A migraine is not just a headache; it is a complex neurological condition that affects the entire body and causes multiple symptoms even without a headache at times. Migraine is one of the most common health conditions, but researchers have still not found the exact cause of migraine, and there isn’t any definite method of diagnosing the condition. Despite unclear causes and diagnosis tests, there are ways to manage and reduce the symptoms and attacks although the condition is not completely curable, thereby reducing the disruption caused in everyday life.
Treating migraine becomes the utmost priority of most people who suffer from the condition, and most often, patients are required to make several lifestyle changes to treat it. There can be four different approaches to treating a migraine, which include acute treatments, complementary treatments, preventive treatments, and self-help measures.
Acute treatments: Acute treatments are often used to treat a migraine attack when it occurs and is available in different forms. Each form helps in relieving headaches and other migraine symptoms that enable the affected person to carry on their daily activities normally within 2 hours. Medications that come under acute treatments are available in different types, as mentioned:
- Over-the-counter treatments
- Anti-sickness treatments
- Prescription painkillers
- Migraine-specific drugs
Complementary treatments: Complimentary treatments are advised for those who are concerned about the side effects of acute treatment options. Complimentary treatments are provided by experienced and trained professionals and do not work on medications alone. Therefore, it is important to see a reputable professional for receiving any form of complementary treatment. Some common types of complementary treatments include the following:
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- Physical therapies
- Herbal remedies
- Vitamins and minerals
- Homeopathy
- Manipulative therapies
- Dental work
- Tinted lenses
Complimentary treatment takes a holistic approach to healing migraine and aims at treating migraine at the roots, thereby providing a proper cure.
Preventive treatments: Preventive treatments can be tried when both acute treatment and complementary treatment did not work. Preventive treatment is advised to people who get more than 4 migraines in a month. This treatment commonly involves a course of medicine that the doctor prescribes. However, preventive treatments also include other non-medication methods too. This treatment helps reduce the frequency of headaches. Additionally, the benefits of preventive treatments are often slow but effective. Some popular preventive treatment options include the following:
- Beta-blockers
- Botox
- Antidepressants
- Neuromodulators
- Serotonin agonists
- Calcium channel blockers
- Acupuncture
Self-help measures
Self- help measures do not include any medication or therapies; instead, they are related to one taking good care of their health by establishing certain healthy habits that are related to making lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes include the following:
- Eating only healthy food and not consuming packaged or junk food
- Staying hydrated at all times
- Cutting down on caffeine and alcohol
- Following a healthy sleeping pattern
- Avoiding known migraine triggers
- Avoiding strong perfumes
- Avoiding looking at bright and flashing lights
- Wearing sunglasses in bright sunlight
- Practicing a healthy routine
- Exercising every single day
- Learning relaxation techniques that help with staying calm and stress-free
- Taking care of the body posture
- Self-help measures should be combined with other treatments for effective results.
