Women suffer more migraines than men
Female hormones have been found to play a very important role in the development of migraines, and studies have suggested that oral contraceptives may explain the rise in migraine incidences in young women. Furthermore, infertility medication and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have been linked to migraines.
Are your headaches interfering with your life, both at home and work? Is the pain so severe that you have to leave the office early, can't run errands or have to find a neighbor to watch the kids? Even then, the reprieve doesn't get rid of the pain that keeps you up at night. And forget any other bedroom activity. "Not tonight, honey, I have a headache" means exactly that.
Amazingly, over half of migraine sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated. Specialists stress that new research and treatments are only as effective as a patient's willingness to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Their advice is to keep a 'headache/health' journal; this information can help your physician make the right diagnosis.
Find out the causes for your migraine
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Treatment of migraine becomes easy if you are able to tell your doctor some details about the frequency or the type of headache you have. 1. Note how often your headaches occur and how long they last.2. Do your headaches appear about the time you start your period, or when your period has just stopped? Are you just entering menopause and experiencing more frequent headaches?
3. Note how severe they are, rating your pain on a scale of one (least severe) to ten (most severe). How would you compare your headache to other pain you may have had, during childbirth, for example, or after surgery?
4. Does the pain stop you from doing things you normally do, for example, going to the store or going to work?
5. Have you noticed any specific factors or activities that may trigger your headaches? This includes medications, eating some kind of food. (Migraines can be triggered off by eating Chinese food or even cheese).
Drugs that help you overcome migraine
Many new migraine therapies have appeared during the past 20 years. Some medications, such as triptans (ingredient names include sumatriptan, rizatriptan, and zolmitriptan) are used for pain relief, and are available as nasal sprays or skin injections. Others, such as amitriptyline, pheneizine, and blood pressure treatments (metoprolol, nadolol, and propanolol) are drugs that can help prevent migraine attacks.
Alternative therapies, including biofeedback, relaxation training, and stress management, train sufferers to control muscle tension and blood flow in different parts of the body and to develop stress-management skills. Alternative therapies are particularly helpful for those who don't respond to traditional drugs or for women who wish to avoid medications while pregnant or trying to conceive.
Preventive measures for migraines
Migraine sufferers do not have to suffer 'in silence.' There are many preventive measures that one can take to make life easier.
1. Meet your doctor. He will be able to tell you about the various drug therapies for treating migraines. The treatment varies from preventive - popping a pill just as the headache begins-to treatment when the migraine is in its advanced stage.
2. Discuss preventive therapies for headaches. It could be even a simple walk to yoga.3. Use pain medications as directed -- overuse can cause "rebound" headaches.4. Ask your doctor about a back-up "rescue" medication to keep at home if other medications fail during a migraine attack.
