Sometimes headaches can be caused by blockage to the brain. Acupuncture can work to remove this blockage so that the body functions properly and normally. The specific treatment would vary depending on the individual.
Migraine headaches have also shown to be responsive to Hypnosis and Biofeedback. These solutions can be as effective as medication but will likely take a longer period of treatment. The advantage is that they have few side effects associated with them.
Migraine Headaches are also linked with Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In these cases, it is critical to address these underlying health challenges to relieve the migraine headaches.
Link between Depression and Migraine Headaches
Physicians commonly acknowledge to patients that their condition is affected my their emotions. Researchers in the Netherlands seem to have found a stronger, genetic link between migraines and depression (http://www. foundhealth.comshow/19/Depression/Overview). Recent studies in the USA and Europe demonstrate that people who are depressed are much more likely to experience migraines, and in 2 large Canadian studies, 67 % of patients who were clinically diagnosed with depression or anxiety experienced frequent migraine headaches, and 18% of them experienced daily migraines headaches..
For many years, physicians have observed a close connection between mental health and migraine headaches. Research is beginning to show that many people who suffer from various types of mental illness will also have headaches or migraines. Patients may fel overwhelmed coping with migraines and depression at the same time. There is gradual movement in medicine towards addressing depression and migraine headaches together, not only with medication, but also with counseling and psychotherapy.
Link between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Migraine Headaches
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one common cause underlying cases of chronic, clinical depression. PTSD occurs in some individuals after a traumatic emotional or physical event. These individuals feel anxiety or depression in certain situations after experiencing emotional or physical trauma, such as after childhood abuse, divorce, an accident, or or after return from a military deployment. This condition has received a lot of attention and is well-researched by the US government and military. Recent research on migraine and PTSD demonstrates that when migraine headache sufferers also have PTSD, they tend to have a higher degree of disability, or a reduced level of functioning and quality of life than migraine sufferers without PTSD.
In patients with migraines and depression, PTSD occurs more frequently in sufferers of chronic daily headaches (CDH), than in those with episodic migraines (EM), that vary in frequency. Many patients with migraines experienced a traumatic event, stress, or significant life change close to the time when their migraines began or worsened, demonstrating a clear link between stress, post-traumatic-stress and migraine.
Treatment for Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Migraine
Psychotherapy that may include hypnotherapy and/or medications are used to treat patients with depression. Research studies are currently underway to study the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating PTSD by the US government and the National Institutes of health (NIH).
Migraine headaches have also shown to be responsive to Hypnosis and Biofeedback. These solutions can be as effective as medication but will likely take a longer period of treatment. The advantage is that they have few side effects associated with them.
Migraine Headaches are also linked with Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In these cases, it is critical to address these underlying health challenges to relieve the migraine headaches.
Migraine Headaches and Hypnosis
Hypnosis can be used be treat migraine headaches as well as anxiety and phobias. Some studies have shown that hypnosis can be as effective as medication in treating migraine headaches.
More about [Migraine Headaches and Hypnosis][1]
Migraine Headaches and Biofeedback
Patients with migraine have been able to learn to direct blood flow into their hands and other regions of the body during a migraine attack. This is significant because cold hands are a frequent symptom of migraine headache. Significant studies have not yet been conducted, but migraine patients who have tried biofeedback have reported a lessening in their migraine symptoms.
Link betwee*n Link between Depression and Migraine Headaches*
Physicians commonly acknowledge to patients that their condition is affected my their emotions. Researchers in the Netherlands seem to have found a stronger, genetic link between migraines and depression. Recent studies in the USA and Europe demonstrate that people who are depressed are much more likely to experience migraines, and in 2 large Canadian studies, 67 % of patients who were clinically diagnosed with depression or anxiety experienced frequent migraine headaches, and 18% of them experienced daily migraines headaches..
For many years, physicians have observed a close connection between mental health and migraine headaches. Research is beginning to show that many people who suffer from various types of mental illness will also have headaches or migraines. Patients may fel overwhelmed coping with migraines and depression at the same time. There is gradual movement in medicine towards addressing depression and migraine headaches together, not only with medication, but also with counseling and psychotherapy.
Link between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Migraine Headaches
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one common cause underlying cases of chronic, clinical depression. PTSD occurs in some individuals after a traumatic emotional or physical event. These individuals feel anxiety or depression in certain situations after experiencing emotional or physical trauma, such as after childhood abuse, divorce, an accident, or or after return from a military deployment. This condition has received a lot of attention and is well-researched by the US government and military. Recent research on migraine and PTSD demonstrates that when migraine headache sufferers also have PTSD, they tend to have a higher degree of disability, or a reduced level of functioning and quality of life than migraine sufferers without PTSD.
