Migraine | MSTC Lothian

What is a Migraine? How can we help?

A migraine can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities. Migraines share many symptoms with Cluster Headaches.

Symptoms

Migraines, which often begin in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood, can progress through four stages: prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome. Not everyone who has migraines goes through all stages.

For some people, aura might occur before or during migraines. Auras are reversible symptoms of the nervous system. They're usually visual but can also include other disturbances. Each symptom usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes and lasts for 20 to 60 minutes.

Examples of migraine aura include:

Visual phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots, or flashes of light.
Vision loss
Pins and needles sensations in an arm or leg
Weakness or numbness in the face or one side of the body
Difficulty speaking
Hearing noises or music
Uncontrollable jerking or other movements

A migraine usually lasts from four to 72 hours if untreated. How often migraines occur varies from person to person. Migraines might occur rarely or strike several times a month.

During a migraine, you might have:

Pain usually on one side of your head, but often on both sides
Pain that throbs or pulses
Sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell and touch.
Nausea and vomiting

After a migraine attack, you might feel drained, confused, and washed out for up to a day. Some people report feeling elated. Sudden head movement might bring on the pain again briefly.

Migraines are often undiagnosed and untreated. If you regularly have signs and symptoms of migraine, keep a record of your attacks and how you treated them. Then make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your headaches. Even if you have a history of headaches, see your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different.

Treatment

There's currently no cure for migraines, although several treatments are available to help ease the symptoms.

It may take time to work out the best treatment for you. You may need to try different types or combinations of medicines before you find the most effective ones. If you find you cannot manage your migraines using over-the-counter medicines, your GP may prescribe something stronger.

Many people who have migraines find that over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen, can help to reduce their symptoms. They tend to be most effective if taken at the first signs of a migraine attack, as this gives them time to absorb into your bloodstream and ease your symptoms. It's not advisable to wait until the headache worsens before taking painkillers, as it's often too late for the medicine to work. Speak to a GP if you find yourself needing to use painkillers repeatedly or over-the-counter painkillers are not effective. They may prescribe stronger painkillers or recommend using painkillers along with triptans. If they suspect the frequent use of painkillers may be contributing your headaches, they may recommend that you stop using them.

If ordinary painkillers are not helping to relieve your migraine symptoms, you should make an appointment to see a GP. They may recommend taking painkillers in addition to a type of medicine called a triptan, and possibly anti-sickness medicine.

Triptan medicines are a specific painkiller for migraine headaches. They're thought to work by reversing the changes in the brain that may cause migraine headaches.

Anti-sickness medicines, known as anti-emetics, can successfully treat migraine in some people even if you do not experience feeling or being sick. These are prescribed by a GP and can be taken alongside painkillers and triptans. As with painkillers, anti-sickness medicines work better if taken as soon as your migraine symptoms begin. They usually come in the form of a tablet but are also available as a suppository. Side effects of anti-emetics include drowsiness and diarrhoea.

Therapies

Oxygen therapy aims to minimize or eliminate symptoms and decrease the frequency at which they occur, without the use of prescription drugs.

First reported as a headache and migraine treatment option in 1939, according to the non-profit National Headache Foundation, Oxygen Therapy provides patients with pure oxygen at an increased pressure. This dramatically increases the amount of oxygen carried by blood plasma, enabling more O2 to reach different areas of the body, including the brain. If performed in a controlled environment with a trained professional overseeing the session, that additional oxygen could restore blood flow to brain tissue, as well as reduce swelling and decrease blood vessel spasms. Other benefits may include: an increased blood flow; the creation of new blood vessels; decreased brain inflammation.

Medical professionals continue to perform studies related to oxygen therapy and migraines, with recent research suggesting this natural treatment may, in fact, lead to promising results.

For example, according to Cochrane, an independent organization comprised of medical professionals, researchers, and patients, there is evidence that indicates Oxygen Therapy is “effective for the termination of acute migraine in an unselected population.”

Further support and information:

NHS Information

Migraine Trust

National Migraine Centre

National Headache Foundation

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

What is a Migraine? How can we help?

Symptoms

Treatment

Therapies

Further support and information:

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