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Almost 40 million Americans suffer from migraines at some point in time during the course of one year. A migraine is a neurological disease that many believe to be hereditary among people. Migraines can be life changing, debilitating, and on-going for many people who suffer from them. Sometimes migraines can be treated easily with medication, while other times they cannot. Sadly though, the cold hard truth is there are no cures for migraines.
A migraine usually consists of many different symptoms, which can make it hard or easy to diagnosis depending on what a patient presents with at a physician's office. Migraines are typically characterized by severe, recurring head pain, usually located on one side of the head and one or more of the following associated symptoms: nausea; vomiting; and increased sensitivity to light, sound and smell. Some other possible symptoms that are associated with migraines are lightheadedness, diarrhea and scalp tenderness. Diagnosis of migraines is important in patients to help alleviate their symptoms in a timely manner and improve their overall quality of life.
Once a patient has been diagnosed as having migraines, there are a few treatment options. Many physicians recommend that nonsteriodial anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen, be used as first-line treatment in patients with mi
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graines. However, if those are not working for a patient, most physicaians will then use the second-line of treatment for migraines and prescribe a triptan drug, such as Imitrex™ or Relpax™, for quick relief of a migrain attack. These drugs typically work to alleviate a migraine and its sypmtoms within an hour or two of the pateint taking the medication, but they can become expensive if taken on a regular basis. Therefore, many physicians will recommend prophylaxsis therapy, or preventative therapy, if a patient is having three or more migraines per week. If a patient is needing migraine preventation medication, the physician might put them on something like propranolol, atenolol, metoprolol, verapamil, amitriptyline, Topamax™ or even Depakote™.
It is important that if a patient is having multiple severe headaches that they go see their physician as soon as possible, because they might actually need to be diagnosed as having migraines. Migraines are a very serious condition and they should not be taken lightly. They can drastically affect how people work and live. Migraines may not have an exact cure, but with the right medication for treatment, many people that suffer from them can still go on living normal and uninterrupted lives that they might not have been able to do before.
If you have any futher questions about migraines or the different
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treatment options for migraines, please contact your physicain or pharmacist. Some webistes that offer additional information on migraines are www.webmd.com, www.migraines.org, www.consumerlab.com, and the world health organization at www.who.int. When using the websites search migraines or migraine treaments.
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