What is a Migraine?

A migraine is a powerful headache that leads to pulsating, throbbing head pain on one side of your head. The headache stage of a migraine typically lasts for at least four hours but can also last for days. This headache worsens with:

• Physical exertion.
• Bright light.
• Loud sounds.
• Strong smells.

Migraines are disruptive. They may interfere with your routine and with your capacity to fulfill personal and social responsibilities. Treatment is present to enable you to cope with migraines.

What are the types of Migraines?

There are various kinds of migraines. The most frequent categories of migraine are:

• Migraine with aura (classic migraine).
• Migraine without aura (common migraine).
• An aura is a migraine stage preceding the onset of head pain.

Other forms of migraines are:

• Childhood migraines (abdominal migraine).
• Chronic migraine.
• Hemiplegic migraine.
• Menstrual migraine.
• Migraine without headache (silent migraine).
• Retinal migraine (ocular migraine).
• Status migrainosus.

What are the stages of a Migraine?

There are four stages or phases of a migraine:

• Prodrome: The first stage starts as long as 24 hours before you get a headache.
• Aura: An aura is a collection of sensory, motor, and/or speech symptoms that serve as a warning sign for a migraine headache. The aura phase may last up to 60 minutes or as brief as five. You may experience both the aura and the headache simultaneously.
• Headache: A migraine headache can last from four hours to 72 hours.
• Postdrome: The postdrome phase typically lasts a few to 48 hours. Symptoms are like an alcohol hangover, and the postdrome phase is therefore referred to as a migraine hangover.

It may take eight to 72 hours to complete the four phases.

What is a Migraine like?

Pain from a migraine headache might feel like the following:

• Throbbing.
• Pulsating.
• Pounding.
• Dull.

A migraine may feel different to everyone. A migraine headache is mild or severe. A headache may begin on one side and spread to the opposite side. In addition, you can have pain around your eyes or temple, and occasionally, around your face, sinuses, jaw, or neck.

How frequently do migraines occur?

The number of migraines is different for everyone. You may get one every year or one each week. Most people average two to four per month. They occur most often in the morning. Most migraines are not predictable, but sometimes you may know when a migraine will occur, such as before menstruation or after experiencing stress.

What triggers a migraine?

Scientists don't know the precise reason for migraines, but research indicates genetics is involved.

When you experience a headache, certain nerves in your blood vessels transmit pain messages to your brain. This releases inflammatory chemicals into your head's nerves and blood vessels. It's not known why your nerves do this.

What causes a migraine?

A trigger is something that makes symptoms begin. Some of the most frequent migraine triggers are:

• Stress.
• Hormonal fluctuations.
• Certain drugs.
• Alterations to your sleep.
• Changes in weather conditions.
• Excessive physical activity (overexertion).
• Substances that are habit-forming, such as caffeine or tobacco.
• Skipping a meal.
• Bright lights, loud sounds, or pungent odors.

Your doctor can assist you in determining your triggers. He or she may suggest maintaining a migraine diary to monitor patterns of similarity between migraine attacks.

Which foods cause migraines?

Your body can be sensitive to chemicals or preservatives in foods. Such sensitivity increases a migraine's likelihood to occur, particularly when used in conjunction with other triggers.

Some of the most prevalent food triggers are:

• Aged cheese.
• Drinks with alcohol.
• Chocolate.
• Food additives such as nitrates and MSG.
• Processed or cured foods (hot dogs, pepperoni).
• Fermented or pickled foods.

How is a migraine diagnosed?

A doctor will diagnose a migraine following a physical examination and neurological examination. They'll also learn more about your medical and biological family health history. Your doctor might ask you questions to find out more about your symptoms, including:

• What symptoms do you have?
• Can you tell me about the feeling and where your headache is?
• How bad are your symptoms?
• How long did your symptoms persist?
• Did anything improve or worsen your headache?

Your doctor might also order blood tests and imaging tests (like a CT scan or an MRI) to ensure there aren't any other causes for your headache. An electroencephalogram (EEG) can help your doctor rule out other conditions.

Who diagnoses a migraine?

If you believe you have a migraine, talk to a primary care physician (PCP) first. The PCP can diagnose migraine headaches and initiate treatment. Your PCP might refer you to a headache specialist or a neurologist.

How is a migraine treated?

There is no cure for migraines. However, a healthcare professional can help you cope with migraine symptoms by:

• Taking medicines.
• Preventing migraine triggers.
• Using alternative migraine treatments.

What drugs cure migraines?