In patients with migraines and depression, PTSD occurs more frequently in sufferers of chronic daily headaches (CDH), than in those with episodic migraines (EM), that vary in frequency. Many patients with migraines experienced a traumatic event, stress, or significant life change close to the time when their migraines began or worsened, demonstrating a clear link between stress, post-traumatic-stress and migraine.
Treatment for Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Migraine
Psychotherapy that may include hypnotherapy and/or medications are used to treat patients with depression. Research studies are currently underway to study the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating PTSD by the US government and the National Institutes of health (NIH).
Since headaches and muscle contraction have a strong relationship, various types of bodywork can be helpful in relieving muscular spams that occur between the base of the skull and along the top of the shoulders. Releasing the muscular tension results in normalizing the neurovascular system. These types of bodyworks include Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, the Trager Approach, craniosacral massage and polarity therapy.2These approaches require the help of professionals that specialize in these techniques.
Migraine Headaches can also be relieved with the use of effective self-help approaches such as acupressure and yoga. These techniques can relieve muscular tension and create a flow of blood and energy to the head, causing a relief in the headache.
Since headaches and muscle contraction have a strong relationship, various types of bodywork can be helpful in relieving muscular spams that occur between the base of the skull and along the top of the shoulders. Releasing the muscular tension results in normalizing the neurovascular system. These types of bodyworks include Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, the Trager Approach, craniosacral massage and polarity therapy.2These approaches require the help of professionals that specialize in these techniques.
Migraine Headaches can also be relieved with the use of effective self-help approaches such as acupressure and yoga. These techniques can relieve muscular tension and create a flow of blood and energy to the head, causing a relief in the headache.
Migraine Headaches and Yoga
Some yoga experts have found that a hatha yoga practice, or the practice of yoga exercises called "asanas," can assist in reducing the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches. One of the modern theories of why migraines occur states that the blood vessels that supply the brain temporarily become narrow due to a variety of factors - stress and muscular tension are 2 common ones.
Dr. Baxter Bell, M.D., a certified yoga teacher and physician in Northern California says that "For a migraine sufferer, there is then a sudden shift in the blood vessels and they abruptly dilate, increasing the blood flow to the head. This sudden shift results in the intense pain of the migraine episode." Therefore prevention of migraines, from the perspective of yoga, aims to maintain relaxation in the nervous system on a daily basis, thus reducing the likelihood of the initial narrowing of the blood vessels that predisposes someone to a migraine.
Yoga classes vary in intensity, according to the style of yoga. One style of yoga that targets relaxation rather than exercise and fitness is called "restorative yoga." Resorative yoga places the body in poses that increase the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) while eliminating most sensory stimulation by gently covering the eyes, purifying or ionizing the air, playing soft or no music, and leaving the perfumes and body sprays at home. This combination can work beautifully for migraine sufferers who may experience multi-sensory hyper-sensitivity during a migraine, which can lead to intensification of the pain.
If you choose to also practice a more active form of yoga for fitness or enjoyment, your yoga classes can be of any intensity that you desire, with a conscious effort to remain steady, breathing deeply and evenly, while spending time gradually increasing the intensity and then gradually cooling down during the course of a given class.
More about Migraines and Yoga
Since headaches and muscle contraction have a strong relationship, various types of bodywork can be helpful in relieving muscular spams that occur between the base of the skull and along the top of the shoulders. Releasing the muscular tension results in normalizing the neurovascular system. These types of bodyworks include Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, the Trager Approach, craniosacral massage and polarity therapy.2These approaches require the help of professionals that specialize in these techniques.
Migraine Headaches can also be relieved with the use of effective self-help approaches such as acupressure and yoga. These techniques can relieve muscular tension and create a flow of blood and energy to the head, causing a relief in the headache.
Migraine Headaches and Acupressure
There are specific acupressure points that must be stimulated to achieve a great deal of relief from a migraine headache. Each of the points has a unique coordinate which you must locate on your body and then stimulate, typically using one or both of your thumbs.
More about Migraine headaches and Acupressure
Medicine has made great strides in recent years to assist migraine sufferers. The headache-stopping medications are truly remarkable in their ability to stop a migraine in its tracks. The area of greatest concern to migraineurs, how to prevent the onset of a migraine, remains an unsolved mystery.
