By Puja Aggarwal, MD, as suggested to Kara Mayer Robinson
As a board-certified neurologist who treats migraines — and somebody who gets migraine complications in most cases — I disclose your distress.
About 2-Three times a month, I procure a corpulent-blown migraine in the abet of my head. It moreover comes with photophobia, or mild sensitivity, and floaters in my imaginative and prescient. When I procure a migraine, it would possibly perhaps per chance presumably presumably grasp on for 6-8 hours.
Between my grasp migraines and these I tackle in my observe in Orlando, FL, I’ve change into adept at managing them.
But simply because sure things serve me doesn’t imply they’ll serve you to. Completely different folk enjoy diversified forms of migraine complications, and that affects what works and what doesn’t.
First, Know Your Triggers
All people’s triggers are diversified. It’s key with the intention to pinpoint your personal triggers and steer clear of them.
Mine encompass stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, skipping meals, and having a tumbler of purple wine. (Yep, fully 1 is all it takes.)
Yours will almost definitely be diversified. Total triggers encompass:
- Some smells
- Sure forms of mild
- Chocolate
- Fascinating too vital
- Food additives
- Jet bound
- Loud sounds
- Rain
- Stress
- Sunlight
- Your menstrual cycle
As soon as your triggers, you would possibly perhaps presumably presumably presumably construct your easiest to lead clear of them. This would possibly perhaps presumably also just reduce abet how on the entire you procure migraines, how rotten they are, and even ward them off earlier than they birth up.
How to Arrange Triggers
To finish on high of my migraines, I continuously are trying to finish hydrated, exercise in most cases, and steer clear of skipping meals.
Dehydration can build off a migraine. It would possibly presumably presumably also just also procure migraines splendid longer. To recall your water retail outlets up, are trying to drink at the very least 64 oz. of water a day.
If hunger is a suite off for you, are trying to enjoy three build meals a day.
Lack of sleep can moreover scream on migraines and procure them splendid longer. I teach my migraine patients to procure at the very least 7 hours of sleep an evening.
I moreover capture 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium every single day. Magnesium oxide is easiest for migraines and would possibly presumably reduce abet how frequent and excessive they are. It helps me, nonetheless it completely doesn’t serve everyone. In case you enjoy frequent or excessive migraines, magnesium would possibly presumably presumably also just no longer give you the results you want.
Editor’s display: Gallop to your doctor earlier than you birth up taking supplements, to verify that it’s an real determination for you.
When a Migraine Strikes
As soon as a migraine comes on, one of the well-known first things I construct is drink fluids and eat one thing.
I moreover capture medicine. I on the entire capture 400 mg of ibuprofen, which helps lessen my distress. You can moreover are trying over-the-counter medicines relish Excedrin Migraine or Tylenol.
But be careful. Taking too vital medicine for your migraine can finally procure it worse.
Too vital acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or diversified distress medicines can outcome in medicine overuse. This feels relish a power, day by day headache or migraine. It would possibly presumably presumably also just happen in the occasion you capture this kind of medicines 2-3 days per week for a entire lot of weeks.
All but again, capture into epic that sure therapies work for some folk nonetheless no longer others. There are a form of strategies, so refer to your doctor to search out what’s right for you.
Your doctor would possibly presumably presumably also just point out sure medicines which will finish excessive migraines in the occasion you capture them first and significant up of a migraine. They encompass:
- Almotriptan malate (Axert)
- Eletriptan hydrobromide (Relpax)
- Frovatriptan (Frova)
- lasmiditan (Reyvow)
- Naratriptan (Amerge)
- Rizatriptan benzoate (Maxalt)
- Sumatriptan succinate (Imitrex)
- Zolmitriptan (Zomig)
They would possibly presumably well also just also point out medicine to serve prevent migraines, relish:
- Galcanezumab (Emgality)
- Rimegepant (Nurtec)
- Sodium valproate (Depakote)
- Topiramate (Topamax)
- Ubrogepant (Ubrelvy)
Completely different Things to Strive
In case you enjoy frequent migraines, Botox shots would possibly presumably presumably also just serve. Botox is a drug that blocks neurotransmitters carrying distress signals out of your brain.
Botox works to ease migraine distress for some folk nonetheless no longer for others.
I haven’t tried it because my migraines aren’t frequent sufficient. It’s easiest for folk with power migraines, or 15 complications a month.
You can moreover are trying substitute therapies much like these:
- Yoga and meditation can serve with stress and reduce abet migraines.
- A scalp or facial rub down can serve serve distress.
- Acupuncture would possibly presumably presumably also just serve lessen the determination of migraines you procure or serve them be milder in the occasion you construct procure one.
Light Sensitivity
When a migraine makes it unfortunate for me to be around mild, it on the entire lasts about 20-30 minutes. I will sit in a room with the lights off, and it clears up.
I’m fortunate — it’s quick for me. But it completely differs from person to person.
In case you enjoy mild sensitivity in the occasion you procure a migraine, are trying staying in a frigid, dim room. You would possibly perhaps put on an watch veil, too.
One splendid squawk: Consult with your doctor about the kind, severity, and frequency of your migraines. They’ll tailor your remedy to your personal wants.
