Treatments... Or Not.

In one of the migraine communities I am in, the question came up—What have we tried, and what has worked (or not worked) to deal with, cure, or prevent our migraines? I thought a list here might be helpful, as there are times keeping everything in one place would be helpful. So here goes.

Medication. Lots and lots and lots of meds. Triptans, Topomax, Zonegran, amiltriptyline, midrin, and a host of others. I can safely say at this point I have tried every migraine medication on the market. Some have worked for a certain length of time, and then quit; others were a waste of money. Now I am on oxycontin and neurontin, which seems to be helping, I think. I hope.

Chiropractors. I have been to several chiropractors. I have tried to like having my head whipped around, my neck and back cracked, and fingers stuck in my mouth to adjust my neck. I hate it. I hate being manipulated like that. They work well for so many people, I want them to work for me, but there is just something about the whole thing that makes me shiver.

Acupuncture. I have tried this many times. I have. I want it to work so badly. It seems so easy—go have needles stuck in the right places and you are cured. But it is never that easy. There is one big drawback to acupuncture. Needles. I hate needles. And that is really funny coming from a heavily tattooed person. But, it is what it is. Some people swear by acupuncture, and I want so badly to be one of those people. But, it just does nothing other than raise my general stress level, which is never good.

Tattoos. I feel like I have to mention this here. I find that I do not have pain after getting worked on. Tattooing releases endorphins. Endorphins can and do temporarily block pain receptors. After a session of work, I have less pain. This is a good thing as I get pretty ink on my arm. (I am currently working on a sleeve. It's pretty. I love it.) Big draw back is expense. And finding a good artist. But—once you get over that it can be a good thing. Really.

Yoga. I love yoga. The deep breathing you learn can be a valuable tool, especially when dealing with migraines. I love taking yoga. Classes, for me, are hard though. I have two kids and hate dragging them to a gym. There are good tapes and DVDs out there, though, and can be done easily in the privacy of your home. While not a cure, it certainly helps.

Biofeedback. This is good in combination with other things—medication, exercise, and diet. The initial few times can be a pain as you learn to regulate your body, but I find that if combined with yoga, it can work wonders.

Diet. Ok, so this is one that is constantly stressed to anyone with migraines. Watch what you eat, keep a list of migraine triggers. Honestly, this can be the most helpful tool you have. Stay away from things like artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and anything you’ve found that can trigger a migraine. Again, in combination with other things, it can change the patterns of your migraines, and keep them from occurring.