Migraine Treatment

Migraine is a headache that causes severe throbbing pain or pulsating sensations that is on one side of the head. It often accompanies nausea, vomiting, and extreme hypersensitivity to the light & sound. Migraine attacks may continue for hours and days. The intensity of the pain is so high that it will disrupt daily activities. It is one of the most common types of recurring headache pain.

The migraine is actual case much more severe than a bad headache. It is neurological disease that creates debilitating throbbing pain and leaves the person bed-ridden for days. It may cause temporary loss of vision, difficulty in speaking and other sensory problems.

Signs and Symptoms of Migraine

The main symptom of the migraine is generally the intense headache at one side of the head. When the pain gets very worse, it will disrupt the day-to-day activities a great deal. In such cases, the pain appears on both sides of the head and can affect even the face & neck.

• Prodrome- Constipation, Mood changes starting from depression to euphoria, Neck stiffness, Increased urination, Fluid retention and food cravings
• Aura – Vision loss, Visual phenomena like seeing different shapes, bright spots and flashes of light, Pins & needling sensations in an arm or leg, numbness in face or in the one side of the body, difficulty speaking
• Attack – Pain in one side or both sides, throbbing pain or pulsating sensations, sensitivity to light & sound , Nausea & vomiting and post-drome

Causes of Migraine

• Hormonal fluctuations in women during menstruation, pregnancy or menopause
• Stress and Depression
• Sensory stimuli
• Excess alcohol intake
• Sleep changes
• Climate effect
• Physical factors
• Effect of some medications

Treatment

• Use of painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen etc
• Anti-nausea drugs
• Opioid medications
• CGRP antagonists
• Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E.)
• Triptans

Contact Dr. Akhila Kumar Panda, Director at NEUMED Center for Neurology, Bhubaneswar for latest mode of treatment.