This is where medical scientists who have studied the role of digestion and nutrition and migraines may offer some possible answers in preventing migraine headaches from occurring.
Many medical researchers who study the role of nutrition and digestion in disease formation believe that most disease states begin with or are complicated by some level of digestive dysfunction. When the body is not efficient in digesting and absorbing the nutrients it needs, it does not have all the essential building blocks at its disposal, and some level of dysfunction may occur. This dysfunction may effect circulation, tissue repair, respiration, liver function, potentially any system or organ within the body.
Digestive allergies and migraine headache
The most common explanation of the cause of migraine in the medical community is that it is the result of changes in the blood vessels in the area of the brain. Therefore, researchers concentrate on ways to interfere with the process of vascular constriction and dilation and thereby reduce or eliminate the pain. This theory does not explain why the changes in the blood vessels occur. This approach is useful in treating headaches, but physicians and researchers are also seeking to understand and treat the cause of the blood vessel constriction that afflicts migraine sufferers.
One of the prevailing theories in nutritional circles is that the vascular changes may be the result of a food allergy. This is an allergy of incomplete digestion, rather than skin rashes and respiratory concerns. A breakdown in the process of intestinal absorption can occur for any number of reasons. Because this function is absolutely critical within the body even minimal digestive dysfunction may cause problems.
Food absorption and brain chemistry in migraine headache
The debate has continued for a long time. Is migraine a vascular/circulatory disease or is it a neurological disease? While there is no conclusion as to the root cause of the problem, the research increasingly leans in the direction of a neurological disorder.
Some recent research findings that show promise for preventing migraine headaches with nutrition include:
Nutrition for preventing migraine headaches
One landmark nutritional study tested a pre-digested fish protein and liver enhancement herbal formula that included the nutrients mentioned above with 60% of the 40 participants no longer getting headaches, and 20% experiencing a reduction in duration and frequency, while 20% saw no improvement in a 90-day, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
Medicine has made great strides in recent years to assist migraine sufferers. The headache-stopping medications are truly remarkable in their ability to stop a migraine in its tracks. The area of greatest concern to migraineurs, how to prevent the onset of a migraine, remains an unsolved mystery.
This is where medical scientists who have studied the role of digestion and nutrition and migraines may offer some possible answers in preventing migraine headaches from occurring.
Many medical researchers who study the role of nutrition and digestion in disease formation believe that most disease states begin with or are complicated by some level of digestive dysfunction. When the body is not efficient in digesting and absorbing the nutrients it needs, it does not have all the essential building blocks at its disposal, and some level of dysfunction may occur. This dysfunction may effect circulation, tissue repair, respiration, liver function, potentially any system or organ within the body.
Digestive allergies and migraine headache
The most common explanation of the cause of migraine in the medical community is that it is the result of changes in the blood vessels in the area of the brain. Therefore, researchers concentrate on ways to interfere with the process of vascular constriction and dilation and thereby reduce or eliminate the pain. This theory does not explain why the changes in the blood vessels occur. This approach is useful in treating headaches, but physicians and researchers are also seeking to understand and treat the cause of the blood vessel constriction that afflicts migraine sufferers.
One of the prevailing theories in nutritional circles is that the vascular changes may be the result of a food allergy. This is an allergy of incomplete digestion, rather than skin rashes and respiratory concerns. A breakdown in the process of intestinal absorption can occur for any number of reasons. Because this function is absolutely critical within the body even minimal digestive dysfunction may cause problems.
Food absorption and brain chemistry in migraine headache
The debate has continued for a long time. Is migraine a vascular/circulatory disease or is it a neurological disease? While there is no conclusion as to the root cause of the problem, the research increasingly leans in the direction of a neurological disorder.
Some recent research findings that show promise for preventing migraine headaches with nutrition include:
Nutrition for preventing migraine headaches
One landmark nutritional study tested a pre-digested fish protein and liver enhancement herbal formula that included the nutrients mentioned above with 60% of the 40 participants no longer getting headaches, and 20% experiencing a reduction in duration and frequency, while 20% saw no improvement in a 90-day, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
There are a number of herbs that have a long history of safety and tradition in treating migraine headaches. Herbs are the source of more than 70% percent of medical drugs, and in their natural state have fewer side effects than their medical counterparts. Certain herbs should be used with caution for migraine sufferers, especially those who are receiving prescribed medications. Many health care providers aren’t well-versed in drug-herb interactions; however, many practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine who are nationally board-certified in “Chinese Herbology” have received training in both medical and herbal pharmacology and make a valuable contribution as a member of your health care team.
