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If you suffer from migraine headaches you know how
debilitating they can be. You have probably tried a number of migraine
treatments with little or no relief as well, which makes you feel like
banging your head against the wall. Why not, it couldn’t hurt any worse,
right? You dread the moment you get the first sign, or aura, of a
migraine coming on. You start to see spots, feel sensitive to light,
smells, or sounds, and may feel dizzy or nauseated. You just want to
find a dark room and tuck yourself into bed somewhere. Migraine
sufferers are unable to function at work, school, or anywhere else for
that matter. According to The National Migraine Association, also known
as MAGNUM (www.migraines.org), reports that 36 million people in the
United States suffer from migraine headaches. With improved recognition
of symptoms and diagnosis by health care providers, a 60% increase in
migraine sufferers has been noted over the past decade. Migraines are
different in each individual and not everyone experiences the same
symptoms, which is why some migraine treatments are more effective than
others, making the process somewhat complicated.
Migraine headaches are a neurological disease with biological
causes that are often hereditary. Migraine treatments have improved
immensely over the years, but are not effective for everyone, not to
mention the side effects that some people experience. Migraine
treatments are divided into separate group. There are preventive or
prophylactic medications and alternative therapies for migraine
treatment, and there are those that work to ward off symptoms once a
migraine has ensued. Prescribed medications used in migraine treatment
are beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, anti-depressants, and
Depakote (an anti-seizure drug). Alternative prophylactic migraine
treatments include feverfew leaf, butterbur root, vitamin B12, and
magnesium supplementation. New research is also looking to the gut,
which may be the origin of migraine headaches in some sufferers. If
preventive therapy is not completely effective, prescription medications
such as Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Relpax, Midrin, and Migranal can be used
which lessen the severity and duration of migraines by initiating
cerebral vasoconstriction. If migraine treatment is sought in a
physician’s office or emergency room, a narcotic injection can be
administered, such as Stadol, Phenergan, or Vistril, which are
non-vasoconstricting agents used in the event other treatments are
contraindicated.
These are all effective migraine treatments, but
remember that not all will help every migraine sufferer. Other
alternative treatments such acupuncture, biofeedback, and chiropractic
manipulation have also proven to be effective migraine treatments in
some patients. Avoiding certain migraine triggers is an important
intervention that can be used by all “migrainuers”, such as avoiding
certain foods and alcoholic beverages than have caused migraines in the
past, and wearing sunglasses in bright sunlight. If you suffer from
migraine headaches and you are not getting relief from your current
migraine treatment regimen, then schedule a consultation with your
health care provider. It is possible to get better relief and have fewer
episodes, which will greatly improve your emotional outlook and quality
of life.
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