Know The Remedies And Medicines To Treat Headache Due To Migraine Symptoms

A migraine is a severe throbbing or pulsating sensation on one side of the head accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. treat headache due to migraine symptoms. Migraine is a neurological condition that lasts for a few hours to a few days and thus interrupts your daily life. For some people, as a warning symptom, aura onsets before headache. An aura leads to visual disturbances like flashes of light or blind spots and other disturbances like tingling on one side of the face or in one arm or leg and difficulty speaking.

Causes of migraine

Migraine causes are not fully understood, but genetics and environmental factors play a role in the onset of migraine attacks. Changes in the brainstem and interactions with the trigeminal nerve are the main pathways involved. Imbalances in brain chemicals like serotonin regulate pain in the nervous system.

Migraine Triggers

There are a few reasons studied by scientists that can cause migraine headaches, like

Hormonal changes in women: Fluctuations in oestrogen before or during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause seem to trigger headaches in many women. Orally taken hormonal medications worsen migraines.

Drinks: Alcohol like wine and too much caffeine can also trigger migraines in women.

Stress: Taking too much stress can also trigger migraine headaches.

Sleep changes: missing sleep or taking too much sleep can trigger migraines in some people.

Weather changes: A change in weather or variation in barometric pressure can provoke migraines.

Medicines- Some medicines like vasodilators or orally taken contraceptives also provoke migraines in some people.

Foods like aged cheese and salty and processed foods trigger migraines.

Food Additives: Some food additives and preservatives, like aspartame and monosodium glutamate, are found in many foods.

What are the symptoms of a migraine?

Migraine is moderate to severe in intensity and often characterised by a throbbing or pounding feeling. Though migraines are felt on one side of the face, they can occur anywhere in head, neck face or in whole body. These attacks are associated with sensitivity to light, noise, and smells. Nausea is one of the common symptoms of migraine and it gets worse with activity that eventually results in patient disability. In many respects, migraines are like alcohol-related hangovers.

At times migraine pain is felt on the face which is generally mistaken for a sinus headache or it can be triggered in the neck which can be mistaken for arthritis or muscle spasms. Most patients who think they have sinusitis actually have migraines. Some patients experience an aura without headaches.

How common are migraine headaches?

Migraine is more common in women than men and affects 12 percent of the U.S. population. Migraines occur in families and can start early, even in elementary school, but most often they are found in early adulthood. They fade away in later years of life, but they can occur at any time. The most common cause of recurring, disabling headache pain, migraines are the most common underlying cause of daily headache pain. Migraines are the No. 1 reason why patients see a neurologist, while most cases are handled by physicians.

Diagnosis of migraine

Though Migraines can be confirmed because of their symptoms, they will not be shown in tests even not in brain MRIs. Many experts even do not recommend brain imaging for their migraine patients, even in severe cases, patient symptoms can be seen for migraines but neurological examination is normal in few of the cases.

How are migraines treated?

Migraines which are severe frequent and those which are accompanied by neurological symptoms are treated preventively by modification in diet, change in lifestyle taking vitamin supplements and medical prescription. Most of our preventive medications are used for medical purposes and contain blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, or epilepsy medications. Individual headache attacks are best treated early with medications like triptans, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-emetics, and sometimes narcotics and steroids. Migraines respond well to specific treatments. In some patients migraines becomes more severe and lasts longer to become chronic that occurs continuously for weeks. If not treated properly or left untreated, migraines can transform into chronic daily headaches with continuously smouldering symptoms that periodically erupt into full-blown migraines. Migraine is associated with risk of stroke or brain scarring as visible in MRI scans.

Home remedies for migraine

Acupressure

In this, pressure is applied to specific body parts. The main aim of stimulating these points is to alleviate pain. Patients can get acupressure from a professional or try it themselves at home. Acupressure for headaches at the L1-4 point, which is the space between the base of the thumb and index finger, applies circular pressure to L1-4 using the opposite hand for 5 minutes to relieve headache pain.

Diet- Changing the diet helps prevent migraine attacks. People who consume specific foods like alcohol and caffeine are more prone to migraine attack.

Essential Oils- Lavender essential oil relieves stress, anxiety, and headaches. It was found that there are 10 types of essential oils that contain components that could ease migraine symptoms. Essential  oils like lavender, basil, chamomile and peppermint are known to possess migraine healing properties. Ginger: A clinical trial found that ginger powder was safe and effective in treating people suffering from migraine headaches. Ginger also prevents nausea and vomiting.

Stress Management: Stress triggers symptoms in 7 out of 10 people with migraine. If possible, it is best to limit situations that can lead to stress. Stress-relieving strategies like taking a warm bath, listening to music, and practising breathing exercises help overcome stress.

Massage: Massaging muscles in the neck and shoulders relieves tension and alleviates migraine pain, thus reducing stress. A person may benefit from professional massage; taking a tennis ball and rolling it over shoulders and back while leaning against a wall can help overcome pain.

Magnesium

The deficiency of the essential mineral magnesium can cause migraine auras or menstrual migraine headaches. Research suggests that magnesium supplements can reduce the frequency of episodes for some people.

Herbal Supplements: Butterbur and feverfew are identified herbs that reduce migraine pain and the frequency of migraine attacks.

Conclusion- Migraine is neurological condition where throbbing pain is felt in half portion of the head. There are visible symptoms of migraine and techniques like MRIs CT scans can be employed to detect the causes of Migraine. There are certain triggers which can lead to onset of migraine in some patients. Medications are used to counter the migraine attacks but complete cure of these attacks is not yet developed.