Migraine

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Migraine headache

Vascular headaches

Migraine cause

CT scan of the brain

Central nervous system

Migraine

Alternative Names:

Headache - migraine

Treatment:

There is no specific cure for migraine headaches. The goal is to prevent symptoms by avoiding or altering triggers. When you do get migraine symptoms, try to treat them right away. The headache may be less severe.

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A good way to identify triggers is to keep a headache diary. See headache.

When migraine symptoms begin:

Rest in a quiet, darkened room
Drink fluids to avoid dehydration (especially if you have vomited)
Try placing a cool cloth on your head

Over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin are often helpful, especially when your migraine is mild. (Be aware, however, that chronic usage of such pain medications may result in rebound headaches.) If these don't help, ask your doctor about prescription medications.

Your doctor will select from several different types of medications, including:

Ergots like dihydroergotamine or ergotamine with caffeine (Cafergot)
Triptans like sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt), almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova), and zolmitriptan (Zomig); these are available as a tablet, nasal spray, or self-administered injection
Isometheptene (Midrin)
Stronger pain relievers(narcotics)

Many of the prescription medications for migraines narrow your blood vessels. Therefore, these drugs should not be used if you have heart disease, unless specifically instructed by your doctor.

If you wish to consider an alternative, feverfew is a popular herb for migraines. Several studies, but not all, support using feverfew for treating migraines. If you are interested in trying feverfew, make sure your doctor approves. Also, know that herbal remedies sold in drugstores and health food stores are not regulated. Work with a trained herbalist when selecting herbs.

Support Groups:

American Council for Headache Education - www.achenet.org

The National Migraine Association -www.migraine.org

National Headache Foundation - www.headaches.org

Expectations (prognosis):

Every person responds differently to treatment. Some people have rare headaches that require little to no treatment. Others require the use of several medications or even occasional hospitalization.

Complications:

Migraine headaches generally represent no significant threat to your overall health. However, they can be chronic, recurrent, frustrating, and they may interfere with your day-to-day life.