Migraine Headaches: Ways to Deal With the Pain
What causes migraine headaches?
Migraine headaches seem to be caused in part by changes in the level of a body chemical called serotonin. Serotonin plays many roles in the body, and it can have an effect on the blood vessels. When serotonin levels are high, blood vessels constrict (shrink). When serotonin levels fall, the blood vessels dilate (swell). This swelling can cause pain or other problems.

Many things can affect the level of serotonin in your body, including your level of blood sugar, certain foods and changes in your estrogen level if you're a woman.

What does a migraine feel like?
The pain of a migraine headache can be intense. It can get in the way of your daily activities. Migraines aren't the same in all people. Possible symptoms of migraines are listed in the box below.

You may also have a "premonition" several hours to a day before your headache starts. Premonitions are feelings you get that can signal a migraine is coming. These feelings can include intense energy, fatigue, food cravings and mood changes.


Possible symptoms of migraines
Intense throbbing or dull aching pain on one side of your head or both sides.
Nausea or vomiting
Changes in how you see, including blurred vision or blind spots
Being bothered by light, noise or odors
Feeling tired and/or confused
Stopped-up nose
Feeling cold or sweaty
Stiff or tender neck
Light-headedness
Tender scalp



Are there different kinds of migraine headaches?
Yes. The most common are classic migraine and common migraine.

Classic migraines start with a warning sign, called an aura. The aura often involves changes in the way you see. You may see flashing lights and colors. You may temporarily lose some of your vision, such as your side vision.

You may also feel a strange ******* or burning sensation, or have muscle weakness on one side of your body. You may have trouble communicating. You may also feel depressed, irritable and restless.

Auras last about 15 to 30 minutes. Auras may occur before or after your head pain, and sometimes the pain and aura overlap, or the pain never occurs. The head pain of classic migraines may occur on one side of your head or on both sides.

Common migraines don't start with an aura. Common migraines may start more slowly than classic migraines, last longer and interfere more with daily activities. The pain of common migraines may be on only one side of your head.

How long do migraines usually last?
Migraines may last from 4 to 72 hours. They may happen only once or twice a year, or as often as daily. Women are more likely to have migraines than men.

What things may set off a migraine?
Certain things that can set off migraines in some people include the following:

Strong or unusual odors, bright lights or loud noises
Changes in weather or altitude
Being tired, stressed or depressed or the let-down after a stressful event
Changes in sleeping patterns or sleeping time
Certain foods (see the list below), especially those that contain tyramine, sodium nitrate or phenylalanine
Missing meals or fasting
Menstrual periods, birth control pills or hormones
Intense physical activity, including sexual activity

Foods that may trigger migraines
Aged, canned, cured or processed meat, including bologna, game, ham, herring, hot dogs, pepperoni and sausage

Aged cheese

Alcoholic beverages, especially red wine

Aspartame

Avocados

Beans, including pole, broad, lima, Italian, navy, pinto and garbanzo

Brewer's yeast, including fresh yeast coffee cake, donuts and sourdough bread

Caffeine (in excess)

Canned soup or bouillon cubes

Chocolate, cocoa and carob

Cultured dairy products, such as buttermilk and sour cream

Figs

Lentils
Meat tenderizer

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Nuts and peanut butter

Onions, except small amounts for flavoring

Papaya

Passion fruit

Pea pods

Pickled, preserved or marinated foods, such as olives and pickles, and some snack foods

Raisins

Red plums

Sauer*****

Seasoned salt

Snow peas

Soy sauce

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How are migraines treated?
There are 2 types of migraine treatments. Some treatments are used to relieve the headache pain. Most of these treatments should be started as soon as you think you're getting a migraine. The other type includes treatments that are used to prevent headaches before they occur.

Can nonprescription medicines help relieve the pain?
Yes. Nonprescription medicines can help migraine pain. They include aspirin, acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol), an acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine combination (one brand name: Excedrin Migraine), ibuprofen (one brand name: Motrin), naproxen (brand name: Aleve), and ketoprofen (brand name: Orudis KT).

What about prescription medicines?
People with more severe pain may need prescription medicine. A medicine called ergotamine (brand name: Ergostat) can be effective alone or combined with other medicines. Dihydroergotamine (brand names: Migranal, D.H.E. 45) is related to ergotamine and can be helpful.

Other prescription medicines for migraines include sumatriptan (brand name: Imitrex), zolmitriptan (brand name: Zomig), naratriptan (brand name: Amerge) rizatriptan (brand name: Maxalt), almotriptan (brand name: Axert), eletriptan (brand name: Relpax) and frovatriptan (brand name: Frova).

If the pain won't go away, stronger medicine may be needed, such as a narcotic (brand name: Stadol nasal spray) or medicines that contain a barbiturate. These medicines can be habit-forming and should be used cautiously.

Can medicine help prevent migraines?
Yes. Medicine to prevent migraines may be helpful if your headaches happen more than twice a month or if your headaches make it hard for you to work and function. Examples of medicines used to prevent migraines include propranolol (brand name: Inderal), timolol (brand name: Blocadren), divalproex (brand name: Depakote) and some antidepressants.

What else can I do to prevent migraines?
Try to avoid foods or other things that seem to cause migraines for you. Get plenty of sleep. Try to relax and reduce the stress in your life.
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Tips on reducing the pain
Lie down in a dark, quiet room.
Put a cold compress or rag over your forehead.
Massage your scalp using a lot of pressure.
Put pressure on your temples.

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I have Migrane accompaine. No fun but since I found out about my food allergies, they got really rare. Migranes are a lot of times related to food allergies. What is migrane accompaine? You have an "Aura" before the headache. Mine started with feeling weird and kind of half or you body feels numb. Pretty scary. I thought a lot of times I die or have a stroke. But when the worse part was over and the mild headache kicked in I kind of felt relieved. My headaches were not that bad, just that aura. But it's the question, what is worse? Probably either way not comfi at all. I was worrying a lot and stopped taking the pill, helped a little but not much. My mum suffers from the migrane with bad headaches. She has to vomit and can't stand being up or have bright light. So I guess it runs in the family. She has a medication for it I don't know, but if she doesn't take it early enough it doesn't work. Kind of hard telling sometimes if the headache goes into migrane or it's just a normal headache.

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