The Feverfew Leaf herb continues to undergo extensive scientific investigation of its parthenolide content, and how it normalizes the function of platelets in the blood system by inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing serotonin release from platelets, and blocking the formation of pro-inflammatory mediators that can cause blood vessels to swell. 70% of the patients in these studies report fewer attacks of migraines and less painful attacks when they do occur. Researchers believe that feverfew prevents the spasms of blood vessels in the head that trigger migraines. This herb also relieves the inflammation associated with arthritis.
Other benefits include: relief from nausea and vomiting; improvement of digestion; more restful sleep; and, relief of dizziness, brain, and nerve pressure.
Liver Function and migraine
The liver detoxifies and metabolizes millions of complex substances in the body via liver cells, or hepatocytes. With the introduction of new environmental pollutants, food additives, prescription medications, and the additional stress of the "information age," the liver cells are overworked. As a result, many people are experiencing a decline in liver funtion. Several diseases have been linked to a decline in liver funtion including as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, eczema, migraine headaches and premenstrual syndrome. The connection between the liver and migraine headaches was established when scientists discovered that the vascular changes associated with migraine are linked with altered serotonin metabolism. Since the metabolism of serotonin takes place in the liver, some researchers now believe that by improving liver funtion, the frequency and severity of migraine headaches may be reduced, thereby normalizing serotonin metabolism and restoring vascular health. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has a long historical use for normalizing liver funtion, and is widely prescribed by herbalists throughout the US, Canada and Europe for liver protection.
Sleep and migraine
Sleep disturbances, such as not enough sleep, too much sleep, poor quality of sleep, and frequent waking at night are associated with both migraine and tension headaches, whereas improved sleep habits have been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches. Sleep can shorten the duration of migraine headaches and hasten the recovery process.
Skipping meals, late night meals, and migraine
Fasting, or skipping meals, possibly may trigger migraine headaches by causing the release of stress-related hormones and lowering blood sugar, two factors that can negatively affect the vascular system, thereby inducing migraine headache in some individuals. Therefore, migraine sufferers should take care to eat regular meals and avoid skipping meals. Late night meals can also lead to similar, inflammatory vascular changes and should also be avoided.
Bright lights and migraine
Bright lights can cause headaches in healthy and migraine-prone individuals alike, but people who suffer from migraines may have a reduced threshold for light-induced headache pain. Bright sunlight, television, and flashing lights all have been reported to trigger migraine headaches.
Caffeine and migraine
Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, and over the counter medications. Caffeine in low doses can increase alertness and energy, but caffeine in high doses can cause insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and headaches. The use of caffeine-containing analgesics can cause rebound migraine headaches.
Foods and migraine
Chocolate, fermented foods, aged cheeses, and some fruits such as figs have been indicated in causing migraine headaches, but scientific studies have not consistently demonstrated an association between food consumption and headaches. Red wine has been shown to cause migraine headaches in some migraine sufferers, but it is not clear whether white wine also will cause migraine headaches. MSG, a naturally-occurring or added flavor enhancer can trigger migraines for some people. All of these foods stimulate neurotransmitters that are overly active during migraine. Medications that relieve migraine headache pain act on the same receptors as the foods listed above, but in a favorable way.
Female hormones and migraine
Women who suffer from migraines are more likely to experience migraines around the time of their periods, usually starting about 2 days before the period starts, and subsiding after 1 to 3 days. Often times it is the most severe migraine that a woman will experience monthly. Other women experience migraine headaches only during the menstrual period. The term "menstrual migraine" is used mainly to describe migraines that occur in women who have most migraine headaches 1-2 days before the onset of the period. Estrogen and progesterone levels decline prior to menstruation; this is thought to be the mechanism for triggering “menstrual migraines,” as a decline in these hormones leads to vascular changes that can induce migraine headaches.
There are a number of herbs that have a long history of safety and tradition in treating migraine headaches. Herbs are the source of more than 70% percent of medical drugs, and in their natural state have fewer side effects than their medical counterparts. Certain herbs should be used with caution for migraine sufferers, especially those who are receiving prescribed medications. Many health care providers aren’t well-versed in drug-herb interactions; however, many practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine who are nationally board-certified in “Chinese Herbology” have received training in both medical and herbal pharmacology and make a valuable contribution as a member of your health care team.
