Migraine Pain Relief - Symptoms and Treatment

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Migraine Pain Relief – Symptoms and Treatment

For those who have suffered from migraine headaches you know how debilitating they can be. A migraine headache can keep you in a dark room for days. Over the counter drugs seem to offer little in the way of migraine pain relief. Often the patient has to seek the help of their doctor because they cannot deal with the acute pain. Migraine pain relief is best achieved before the headache starts. Modern medicines are geared at preventing the headache. Most over the counter medications are not strong enough to provide migraine pain relief and some of them may actually make the headache worse. Prescription medicines used to treat the pain typically work by constricting blood vessels located in the brain. These medicines work best when taken as soon as the pain begins. Full blown migraine pain is often difficult to successfully treat.

How Migraines Are Different From Other Headaches

A migraine sufferer will usually suffer migraines on a continued and repeated basis. Some people have them as many as three times per week. It is not uncommon for an untreated migraine to last two to three days. Other symptoms associated with migraines are nausea and light sensitivity. The pain is usually a throbbing pain and can often be associated with blurred vision. While most migraine sufferers do not have a warning there are a few people who will know when a migraine is coming on. Some people have visual disturbances known as auras which will preclude migraine pain. There are medications on the market which will provide migraine pain relief if taken when these disturbances first happen. If this describes you it would be wise to discuss this with your doctor.

Migraine Triggers

Migraine headaches are present in the female population more than the male. There are still many things about migraines that are not understood. Usually they are hereditary and involve a chemical reaction in the brain. Some people have been successful at achieving migraine pain relief by determining what triggers their headache. It may take some time but keeping a journal of your daily activities and food intake may hold the key. You may be able to determine a certain food or activity which brings on the pain. Often stress or lack of sleep is the culprit. If you are female you might notice the headaches occur at certain times of the month which could indicate a hormonal change.

Keeping up with your food intake can tell you if there is a correlation between your headaches and certain foods. Dairy products, processed meats containing nitrates, and foods containing MSG have all been linked to migraines. If you can determine which foods trigger your pain you might be able to prevent the headache by avoiding those foods. There will probably be times when you will get a migraine despite all of your good efforts. When this happens it is best if you try to relax. Try lying down in a dark room away from loud noise. You make get some degree of migraine pain relief with a cold compress to the forehead and breathing deeply.