What should I do if I have severe migraines?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Migraine is a very common type of headache with a high incidence rate. Severe migraines can lead to nausea, vomiting, and even an inability to move, significantly impacting the patient's life and work. When migraines are severe, they can be managed by taking oral medications, specifically drugs that target migraines, mainly ergot preparations and triptans. However, these medications should not be used by patients with severe hypertension or by pregnant women. Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be taken to provide relief. Furthermore, symptomatic treatment should be administered for nausea and vomiting, using antiemetic drugs. If migraines frequently occur and severely affect life, preventive treatments can also be undertaken with oral medications. These mainly include receptor blockers and calcium channel antagonists.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Is migraine easy to treat?

Migraine, a type of disorder that frequently occurs, causes substantial pain, with patients experiencing severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Generally, migraines are manageable and not particularly difficult to treat, although they are prone to recurrence. Treatment primarily consists of pharmacotherapy, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief, as well as specific medications such as triptans and ergot derivatives, all of which are highly effective. Some patients might also benefit from using benzodiazepines, which serve as sedatives and hypnotics, providing favorable outcomes. If migraines frequently disrupt life, preventive medications may be used to decrease their occurrence, including calcium channel blockers and antiepileptics, which are quite effective. (Note: The answer is for reference only. Take medications under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How many days can a migraine recover?

For most cases of migraines, patients generally recover within three days. If migraine-specific medications are administered, recovery can be faster, with symptoms significantly alleviated within a day. If a migraine persists for more than three days without recovery, it is known as a status migraine, and specific migraine medications need to be used, such as ergot preparations or triptan drugs, which are effective. Some patients with prolonged migraine duration may need sedatives and drugs to reduce intracranial pressure for symptomatic treatment. Patients with migraines must ensure adequate rest, ensure good sleep, and maintain stable emotions. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can acupuncture be used for migraines?

For migraine, such as some primary migraines, acupuncture can be used for treatment and has certain efficacy. It can alleviate the symptoms of headache, reduce the intensity of pain, and decrease the frequency of pain episodes. Generally, for migraines, some local acupoints are selected, such as Fengchi, Jia Che, Si Zhu Kong, and Shuai Gu for acupuncture. If the pain is very severe, electroacupuncture can sometimes be used to enhance the effect of acupuncture to achieve the effects of unblocking meridians and relieving pain. Of course, acupoints are also chosen based on the patient's condition to treat migraines. For instance, migraines caused by liver qi stagnation would involve selecting acupoints that soothe the liver and regulate qi, such as Qi Men and Tai Chong, to help treat the migraines.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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What should I do about migraines?

Patients with migraines can temporarily take oral painkillers to alleviate the symptoms, provided that it has been confirmed as a migraine attack, and not a headache caused by acute cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Typically, before a migraine attack, there may be an aura symptom involving changes in vision, followed by unilateral headache. These symptoms can recur, usually lasting several hours, and they can subside on their own without medication. These are the symptoms of migraines. Generally, migraines do not pose a significant health risk, so patients can temporarily treat it with symptomatic oral pain relief. During remission, it is advisable to take preventive measures such as avoiding staying up late, not overworking, and reducing the frequency of migraine attacks as much as possible.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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What should you pay attention to in daily life if you have migraines?

Patients with migraines should pay attention to maintaining a regular daily schedule, avoid staying up late, avoid overworking, and ensure sufficient sleep. Additionally, there are some foods that can trigger migraine attacks, such as pickled foods and salty vegetables, which contain nitrites that may provoke migraines. Other foods, like certain dairy products and red wine, can also trigger migraine attacks. Patients who experience migraines should try to avoid these types of foods to minimize occurrences. What is a migraine? Migraines typically present as unilateral head pain. A common symptom before the onset of a migraine headache is experiencing prodromal symptoms such as changes in vision, blurred vision, altered shapes, and seeing rippling patterns. These symptoms appear shortly before the headache begins, characterizing a typical migraine attack. During an attack, one can take pain relief medication to ease the pain. Migraines generally do not cause significant health issues, and even without medication, the pain usually resolves within a few hours, so there is no need to worry excessively. The main focus should be on the above points to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)