We've really started getting pro-active in handling our sons migraines. They've been extremely painful and it prevents him from enjoying his normal lifestyle when he's experiencing one. During a period of headaches, he suddenly struggles in school because he's in pain, sleep-deprived and needs quiet. All of these were reasons we started to work on preventing migraines by stopping them before the pain begins.
Doctors have slowly started working on preventing migraines, rather than just dealing with the pain. One way is to take non-migraine drugs on a daily basis to prevent a headache from starting. These drugs work with brain chemicals or blood vessel inflammation that can lead to a migraine.
Another school of thought is to develop a healing plan specific for each person and working on preventing migraines before the pain comes. This thought process is to have the person take fewer drugs, especially ones with side effects, and gain control over the migraines. It also helps to look at the patterns of when a migraine headache occurs, and you can start to learn what triggers it. Once this is figured out, you can take certain steps or drugs during the specific window of time that offer the most benefits.
When trying to prevent a migraine from happening, what drug is used is key to alleviating symptoms. One of the newer drugs for preventing migraines that the FDA is researching is called Trexima, which combines the migraine drug Imitrex and naproxen sodium (contained in Aleve and other over-the-counter medications). This drug works to stop the blood vessels from dilating, as this is the main cause leading to the severe pain. When trying to prevent a migraine, it's also beneficial to live a healthy lifestyle, as certain foods and life's vices can be a trigger for a migraine. By incorporating healthy eating and exercise and stopping drinking alcohol or smoking, you could stop a migraine, as well as other health issues, before they begin.
It's important to work closely with your physician if you're dealing with severe migraines. Letting them know when a headache starts and what was going on around it can be very helpful. This can be done by journaling or any other way you keep track of information. Knowing what happens can help you and your doctor decide what medication is used to alleviate the pain and prevent it from being as severe. The goal you're working toward is preventing migraines from happening in the first place.
Suffering from pounding headaches but not sure if they're migraines or not? Get more
information on migraines now from somebody who has lived with migraine headaches for more than 20 years. There is
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