The pain of a migraine - the pounding, nausea and long list of other symptoms - can be so great that normal life becomes impossible. Fortunately, physicians and other health care professionals have workable solutions. Some of these do not involve taking medications.
Understanding one's body can be an important step in approaching the challenge of pain. Take time to educate yourself about migraines. Talk to your doctor. Become involved in your treatment. Controlling and relieving migraine pain can be more than just taking a pill. Experience has shown that combinations of techniques to relieve pain may increase the odds of success. Everyone is unique to a certain degree, so what works for someone else might not work for you. Doctors also wisely caution that relief will not always be instant and perfect prevention not always possible.
Reducing stress through yoga, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and biofeedback are techniques with proven value for some pain syndromes. Research on acupuncture has shown it to be an effective adjunctive migraine pain treatment. Even simpler are the time-honored home remedies of cold or heat packs or resting in a quiet, dark room. Some persons believe that aromatherapy can help. Lavender is often described as a soothing scent.
Migraines are frequently not predictable. If you have anti-migraine medication, keep it with you, because the effectiveness may well be related to timely administration at the earliest sign of a migraine headache. Once you begin to suffer a migraine, take the medication prescribed for you. If you have forgotten your medication(s), you can find over-the-counter migraine pain remedies, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS) in any drugstore. For all medications, ask your doctor about dosages that won't make you vulnerable to rebound headaches, which can occur with an incorrect dose of medication. Another option to discuss with your doctor is medication taken regularly as a prevention method. Three medications that have proven helpful in preventing migraines are topiramate, divalproex and gabapentin. These medications work by interfering with the neurotransmitter gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).
Regular sleep patterns and exercise, and avoiding foods or beverages known to trigger migraines will help prevent attacks. Lessening the pain and frequency of migraines may help prevent the kind of neurological sensitization that occurs when pain is frequent.
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