What are the best remedies for migraine headaches?

1 Therapeutic measures

Migraine is a life-long illness for most patients, but it is variable in nature and individual for each patient. The pains are localized mainly in one half of the head( a condition called hemicrania), less often the pain covers the entire head. In the clinical picture there are periods of improvement, remission and exacerbation of migraine attacks. There are cases when the disease passes completely, for example, in women during menopause. Often there is relief from attacks of pain along with the maturation of the body( migraine child and youth).

It should be borne in mind that the course and severity of migraine attacks can undergo changes throughout life, and seizures occur at varying rates - from once a year to several( up to eight) per month. As a rule, migraine does not pose any threat to the life of the patient and does not lead to disability, but, as a rule, has a negative impact on health and is the cause of a decline in the quality of life, disability or restriction of activity in society.

There are six basic elements of therapeutic behavior that should form the basis of any treatment:

• carefully informing the patient about the nature of the disease and the realization that migraine does not cause life-threatening complications;
• determination of the factors causing migraine attacks in the patient and, possibly, their elimination;
• nonpharmacologic treatment of migraine - recommendations for changing the mode of life;
• homemade ways to combat migraine attacks;
• the use of temporary medical treatment will help calm the attack of a headache;
• taking preventive treatment for migraine( if necessary).

The main component of therapy is informing the patient about manifestations of the disease. The physician should provide the patient with a typical picture of pain attacks, dispel doubts and answer all patient questions. An excellent method before a visit to a doctor may be to write all the questions that concern the patient on paper( so that during the consultation with the doctor nothing was missed).

2 Causes of the ailment

Despite the fact that there are no proven causes of the disease, some patients have been shown to have factors that can provoke migraine attacks. The most common reasons are:

• menstruation;
• hormonal preparations for women( eg, oral contraceptive pills, hormone therapy);
• alcohol( especially red wine);
• some drinks( for example, coffee, tea);
• some products( eg, chocolate, fatty meat);
• intense smells( for example, gasoline, perfume, paint);
• some drugs( eg, nitrates);
• stress;
• sleep disorders;
• changes in the weather.

3 Non-pharmacological treatment of migraine

Very important part of the treatment of migraine is the use of patients recommendations. These include, above all:

1. The appropriate length of sleep is a lack of sleep, and its excess can increase the frequency of seizures.
2. Cessation of smoking and alcohol use restriction.
3. Regular and balanced nutrition - the patient should not remain hungry for a long time, because hunger can provoke pain attacks. He should avoid food and beverages that provoke headaches( for example, chocolate, yellow cheeses, beans, coffee).
4. Changing the mode of life.
5. Elimination of factors that cause migraine attacks.
6. Avoiding heavily frozen foods and drinks.
7. Regular, taking into account the possibility of the patient physical activity.
8. Adding to the diet products containing magnesium, vitamin B2, unsaturated omega-3 acids.

Discarding medicines that may trigger seizures:

• it is important not to exclude drugs that do more good than harm to health;
• discontinuation of oral contraceptives;
• discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy;
• replacement of drugs that dilate blood vessels( used for coronary heart disease) for other effective drugs.

Avoiding stress:

• application of relaxation techniques can help in getting rid of ailments( for example, meditation, yoga, massage, aromatherapy, muscle relaxation);
• treatment of depression and anxiety disorders( which can aggravate the course of the disease);
• avoidance of strong irritants;
• avoidance of intense sun;
• avoiding crowded places;
• Avoiding large noise and intense odors.

4 Pharmacological treatment of

The choice of adequate pharmacotherapy depends primarily on the severity of the disease, individual patient contraindications and the patient's financial capabilities.

It should be borne in mind that every migraine attack should be treated, since it is believed that effective therapy of the onset of the disease reduces the risk of the following. Some patients mistakenly avoid taking analgesics during a headache, because they are afraid of their harmfulness. Side effects of drugs appear only in those patients who abuse them.

For migraine attacks of mild severity, drugs used in common headaches can be effective. To do this, mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs( eg, aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, paracetamol) are used. The patient can use these drugs without a prescription, but the doctor's consultation should be mandatory, especially when frequent attacks of headaches occur. Different forms of drugs are available: for oral administration, rectal( suppository), and subcutaneous injections of drugs.

Depending on the clinical manifestations of the migraine attack, the patient requires deepening treatment with other drugs. When nausea and vomiting occur with migraine, it may be useful to use drugs with an antiemetic effect, for example, metoclopramide or chlorpromazine. In addition, the charitable effect in some patients gives the use of soothing drugs that alleviate, and also relieve pain and malaise( eg, drink diazepam, hydroxyzine).Auxiliaries also include migraine medications containing caffeine or codeine( an opioid preparation, a weak-action morphine derivative).In the treatment of migraine attacks, antiepileptic drugs, i.e. valproic acid, have found their place.

With severe headache, it may be necessary to administer steroid to the patient( inside or in the form of injections), especially if there are contraindications to the use of triptans.

5 Prevention of attacks

Criteria for the inclusion of preventive treatment are individual for each patient, given different endurance in the fight against pain. The most common drugs are:

• serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists;
• beta-blockers( eg, propranolol, metoprolol);
• calcium channel blockers( eg, verapamil);
• anticonvulsants( eg, valproic acid);
• botulinum toxin - injected into the neck muscles;
• antidepressants( eg, amitriptyline).

In the treatment of migraine, as well as with neuralgia, the root of yellow jasmine is often used. It has a sedative and analgesic effect. The use of drugs containing yellow jasmine, can lead to the appearance of double vision, nausea and vomiting, so it is very important to comply with the prescribed dosage. Most often it is used as a tincture or tea.

Another medicinal herb that is used in the prevention of migraine is lavender. Its antispasmodic properties are used for headaches associated with stenosis of cerebral vessels. It is used in the form of infusion of flowers or in the form of oils. Side effects associated with the use of lavender are not common, but it should be remembered that pregnant women should avoid taking large doses of drugs of this kind.

6 Effective first aid

When seizure, settle down in a comfortable, quiet and dark room( for example, closing windows and doors, switching off the lamps neutralizes symptoms of photophobia, i.e. photophobia, and phonophobia, that is, hypersensitivity to sounds).

Apply warm or cold compresses to the aching areas of the head. In some patients, the best remedy for migraine is a warm soothing shower.

When vomiting occurs during a migraine attack, drink drinks with ginger( about half a cup in small portions for an hour).

Walking in the fresh air, a good sleep, a full meal will help cope with migraine attacks.