Herbs for Migraine
More about Migraines and Milk Thistle
Chinese Herbs for Migraines
Chinese herbal medicine has thousands of scientific studies and research to support its use for many diseases including migraines. Chinese herbs are usually prescribed by the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physician after thorough pattern discrimination and diagnosis determining the cause of the migraine headaches has been made. Then, a “formula” or combination of herbs is given to the migraine patient that addresses the cause and the symptoms of their migraine headaches. The actions of Chinese herbs will not be as immediate, direct or usually as specific as medications. The following are some of the medicinal properties of the most commonly prescribed herbal medicine combinations that are used to treat migraine headache in Chinese herbal medicine formula for a migraine sufferer with severe pain, a frequency of 2 or more times per month, audio-visual disturbances, sleep disturbances, and possible renal or primary hypertension:
The medicinal actions of herbs are very similar to the medical approach, however there are fewer side-effects associated with the use of Chinese herbal medicine. When trying Chinese herbal medicine, it is important to establish a relationship between your Chinese herbal medicine and primary care providers. Chinese herbal medicines are very targeted and potent and can make your migraine medications more active and work better by increasing their potency in your body. Therefore, they should only be taken under medical supervision with careful observation and appropriate adjustment of medication dosages as determined by your health care provider. Some states, such as Florida, Arizona, Texas and California license doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine who practice Chinese herbal medicine as primary care providers, although they do not have a DEA license to prescribe medications.
Migraine headaches and medicine
Medical management of migraine involves 4 distinct phases. These include:
Prevention of migraine headache
The first line of medical management for migraine headache is the use of preventive, or prophylactic, medications in order to prevent or reduce the frequency of migraine episodes in patients who experience frequent migraine headaches. Patience who experience frequent migraines typically have two or more per month.
While these medications do not work immediately, over time they may prevent blood-vessel swelling; however, they do not treat other migraine-associated symptoms, and are non-selective, meaning that they may affect the blood vessels in other regions of the body besides the head, and this affect is not always desirable.
Many migraine headache sufferers using preventive treatments will still need to take pain-relieving medications to alleviate the pain and other symptoms associated with migraine headache in addition to the preventative medications. A few of the most commonly prescribed preventative migraine headache medications includes:
Neurogastroenterologists, physicians who study the connection between certain neaurological disorders and the digestive system, such as migraine headaches, have also discovered a link between the abnormality in migraine brain chemistry and the digestive system. This very new medical approach is being scientifically studied with highly favorable, evidence-based outcomes in preliminary testing results
Trigger management of migraine headache
Trigger management is important in preventing migraine headache attacks. The triggering factors that may cause migraine headache, when recognized and/or avoided, may forestall an impending migraine attack. Triggers vary from person to person, and amongst persons. What may be a trigger one day, may not be a trigger on another day. While this mechanism isn’t well understood, fluctuations in hormones, sleep, diet, and emotional factors are thought to play a role in the migraine sufferer’s sensitivity to triggers.
Examples of triggers acknowledged by the medical community include changes in weather or air-pressure, bright sunlight, glare, fluorescent lights, chemical fumes, menstrual cycles, and certain foods such as processed meats, red wine, beer, dried fish, broad beans, fermented cheeses, aspartame, and MSG.
Examples of what aren’t triggers according to medicine include lifestyle, stress, anxiety, worry, emotion, excitement, depressions, and caffeine. Since caffeine alleviates/ and or prevents migraine for some individuals, some health care providers do not believe that caffeine is migraine headache trigger. Other neuro-transmitter-altering chemicals in commonly caffeinated beverages and foods such as chocolate, tea and coffee may be the culprit, rather than the caffeine. Preliminary research studies support these findings.
Read more on migraine triggers on the page Migraine Headache Causes
Stopping a migraine headache attack
Migraine stopping medications are used to relieve the severity and/or duration of migraine headache pain and associated symptoms. In general, most attack-stopping medications should be taken as early as possible in an attack. Many Migraine sufferers learn to recognize their prodrome, or early migraine-onset warning signs, while others can use their aura as early warning systems to implement their migraine attack-stopping treatment of choice for an early intervention approach, and in many cases avoid a severe and painful prolonged migraine headache attack.
