Wednesday, July 4, 2007

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MIGRAINE

Migraines are the granddaddy of all headaches. They are terribly painful and debilitating. The pain is intense and focused on one side of the head, usually at the temple. Sufferers will often experience nausea and severe sensitivity to light and sound. The pain can go on for days if left untreated.

Most migraine sufferers will learn to recognize headache precursors. These are symptoms that occur before the headache gets started. For some, it can be seeing spots before the eyes, for others something as nebulous as a ‘feeing’ that a headache is coming.

Fortunately, there are some new ways to treat migraines. In the past, once the headache got going there was little the sufferer could do but tough it out. Now, there are medications that treat a migraine that has already blossomed.

Even so, prevention should not be forgotten. If you are a migraine sufferer, there are things that you can do to prevent migraines. Diet is highest on the list. Avoid foods that are high in tyramine. These include chocolate, aged cheeses and meats, and many others. You can get a list of these foods from your doctor.

Avoid excessive sweets, foods containing nitrates, like bacon and lunchmeats, and salt can all be culprits in migraine headaches. Meals should be eaten at regular intervals to avoid highs and lows in the blood sugar level.

There are medications designed to help prevent migraines, too. These are usually calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and serotonin antagonists. These kinds of drugs help prevent vasodialation, blood vessel expansion. This vasodilation is what causes the pain of a migraine. Common drug names are Inderal and Depakote.

If you sense that a migraine is coming on, try to head it off before it gets a good start. You can do this by taking a high dose of caffeine; a very strong cup of coffee will do the trick, along with an aspirin. A newly recognized treatment that heads off a migraine attack is the herbal product feverfew. An 85mg capsule taken at the first sign of migraine can stall the attack or make the symptoms much less severe. Check with your doctor before taking anything.

If your migraine has already gotten a foothold, there are still options that will knock it out. Medical treatment is one choice. There are new drugs available that are designed to stop a migraine that has already gotten going. Some of the drug names are Zomig, Imitrex and Maxalt. These drugs cause the blood vessels around the trigeminal nerve to constrict and relieve the pain of the migraine.

There are some homeopathic options for treating a migraine that has already gotten started. Passionflower is a natural tranquilizer that can ease pain for some people. It can be purchased in capsule form or oil. Try adding 15 to 20 drops of the oil to a cup of tea. Practice all precautions using passionflower that you would using any other tranquilizer. It can be quite potent!

Rosemary oil rubbed into the temples may also relieve a migraine. Some people find rosemary tea soothing as well. You may also use ice packs to treat the pain of a migraine and stay in a dark, quiet room.

There are more options now than there ever have been for migraine sufferers. You should talk with your health care practitioner to see what may work best for you.

1 comment:

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