Yesterday, I started a series on migraine headaches, where I looked into the causes and types of migraines. So today, I'll delve further into the symptoms and treatment.
SYMPTOMS OF MIGRAINE
Symptoms of migraine can occur a while before the headache, immediately before the headache, during the headache and after the headache. Although not all migraines are the same, typical symptoms include:
Moderate to severe pain, usually confined to one side of the head during an attack, but can occur on either side of the head,
The pain is usually a severe, throbbing, pulsing pain.
Increasing pain during physical activity
Inability to perform regular activities due to pain
Feeling sick and physically being sick,
Increased sensitivity to light and sound, relieved by lying quietly in a darkened room,
Some people experience other symptoms such as sweating, temperature changes, tummy ache and diarrhoea.
Migraines with aura
Many people experience migraines with auras or warning signs just before or during the head pain, but many do not. Auras are perceptual disturbances such as:
Confusing thoughts or experiences,
The perception of strange lights, sparkling or flashing lights
Zigzag lines in the visual field
Blind spots or blank patches in the vision
Pins and needles in an arm or leg
Difficulty speaking
Stiffness in the shoulders, neck or limbs
Unpleasant smells.
If any migraine sufferer experiences unusual or worrying features that they do not normally have, then they should seek medical help rather than blaming the migraine.
TREATMENTS OF MIGRAINE
There is currently no cure for migraine, so treatment is aimed at preventing a full-blown attack, and alleviating symptoms if they come.
Regular physical exercise may help reduce migraine frequency.
Different people respond to different treatments.
Some lifestyle alterations might help reduce migraine frequency. These include:
Getting enough sleep
Reducing stress
Drinking plenty of water
Avoiding certain foods
Regular physical exercise.
Migraine treatment (abortive therapies) and prevention (prophylactic therapies) focus on avoiding triggers, controlling symptoms and taking medicines.
MEDICATION
Analgesia:
Over-the-counter medications such as naproxen, ibuprofen, acetaminophen (paracetamol), and other analgesics like Excedrin (aspirin with caffeine) are often the first abortive therapies to eliminate the headache or substantially reduce painPainkillers should be taken early rather than allowing the headache to develop.
Anti-emetics :
Metoclopramide may also be used to control symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
Serotonin agonists:
Sumatriptan may also be prescribed for severe migraines or for migraines that are not responding to the over-the-counter medicationsSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)Antidepressants such as tricyclics - are prescribed to reduce migraine symptoms although they are not approved in all countries for this purpose.
Ergots:
Another class of abortive treatments is called ergots, which are usually effective if administered at the first sign of a migraine.
Other drugs:
Combinations of barbiturates, paracetamol or aspirin, and caffeine (Fioricet or Fiorinal)Combinations of acetaminophen, dichloralphenazone and isometheptene (Amidrine, Duradrin, and Midrin).
Prophylactic therapies (prevention)
Migraine prevention begins with avoiding things that trigger the condition.
The main goals of prophylactic therapies are to reduce the frequency, painfulness and duration of migraine headaches and to increase the effectiveness of abortive therapies.
There are several categories of preventive migraine medicine, ranging from diet changes and exercise to prescription drugs. Some of these include:
There have now been many controlled trials of acupuncture for migraine, with some large, high-quality ones in recent years.
Prescription beta blockers
Anticonvulsants (Topiramate)
Antidepressants (Tricyclics and SSRIs)
GabapentinBotulinum toxin A (Botox)
Herbs and vitamins such as butterbur, cannabis, coenzyme Q10, feverfew, magnesium citrate, riboflavin, B12, melatoninSpinal cord stimulator implantationHyperbaric oxygen therapyVision correctionExercise,
sleep,
sexual activity
Visualization and self-hypnosis
Chiropractic care or acupuncture.
DID YOU KNOW?
Human teeth are almost as hard as rocks.
You burn more calories while sleeping than you do when watching television.
Our eyes never grow, and our nose and ears never stop growing.
The thumbnail grows the slowest; the middle nail grows the fastest
Children grow faster in the springtime.
QUOTE OF THE DAY!
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. – Jimmy Johnson
The little 'extra' efforts would significantly make a difference in our relationships, academics and careers when we feel like giving up. Have you ever observed that during an athletics competition especially the 100m, the winner usually leads the others by just a little time difference sometimes less than 1.00-3.00 seconds. That little extra time difference makes the winner extraordinary.
The just concluded diamond league this season further illustrates today's quote. Justin Gatlin had a great season but when it really matters, in the finals, Usain Bolt was extraordinary as he won both the 100m and 200m in emphatic victory leaving Gatlin to second place.
I see you being extraordinary today because you're destined to win.
Oluwatimilehin Oke Email: healthertainment@gmail.com Whatsapp: +234-703-798-6229 BB PIN: 563D9C56 BB CHANNEL: C001C7A18 Twitter & Instagram: @timi0301
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