| |
|
|
| |
a-z physical
health : migraine
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Migraine headaches are not life-threatening,
but do interfere with people’s lives. Caring, supportive
families and health care providers can help lessen the pain
of those with migraines. A person with migraines can also help
by learning as much as possible about migraine headaches and
building a good working relationship with a care provider. The
health care provider may be a doctor, nurse, physician’s
assistant, or other clinician who knows about headaches. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
What
is a migraine headache? |
|
| |
There are many ideas or theories
about what migraine headaches are and what causes them, but
there are no clear-cut answers. One common cause is thought
to be over-dilation or relaxation of blood vessels in the head.
In some cases, migraine headaches may be inherited.
It is known that the pain from migraines is often severe. The
pain may be a throbbing or pulsing on either one or both sides
of the head. Bright lights, loud sounds and strong odors may
worsen the headache pain. Nausea and vomiting may occur with
a migraine headache. Migraine pain may interfere with person’s
usual activities. These headaches sometimes last for hours or
days.
Some people with migraine headaches have auras. An aura usually
involves seeing, feeling, strength or speech. For example, a
visual (seeing) aura may be flashing or streaking lights or
spots in one’s vision. A sensory (feeling) aura could
be numbness, tingling or short-term paralysis in a body part.
Auras usually occur before the migraine headache, but may happen
during the migraine. Sometimes a person may have an aura but
no headache pain. An aura can be helpful as an early warning
sign that a headache is going to happen. With this warning,
a person can take medicine to prevent a .full-blown headache.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
How do
you know if a headache is a migraine? |
|
| |
Your health care provider will
complete a health and medication history, a physical exam, and
very likely do some tests to decide if you are having migraine
headaches. Your health care provider may consult a headache
specialist. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
What brings
on a migraine headache? |
|
| |
The factors that bring on or trigger
a migraine headache are different for each person. Some migraine
sufferers do not know of anything in particular that causes
a migraine, while others can list one or more .triggers. What
may trigger a migraine headache one time may not trigger a headache
another time. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Common external triggers include:
|
|
| |
| • |
Smoke |
| • |
Perfumes |
| • |
Chemical odors |
| • |
Bright lights |
| • |
Aged or fermented foods
(cheeses, pickled foods) |
| • |
Alcoholic beverages, for
example, red wine |
| • |
Food preservatives such as
monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nitrites |
| • |
Caffeine (coffees, teas,
chocolate) |
| • |
Medications |
| • |
Upset stomach |
| • |
Barometric pressure changes
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Common internal triggers include:
|
|
| |
| • |
Hormone changes,
for example, those associated with the menstrual period
|
| • |
Stress (both good stress
and bad stress) |
| • |
Life changes (getting a
new job or not getting a new job) |
| • |
Sleep problems (too much
or too little) |
| • |
Low blood sugar (not eating
at regular times) |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
It is very useful to learn what
triggers your migraines so you can avoid them. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Let-down headaches |
|
| |
A person may be able to deal with
stress and activity during the workweek, but gets a headache
when stress is decreased over the weekend. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Rebound headaches |
|
| |
Rebound headaches may occur when
a person consumes either caffeine or headache medicine several
times daily for four or more days and then suddenly stops the
caffeine or medicine. For example, taking two Excedrin®
four to six times a day for several days in a row and then stopping
the Excedrin® may cause a rebound headache. Drinking several
cups of coffee every day at work, but not drinking coffee on
the weekend may cause a migraine. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
How are
migraine headaches treated? |
|
| |
There are many ways in which migraine
headaches are treated. The most common form of treatment is
medication. If you are thinking of using medication to relieve
migraine headaches, it is very important that you talk with
your health care provider about prescription and non-prescription
medicines. Some medicines may make a migraine worse or aggravate
other medical conditions. Over-the-counter pain-relieving medicines
used to treat mild to moderate migraine pain include: |
|
| |
| • |
Tylenol®
(acetaminophen) |
| • |
Aspirin |
| • |
Advil® (ibuprofen) |
| • |
Excedrin® migraine formula
|
| • |
Aleve® (naproxen) |
| • |
Orudis® KT (ketoprofen)
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
If over-the-counter medicines do
not relieve migraine pain, your health care provider may prescribe
one or more of the following medicines for mild to moderate
migraine pain. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
| • |
Fiorinal®
(Aspirin/butalbital/caffeine) |
| • |
Fioricet® or Esgic®
(acetaminophen/butalbital/caffeine) |
| • |
Fiorinal® or Fioricet®
with codeine |
| • |
Toradol® (ketorolac)
|
| • |
Midrin® (isomethheptene/dichloralphenazone/acetaminophen)
|
| • |
Compazine® (prochlorperazine)
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
To stop an early migraine headache
from becoming a full-blown headache, the following prescribed
medicines can be used either before or after the medicines listed
above. These medicines tend to work quickly, do not cause drowsiness,
and allow quick return to usual activities. They are available
in tablets, nasal spray or injection forms. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Health Facts for you
University of Wisconsin
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