Certain medicines that regulate the blood vessels in the brain are designed specifically for alleviating the pain and associated symptoms of migraine headache. They may be administered by subcutaneously through the skin, orally, rectally, or by intramuscular means. These medications include ergotamine tartrate, dihydroergotamine (Migranal®, DHE45®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®), naratriptan (Amerge®), rizatriptan (Maxalt®), zolmitripan (Zomig®), Electriptan (Relpax®), frovatriptan (FROVA®) and isometheptene mucate (Midrin®). Maxalt® and Zomig® both come in a melting tablet version you can take with out water, which is very convenient for early intervention for a oncoming severe attack when you may not be able to make it to a restroom, such as during air travel, in class or while having a meeting.
An excellent non-vascular migraine-stopping medicine is butorphanol tartrate (Stadol NS), offered as a patient-administered injection and a nasal spray. In an emergency room environment, narcotic injections are usually taken with promenthazine (Phenergan) or hydroxyzine (Vistril) for nausea, and can offer a migraine-relieving option when all of the above fail to ease the symptoms, or are not appropriate, such as in heart disease or when other limiting medical conditions exist.
There are several types of medication offered for general pain management for migraine headaches.
Migraine headaches and medicine
Medical management of migraine involves 4 distinct phases. These include:
Prevention of migraine headache
The first line of medical management for migraine headache is the use of preventive, or prophylactic, medications in order to prevent or reduce the frequency of migraine episodes in patients who experience frequent migraine headaches. Patience who experience frequent migraines typically have two or more per month.
While these medications do not work immediately, over time they may prevent blood-vessel swelling; however, they do not treat other migraine-associated symptoms, and are non-selective, meaning that they may affect the blood vessels in other regions of the body besides the head, and this affect is not always desirable.
Many migraine headache sufferers using preventive treatments will still need to take pain-relieving medications to alleviate the pain and other symptoms associated with migraine headache in addition to the preventative medications. A few of the most commonly prescribed preventative migraine headache medications includes:
Neurogastroenterologists, physicians who study the connection between certain neaurological disorders and the digestive system, such as migraine headaches, have also discovered a link between the abnormality in migraine brain chemistry and the digestive system. This very new medical approach is being scientifically studied with highly favorable, evidence-based outcomes in preliminary testing results
Trigger management of migraine headache
Trigger management is important in preventing migraine headache attacks. The triggering factors that may cause migraine headache, when recognized and/or avoided, may forestall an impending migraine attack. Triggers vary from person to person, and amongst persons. What may be a trigger one day, may not be a trigger on another day. While this mechanism isn’t well understood, fluctuations in hormones, sleep, diet, and emotional factors are thought to play a role in the migraine sufferer’s sensitivity to triggers.
Examples of triggers acknowledged by the medical community include changes in weather or air-pressure, bright sunlight, glare, fluorescent lights, chemical fumes, menstrual cycles, and certain foods such as processed meats, red wine, beer, dried fish, broad beans, fermented cheeses, aspartame, and MSG.
Examples of what aren’t triggers according to medicine include lifestyle, stress, anxiety, worry, emotion, excitement, depressions, and caffeine. Since caffeine alleviates/ and or prevents migraine for some individuals, some health care providers do not believe that caffeine is migraine headache trigger. Other neuro-transmitter-altering chemicals in commonly caffeinated beverages and foods such as chocolate, tea and coffee may be the culprit, rather than the caffeine. Preliminary research studies support these findings.
Read more on migraine triggers on the page Migraine Headache Causes
Stopping a migraine headache attack
Migraine stopping medications are used to relieve the severity and/or duration of migraine headache pain and associated symptoms. In general, most attack-stopping medications should be taken as early as possible in an attack. Many Migraine sufferers learn to recognize their prodrome, or early migraine-onset warning signs, while others can use their aura as early warning systems to implement their migraine attack-stopping treatment of choice for an early intervention approach, and in many cases avoid a severe and painful prolonged migraine headache attack.
Certain medicines that regulate the blood vessels in the brain are designed specifically for alleviating the pain and associated symptoms of migraine headache. They may be administered by subcutaneously through the skin, orally, rectally, or by intramuscular means. These medications include ergotamine tartrate, dihydroergotamine (Migranal®, DHE45®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®), naratriptan (Amerge®), rizatriptan (Maxalt®), zolmitripan (Zomig®), Electriptan (Relpax®), frovatriptan (FROVA®) and isometheptene mucate (Midrin®). Maxalt® and Zomig® both come in a melting tablet version you can take with out water, which is very convenient for early intervention for a oncoming severe attack when you may not be able to make it to a restroom, such as during air travel, in class or while having a meeting.
