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Updated by Umbrella Health Care Systems on Oct 22, 2023
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A Visual Guide to Migraine Headaches

A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.

For some people, a warning symptom known as an aura occurs before or with the headache. An aura can include visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or blind spots, or other disturbances, such as tingling on one side of the face or in an arm or leg and difficulty speaking.

Medications can help prevent some migraines and make them less painful. The right medicines, combined with self-help remedies and lifestyle changes, might help.
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1

What Is a Migraine?

What Is a Migraine?

A migraine is a headache with throbbing pain that is usually worse on one side of the head. The pain is often severe enough to hamper daily activities and may last from four hours to three days if untreated. More than one in 10 Americans, including one in 6 women, have migraines, but many have been told mistakenly that they have a sinus or tension headache. Foods, stress, and hormones can be migraine triggers.
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2

Migraine Symptoms

Migraine Symptoms

Throbbing pain typically occurs on one side near the temples, forehead, and eyes. Migraine headaches can make you very sensitive to light, sound, or mild exertion, such as climbing the stairs. Many people have nausea, vomiting, or vision problems. The pain can be disabling, forcing people to miss work or other activities.
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3

What Causes a Migraine?

What Causes a Migraine?

The exact cause of migraine headaches is still not well understood, but the problem is considered to be neurological (related to the nervous system). It is believed that brain chemicals, blood vessels, and nerves of the brain are involved.
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4

Trigger: Lack of Food or Sleep

Trigger: Lack of Food or Sleep

It's important for people prone to migraine headaches to have a regular pattern of meals and sleep. Low blood sugar from skipping meals can trigger a migraine. Eating too much sugar also can cause a spike, then a "crash" in blood sugar. Drink water throughout the day to avoid dehydration and sleep at least six to eight hours a night.
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5

Trigger: Headache Foods

Trigger: Headache Foods

Migraine sufferers often report that certain foods trigger their headaches. Common culprits include MSG, red wine, cheese, chocolate, soy sauce, and processed meats. However, scientific studies haven't confirmed any particular food as a migraine trigger.
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6

Diagnosing Migraine

Diagnosing Migraine

Migraine headaches are diagnosed primarily from symptoms, but your doctor may want to do a brain scan to rule out other causes of headaches, such as a brain tumor or bleeding in the brain. A CT scan uses special X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the brain. An MRI uses radio frequency pulses and a magnetic field to create images of the brain.
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7

Calculating Your Headache Burden

Calculating Your Headache Burden

Before you begin treatment, your doctor may want to assess your "headache burden" -- how much your life is affected by migraine headaches. A simple questionnaire asks how many times you have missed work, school, or family or leisure activities because of headaches.
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8

Treatment: Over-the-Counter Drugs

Treatment: Over-the-Counter Drugs

Combinations of common pain relievers and anti-inflammatories may help: acetaminophen (Panadol, Tylenol), aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin), ibuprofen, (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), or naproxen sodium (Aleve, Naprosyn). Some have been formulated specifically to treat migraine headaches. However, overuse may actually make headaches worse or may lead to ulcers or other gastrointestinal problems.
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9

Treatment Other Medication

Treatment Other Medication

If triptans don't give you relief, your doctor may prescribe dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal) or ergotamines (Cafergot or Migergot) as tablets, nasal sprays, or injections. An inpatient infusion of dihydroergotamine is a common choice and is more effective than triptans. These drugs narrow the blood vessels and can cause nausea, dizziness, muscle pain, or a bad taste in the mouth. They may have some interactions with other drugs. CGRP antgonists are a new class of drugs that block the effects of CGRP. They include rimegepant (Nurtec ODT) and ubrogepant (Ubrelvy).
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10

Alternative Therapy: Acupuncture

Alternative Therapy: Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that uses very fine needles inserted in specific spots to balance the body's energy flow. Some researchers have found acupuncture causes the brain to release chemicals that affect pain. However, studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture for migraine symptoms has been mixed.
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When You Need Quick Care

When You Need Quick Care

Any new headache that is unusually severe or lasts more than a couple of days should be checked by a doctor. It's also important to let your health care provider know if the pattern of headaches changes -- for example, if there are new triggers. If you have a headache accompanied by paralysis, confusion, fever, or stiff neck, seek emergency medical care.
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