What should I do if I have a migraine attack?

Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
Updated on December 03, 2024
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Migraine attacks do not pose a significant risk to one's health. Therefore, during an attack, it is appropriate to take symptomatic oral pain relief and antiemetic medications for treatment, such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules and metoclopramide tablets. These medications provide symptomatic relief. However, it is essential to confirm that the symptoms are due to a migraine and not conditions like cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage, which are acute cerebrovascular diseases. If it is one of these acute cerebrovascular diseases, taking these pain relievers could delay the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Migraines are often triggered by certain foods, so it is best to avoid preserved foods, such as pickled vegetables that contain nitrates, which can trigger migraines. Other foods like cheese and red wine can also trigger migraines and should be avoided as much as possible. Additionally, it is important to rest properly, avoid staying up late, and try to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. (Please consult a professional physician before using any medication.)

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can migraines be massaged?

For some primary migraines clinically, we can alleviate clinical symptoms, reduce the intensity of pain, and decrease the frequency of pain through massage, which has certain clinical effects. How do we perform the massage? Generally, we select some massage areas according to the patient's clinical symptoms and characteristics, and also choose some acupoints based on differentiation. For example, for forehead pain, we usually start by selecting local acupoints, including Jingming, Sizhukong, Yangbai, and Touwei acupoints, then massage Baihui and Tongtian acupoints. For distant points, we choose to massage acupoints such as Houxi and others to alleviate the clinical symptoms of migraines.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How to alleviate migraine symptoms?

When a migraine attack occurs, the clinical manifestations are very obvious. The patient will experience moderate to severe headaches, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which are quite painful. Generally, the following methods can be used to relieve the symptoms: First, most patients can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, which can inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators and have a significant effect on relieving pain. Second, if the patient's headache is very severe, they can also choose specific ergot preparations or triptan medications for treatment. Third, accompanying symptoms should be promptly addressed. If nausea and vomiting occur, some antiemetic agents can be administered via muscle injection. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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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.)

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Which part to massage for migraine?

Migraine is a clinical symptom where the patient perceives pain. Which areas should we massage? This depends on specific clinical symptoms of the patient. For example, if the pain occurs in the forehead, we would select acupuncture points on the forehead such as Yangbai and Zanzhu, including Sizhukong and Jingming. For distal points, we can choose Neiting to massage. Of course, if the pain is at the top of the head, we can select local points like Baihui and Tongtian, and choose Xingjian for distal points for massage. If the pain is on the sides of the head, we would select the wrist bone and Sizhukong, and then choose Waiguan for distal massage.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can migraine be treated with moxibustion?

Moxibustion can be used for patients experiencing migraines, as it is a type of physical therapy within traditional Chinese medicine that effectively helps regulate the body and alleviate symptoms. Initially, moxibustion can be applied to acupoints such as Sanyinjiao, Quchi, and Fenglong, which can effectively help relieve migraines. Alternatively, massaging the head with palms also has a soothing effect. If the pain is severe, taking pain relief medication promptly can also improve and regulate the condition. It is crucial to maintain adequate sleep, avoid excessive fatigue, and particularly avoid staying up late.