An excellent non-vascular migraine-stopping medicine is butorphanol tartrate (Stadol NS), offered as a patient-administered injection and a nasal spray. In an emergency room environment, narcotic injections are usually taken with promenthazine (Phenergan) or hydroxyzine (Vistril) for nausea, and can offer a migraine-relieving option when all of the above fail to ease the symptoms, or are not appropriate, such as in heart disease or when other limiting medical conditions exist.
There are several types of medication offered for general pain management for migraine headaches.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 2001-2010. (Online) www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-headache accessed 02.24.2010
Jon Glass, MD. 2009. Diagnosing Migraines. (Online) http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/making-diagnosis-doctors-exam?page=2 accessed 02.24.2010
Migraine headache diagnosis is based on the presence of certain symptoms outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS). These diagnostic criteria create a standardized framework for physicians in distinguishing migraine headache from the other most common headache types, including tension and cluster.
A diagnosis of migraine headache may be made when a patient has at least five occurrences of headache that meet the following criteria:
In order to receive optimum treatment, an accurate diagnosis of the headache or migraine must be made. To ascertain the cause or causes of the headaches, your health care practitioner will first take your headache history.
Headache history
The most important part of your health care practitioner’s evaluation of your headaches is called the “headache history.” It is important to describe your headache symptoms and characteristics as vividly as possible. Your headaches can be more accurately diagnosed when you tell your doctor:
It is also important to tell your health care provider about the presence of other symptoms, such as:
You should also tell your doctor if you've been treated in the past for headaches, what medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) you have taken in the past, and what medications are currently being taken. Don't hesitate to list them, bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacist for a printout.
Studies performed by other doctors who may have evaluated your headaches in the past, including X-rays and other imaging tests are also very important -- you should also bring these to your appointment. This will save time, repetition of tests, and help your doctor arrive at a diagnosis and create a treatment plan more quickly.
Physical and neurological exams to diagnose headaches
After completing the headache history portion of the evaluation, the doctor will perform a complete physical and neurological exam. The doctor will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headaches, such as:
The focus of neurological tests is to rule out diseases of the brain or nerves that may cause headaches and migraines, including epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. Some tests may also look for physical or structural abnormalities in the brain that may cause headache, such as:
Psychological Evaluation for Diagnosing Headaches
While a consultation with a psychologist is not a routine part of headache evaluation, it may be done to identify what, if any stress factors may be triggering your headaches. You’ll be asked to complete a computerized questionnaire to provide more in-depth information to your health care provider.
Your health care provider should be able to determine the type of headaches you are having after evaluating the results of the headache history and physical, neurological, and psychological exams. In the event that you have a serious problem, additional tests will be ordered. Possible additional tests can include diagnostic tests.
Migraine headache diagnosis is based on the presence of certain symptoms outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS). These diagnostic criteria create a standardized framework for physicians in distinguishing migraine headache from the other most common headache types, including tension and cluster.
A diagnosis of migraine headache may be made when a patient has at least five occurrences of headache that meet the following criteria:
In order to receive optimum treatment, an accurate diagnosis of the headache or migraine must be made. To ascertain the cause or causes of the headaches, your health care practitioner will first take your headache history.
Headache history
The most important part of your health care practitioner’s evaluation of your headaches is called the “headache history.” It is important to describe your headache symptoms and characteristics as vividly as possible. Your headaches can be more accurately diagnosed when you tell your doctor:
It is also important to tell your health care provider about the presence of other symptoms, such as:
You should also tell your doctor if you've been treated in the past for headaches, what medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) you have taken in the past, and what medications are currently being taken. Don't hesitate to list them, bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacist for a printout.
Studies performed by other doctors who may have evaluated your headaches in the past, including X-rays and other imaging tests are also very important -- you should also bring these to your appointment. This will save time, repetition of tests, and help your doctor arrive at a diagnosis and create a treatment plan more quickly.
Physical and neurological exams to diagnose headaches
After completing the headache history portion of the evaluation, the doctor will perform a complete physical and neurological exam. The doctor will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headaches, such as:
The focus of neurological tests is to rule out diseases of the brain or nerves that may cause headaches and migraines, including epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. Some tests may also look for physical or structural abnormalities in the brain that may cause headache, such as:
Psychological Evaluation for Diagnosing Headaches
While a consultation with a psychologist is not a routine part of headache evaluation, it may be done to identify what, if any stress factors may be triggering your headaches. You’ll be asked to complete a computerized questionnaire to provide more in-depth information to your health care provider.