A doctor may prescribe taking drugs to cure migraines. There are two kinds of drugs available:

• Drugs to prevent migraines: You can take these drugs at the onset of a migraine. They prevent or minimize migraine symptoms such as pain, nausea, sensitivity and more.
• Preventive medications for migraines: A doctor will typically prescribe preventive medications if you have severe symptoms that disrupt your daily life or have migraines frequently. These medications lower how often and how intense migraines occur. You can take these medications as prescribed, typically once a day.

Typical medications that halt migraines are:

• Triptans (5-hydroxytryptamine).
• Ditans (lasmiditan).
• Gepants (rimegepant and ubrogepant).
• Dihydroergotamine (prochlorperazine).
• Antiemetic medications (metoclopramide).

Typical preventive migraine medications are:

• Antiseizure medications (valproic acid, topiramate).
• Beta-blockers (atenolol, propranolol, nadolol).
• Calcium channel blockers (verapamil).
• Monoclonal antibodies (erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab).
• Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline, doxepin).
• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (venlafaxine, duloxetine).

Medications are available in various forms, such as:

• An injection under your skin (subcutaneous).
• An oral medication (taken by mouth).
• A nasal spray.
• Through an IV (intravenously).
• Suppository.

You and your doctor will review the specific medication, combination, and formulation to most effectively treat your symptoms. All medication should be used under the supervision of a headache specialist or prescriber. As with all medication, be sure to pay close attention to your doctor's instructions.

Over-the-counter headache medications

Over-the-counter migraine medications are beneficial if you experience mild to moderate migraine symptoms. The primary active ingredients in headache-relieving drugs are ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, naproxen and caffeine.

Be careful not to overuse over-the-counter pain relievers, as this can cause rebound headaches or dependence. If you need them more than two or three times a week, talk to your healthcare provider about other options.

Avoiding migraine triggers

A medical professional will be able to assist you with determining what sets off your migraines. You might be requested to maintain a migraine diary or journal. Keeping a migraine diary is one method of recording when a migraine occurred, what you were experiencing and how long the migraine lasted. You may include information on foods consumed or activity engaged in in order to have more insight on any potential trigger.

You can use a few smartphone apps to maintain a migraine journal.

If you know a trigger, you can try to stay away from it. This is not always an option, but knowing your triggers makes it easier to recognize them and treat a migraine when it begins.

For instance, if stress is a trigger, you might want to talk to a mental health expert to assist you in managing your stress. If you experience migraine symptoms when you skip a meal, place an alarm on your phone to remind you to eat meals on a regular basis.

Alternative migraine remedies

You might want to experiment with alternative therapies to assist you in managing migraines. These include:

• Taking vitamins, minerals or herbs such as riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium, feverfew, butterbur or co-enzyme Q10.
• Relaxation therapies such as yoga.
• Acupuncture.
• Biofeedback.
• Botulinum toxin type A injections (Botox®).

Speak with your doctor before beginning any alternative treatments for migraines.

What are migraine treatments during pregnancy?

Speak with your healthcare provider if you're pregnant or intend to become pregnant and have migraines. Your provider may recommend avoiding migraine medications during pregnancy or if you suspect you are pregnant. Certain medications can harm the development of the fetus.

Your provider can prescribe other treatments such as an acetaminophen pain medication for migraines.

How do I handle a migraine as it occurs?

There are a few things you can do to make you feel better when an attack of migraine occurs, such as:

• Resting in a dark, quiet, cool room.
• Placing a cold or warm compress or washcloth on your forehead or the back of your neck.
• Rubbing your scalp.
• Placing pressure on your temples in a circular motion.
• Keeping yourself relaxed (meditating).

Is a migraine preventable?

You can't stop all migraines, but preventive medications can help reduce their frequency and severity. Becoming aware of your triggers and working with your healthcare provider to avoid them can also be beneficial.

What is the prognosis for a migraine?

Each person's migraines are different. They're temporary, but they return often during your life. There is also no cure that's available. Your healthcare provider can assist you in controlling migraines so that they disappear sooner and aren't as strong. You might need to try different treatments until you find one that's suitable for you. Inform your healthcare provider if you get better or worse.

Living With

When should I see a healthcare provider?

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you are having:

• New symptoms.
• Worsening symptoms.
• Side effects of treatment.

Why choose Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Migraine Treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital offers advanced Migraine treatment in Lucknow, India, at an affordable cost. We have a team of experienced neurologists and headache specialists who provide accurate diagnosis and treatment options including trigger management, preventive therapy, and comprehensive migraine rehabilitation procedures. Our Neurology and Headache Care team has decades of experience in successfully treating Migraine in Lucknow, India.

To seek an Expert Consultation for Migraine Treatment in Lucknow, India:

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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