Migraine headaches for
the most part represent no significant threat to your
overall health. However, they can be chronic, recurrent,
frustrating and they may interfere with your day to
day life. You may well ask about the availability of
a migraine cure. Unfortunately, there is as yet no miracle
cure for migraine. But most importantly it is possible
to bring your condition under control and with 11 out
of every 100 people suffering from migraines, you can
rest assured that there is plenty of research going
on world wide to find a migraine headache cure.
So even though there are no actual migraine cures,
If you are suffering from migraines and you don’t
know which way to turn, one of the best ways to start
to understand what is happening to you is to keep
a diary to try to identify your migraine
trigger factors. Every type of migraine is triggered
by one or more external factors and if you identify
what these are, you have information to take to your
doctor or you may find that an identifiable pattern
emerges and that by making a few minor changes to
your diet or lifestyle, you can reduce the frequency
and/or severity of your attacks.
Such triggers can include stress; hunger; certain
foods; overtiredness; changing sleep patterns; hormonal
changes; anger, grief or other extreme emotions; environmental
or climatic conditions. Triggers for cluster
migraines can often be different and include lighting
conditions.
While you are waiting for that elusive migraine cure,
you can bring your condition under control by trying
out the many migraine
treatments now available. For the simpler, infrequent
migraine attacks, an over the counter pain killer
especially for migraine will often work very well
especially if taken immediately the migraine starts.
If your migraine is more complicated, then go and
see your doctor (and don’t forget to take that
diary with you) to see what he can do to help you.
There are drugs which act directly to correct the
serotonin imbalance in the brain during a migraine
attack. Your doctor will need to prescribe this medication
as it is not suitable for everyone. There are many
other options for acute attacks which he will be able
to advise you on while if you have very frequent attacks,
there are prescription preventative medicines to take
every day.
Although they are not migraine cures, there are numerous
natural products or alternative treatments which will
successfully treat your migraine symptoms or which
can be used in addition to the mainstream treatments
described earlier in this article. Such migraine treatments
include: natural healing products made from essential
oils and applied to the forehead, neck, temples and
soles of the feet to start the healing process; chiropractic
massage with spinal manipulation and periodic adjustment
of joints and soft tissue; acupuncture which can offer
relief and a better quality of life to some sufferers;
botox which has been used with success for reducing
the frequency and intensity of migraine
attacks; homeopathy which can provide a natural
migraine relief; as well as various other over the
counter natural products which can be used as aids
to relief.
All treatments for migraines should be taken early
in the course of a migraine attack so make sure you
always have your medication
with you. In all attacks, but especially in children,
it is very helpful to treat the attack as early as
possible. The longer the pain goes on, the more difficult
it may be to treat. Then rest and sleep in a quiet
and darkened room.
With the millions of people suffering from migraines
– three times more women than men – headaches
are a huge world wide problem. Although any head pain
can be miserable, migraines are often disabling. Despite
the fact that there is still no cure, migraine
pain relief and management has improved dramatically
in the last decade. So who knows what the next decade
may bring – hopefully a migraine cure?
Go
to our Migraine and Headache Treatment page