Your health care provider should be able to determine the type of headaches you are having after evaluating the results of the headache history and physical, neurological, and psychological exams. In the event that you have a serious problem, additional tests will be ordered. Possible additional tests can include diagnostic tests.
References:
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 2001-2010. (Online) www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-headache accessed 02.24.2010
Jon Glass, MD. 2009. Diagnosing Migraines. (Online) http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/making-diagnosis-doctors-exam?page=2 accessed 02.24.2010
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Migraine headache diagnosis is based on the presence of certain symptoms outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS). These diagnostic criteria create a standardized framework for physicians in distinguishing migraine headache from the other most common headache types, including tension and cluster.
A diagnosis of migraine headache may be made when a patient has at least five occurrences of headache that meet the following criteria:
In order to receive optimum treatment, an accurate diagnosis of the headache or migraine must be made. To ascertain the cause or causes of the headaches, your health care practitioner will first take your headache history.
Headache history
The most important part of your health care practitioner’s evaluation of your headaches is called the “headache history.” It is important to describe your headache symptoms and characteristics as vividly as possible. Your headaches can be more accurately diagnosed when you tell your doctor:
It is also important to tell your health care provider about the presence of other symptoms, such as:
You should also tell your doctor if you've been treated in the past for headaches, what medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) you have taken in the past, and what medications are currently being taken. Don't hesitate to list them, bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacist for a printout.
Studies performed by other doctors who may have evaluated your headaches in the past, including X-rays and other imaging tests are also very important -- you should also bring these to your appointment. This will save time, repetition of tests, and help your doctor arrive at a diagnosis and create a treatment plan more quickly.
Physical and neurological exams to diagnose headaches
After completing the headache history portion of the evaluation, the doctor will perform a complete physical and neurological exam. The doctor will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headaches, such as:
The focus of neurological tests is to rule out diseases of the brain or nerves that may cause headaches and migraines, including epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. Some tests may also look for physical or structural abnormalities in the brain that may cause headache, such as:
Psychological Evaluation for Diagnosing Headaches
While a consultation with a psychologist is not a routine part of headache evaluation, it may be done to identify what, if any stress factors may be triggering your headaches. You’ll be asked to complete a computerized questionnaire to provide more in-depth information to your health care provider.
Your health care provider should be able to determine the type of headaches you are having after evaluating the results of the headache history and physical, neurological, and psychological exams. In the event that you have a serious problem, additional tests will be ordered. Possible additional tests can include diagnostic tests.
Migraine headache diagnosis is based on the presence of certain symptoms outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS). These diagnostic criteria create a standardized framework for physicians in distinguishing migraine headache from the other most common headache types, including tension and cluster.
A diagnosis of migraine headache may be made when a patient has at least five occurrences of headache that meet the following criteria:
In order to receive optimum treatment, an accurate diagnosis of the headache or migraine must be made. To ascertain the cause or causes of the headaches, your health care practitioner will first take your headache history.
Headache history
The most important part of your health care practitioner’s evaluation of your headaches is called the “headache history.” It is important to describe your headache symptoms and characteristics as vividly as possible. Your headaches can be more accurately diagnosed when you tell your doctor:
It is also important to tell your health care provider about the presence of other symptoms, such as:
You should also tell your doctor if you've been treated in the past for headaches, what medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) you have taken in the past, and what medications are currently being taken. Don't hesitate to list them, bring the bottles, or ask your pharmacist for a printout.
Studies performed by other doctors who may have evaluated your headaches in the past, including X-rays and other imaging tests are also very important -- you should also bring these to your appointment. This will save time, repetition of tests, and help your doctor arrive at a diagnosis and create a treatment plan more quickly.
Physical and neurological exams to diagnose headaches
After completing the headache history portion of the evaluation, the doctor will perform a complete physical and neurological exam. The doctor will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headaches, such as:
The focus of neurological tests is to rule out diseases of the brain or nerves that may cause headaches and migraines, including epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. Some tests may also look for physical or structural abnormalities in the brain that may cause headache, such as:
Psychological Evaluation for Diagnosing Headaches
While a consultation with a psychologist is not a routine part of headache evaluation, it may be done to identify what, if any stress factors may be triggering your headaches. You’ll be asked to complete a computerized questionnaire to provide more in-depth information to your health care provider.
Your health care provider should be able to determine the type of headaches you are having after evaluating the results of the headache history and physical, neurological, and psychological exams. In the event that you have a serious problem, additional tests will be ordered. Possible additional tests can include diagnostic tests.
