HEALTH AWARENESS
Migraine Treatment
There is no absolute cure for migraine headaches. However, many drugs can treat or even prevent them. Common migraine treatments include:
- Pain relief: Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs often work well. The main ingredients are acetaminophen, aspirin, caffeine, and ibuprofen. Never give aspirin to anyone under the age of 19 because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Be careful when one takes OTC pain medications, because they might also add to a headache. If one use them too much, one can get rebound headaches or become dependent on them. Take them only under doctor’s supervision.
- Nausea medicine: Medications to treat nausea/vomiting associated with migraine.
- Triptans: These drugs balance the chemicals in one’s brain. One may be prescribed a pill to swallow, tablets to dissolve on tongue, a nasal spray, or a shot. Examples include almotriptan, eletriptan, sumatriptan, rizatriptan, and zolmitriptan.
- Ergotamine: This also works on the chemicals in one’s brain.
- Lasmiditan: This drug eases pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound.
- CGRP receptor antagonists: Rimegepant or ubrogepant if other treatments don’t help.
- Preventive medicines: They include seizure medicines, blood pressure medicines (like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers), some antidepressants, and shots of botulinum toxin type A (Botox). CGRP antagonists such as atogepant, eptinezumab, erenumab, fremanezumab, and galcanezumab can also prevent migraines.
- Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS): This device is placed on the back of one’s head at the start of a migraine with aura. It sends a pulse of magnetic energy to part of brain, which may stop or reduce pain.
- Neuromodulation devices: Other devices can affect the vagus nerve and the trigeminal nerve to give relief from or prevent migraines.
Alternative Treatments
Some people get relief with therapies in addition to or instead of traditional medical treatment. These are called complementary or alternative treatments. For migraine, they include:
- Biofeedback: This helps one take note of stressful situations that could trigger symptoms. If the headache begins slowly, biofeedback can stop the attack before it becomes full-blown.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): A specialist can teach how actions and thoughts affect how one sense pain.
- Supplements: Research has found that some vitamins, minerals, and herbs can prevent or treat migraines. These include riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, and melatonin. Butterbur may head off migraines, but it can also affect one’s liver enzymes.
- Body work: Physical treatments like chiropractic, massage, acupressure, acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy might ease headache symptoms. Consulting one’s primary doctor before trying any complementary or alternative treatments is paramount.
Migraine Prevention
- Identify and avoid triggers: Keep track of symptom patterns in a diary so that one can figure out what is causing them.
- Managing stress: Relaxation techniques like meditation, and mindful breathing can help.
- Eating on a regular schedule without skipping meals.
- Getting plenty of rest.
- Resting with eyes closed in a dark, quiet room
- Putting a cool compress or ice pack forehead
- Drinking plenty of liquids
- Getting regular moderate exercise.
- Preventive medications.
(Concluded…)
(Author is a medical doctor, health columnist and public speaker. He can be reached at: [email protected])
