them often enough to merit full preventative regiments opt for triptans. Those at risk for heart attacks and strokes are urged to not take triptans.

    Side effects of these medications can include muscle weakness, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and skin reactions due to injection. While many other medications are available, these are of some of the most common, and relied upon, forms of relief available.