Migraine

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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, it is best to try to treat them right away. The earlier you stop the symptoms, the less severe the headache may be.

A good way to identify triggers is to keep a headache diary. Write down the date and time the migraine began, what you ate for the 24 hours before the migraine, how long you slept the night before, what you were doing, thinking, and feeling just before the migraine began, any stress in your life, how long the migraine lasted, and what you did to make it stop. After a period of time, you may begin to see a pattern and be able to identify triggers to avoid.

When a headache or associated migraine symptoms begin, take the following helpful measures:

• Rest in a quiet, darkened room
• Drink fluids to avoid dehydration (especially if you have vomited)
• Try 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. If these don't help, you should talk to your doctor about prescription medications.

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

If you experience side effects from medications and would like to consider an alternative, feverfew is an herb that is quite popular for migraines. Several studies, but not all, have supported the value of feverfew for treating migraines. If you are interested in trying feverfew, make sure your doctor approves. Also, it is important to know that (unlike medications) herbal remedies sold in drugstores and health food stores are not regulated. Therefore, it is best to work with a trained herbalist when selecting such substances.