In this article we will look at the symptoms and treatment of migraine. What is this pathology?
Migraine is a disease that causes prolonged, intense, and sometimes unbearable pain in the head. Pathology can completely deprive a person of sleep, destroying his career and personal life. How to overcome such a disease? What methods of migraine treatment does modern, traditional and ancient medicine offer? We will talk about all this in our article.
Migraine symptoms
There is an opinion that migraine is a disease of aristocrats, a kind of whim of people who have an excess of free time. And working people have no time to suffer from headaches. But only those who have not yet been touched by this attack think so. Many people call it absolutely any headache, but this is a mistake.
Migraine symptoms and treatment at home are of interest to many.
Migraine differs from the usual ailments due to overwork or against the background of hypertension in the following number of factors:
- Location of pain. This feature is reflected directly in the name of the disease, since the word "migraine" in translation means "half of the head." Therefore, one of the hallmarks of the disease is pain, covering only one hemisphere or some specific part of it.
- It is important to pay attention to the nature of the pain. For example, a migraine is characterized by intense, and at the same time, throbbing pain. Patients say that the nature of the pain resembles attacks of acute dental ailment, but, of course, with a slightly different localization.
- The power of pain. Migraine attacks literally knock down and deprive people of the opportunity to engage in any activity. The condition is accompanied by a fear of light, so various sounds with bright light only lead to increased pain.
Migraine treatment should be comprehensive.
Mechanism of appearance of pathology
Despite the fact that the disease has been known since ancient times, the principle of pain is still not entirely clear. With a high degree of certainty, it can be stated that migraine is in no way connected with intracranial, and besides, with blood pressure, besides, it is not caused by injuries and tumors and is not the result of mental stress. There is a correlation between migraine and stroke, but whether this ailment is a consequence of its occurrence is not completely known.
Today, there are a number of hypotheses that explain the mechanism of pain formation, and all of them relate to a certain extent to the vessels of the brain. It is with this that the pulsatingthe nature of the discomfort.
Among the most possible causes of the syndrome is the narrowing of the vascular lumen, which leads to insufficient blood supply to certain areas of the brain, so the pain on the background of migraine has a clear localization. According to another version, for various reasons, the vessels dilate unevenly, which provokes a reaction in the form of pain. The internal mechanics of the disease is mainly of interest to specialists, and patients, in turn, are more interested in learning about the factors that provoke an attack.
Migraine treatment is shown below.
Provoking factors
The accumulated experience of monitoring patients with migraine reveals what often precedes a wave of pain. The main triggers are:
- Neurological background. Thus, it has been established that stress with fatigue and strong feelings lead to migraine attacks.
- Food background. In this matter, alcohol is very dangerous. And the leader in this competition is not vodka at all, but various wines along with champagne and cider. All these "pleasures" contain a gas that speeds up the absorption of alcohol. Their use can lead to an attack. Nuts, chocolate, and cheese have also been found to lead to migraines.
- The use of hormonal drugs. Often migraine attacks are caused by the use of hormonal contraceptives.
- Bad dream. It does not matter if there is a violation due to lack of sleep or its excess.
- Influence of external factors. Weather changes can provoke attacks along with fluctuations in atmospheric pressure and a trip to an unusual climatic zone.
In the event that a person is prone to seizures, he must take into account the latter factor when planning long-distance trips. After all, otherwise it will be a shame to lie through your entire vacation, suffering from a headache. Migraine should be treated by a qualified physician.
Types of migraines
According to the international classifier of diseases, there are the following types of this disease:
- A common migraine is expressed as a throbbing headache. It is considered the most common type. Many patients do not go to the doctor, as they take such a migraine for a simple pain.
- The classic form of migraine involves a whole range of specific sensations that precede and accompany an attack. At the same time, specific manifestations are individual, they can be visual (when zigzags with multi-colored spots and flashes of light appear), sound (against which a ringing in the ears appears), tactile (which is expressed in a feeling of tingling or numbness), olfactory and gustatory. Less often, there may be an imbalance with a distortion of the perspective of visible objects and distances to them. Sometimes the disease can manifest itself in the form of increasing anxiety. Treatment of migraine in women is a very relevant issue today.
- The development of migraine status in the form of prolonged attacks that do not disappear after rest. Sometimes they can last for days, bringing patients toexhaustion.
- Complicated migraine is often accompanied by loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting and epileptic seizures are also possible. Such an attack may even end in a stroke.
- Other forms of migraine are also distinguished, which include its specific varieties in the form of a retinal type (appearance of a blind spot in the eyes), ophthalmoplegic (pain in the optic nerves) and so on.
Migraine symptoms and treatment are linked.
Consequences
A prolonged attack of a complicated form of migraine can result in a migraine stroke. The affected vessel loses its ability to expand after spasms, leading to blockage and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. It should be noted that the presence of pulsating localized headaches may indicate a brain aneurysm.
But usually a migraine does not lead to such deplorable results. Its consequences are rather social. The presence of debilitating prolonged headaches disrupts the he althy alternation of sleep with rest, undermining a person's vitality and significantly reducing his quality of life.
People suffering from such pain incur significant financial costs, consisting of the cost of migraine medications, as well as lost profits due to forced time off, which in most cases is not paid. I must say that not only people, but also doctors do not take this disease seriously enough. Every Russian is aware of how difficult it is to get sick leave on the basis ofmigraine. And the only disease parameter worthy of medical attention in the district clinic is fever.
Treatment of migraine at home is quite real.
Pathology can also have a negative impact on social activity, breaking social ties, harming family life, which affects the general condition, causing depression in patients. According to statistics, patients who suffer from migraine are four times more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to he althy people. This is quite enough to take this disease seriously and not neglect the required treatment.
Migraine symptoms and treatment not everyone knows.
Risk group or prevalence of pathology
Headaches, like migraines, are the most common ailments. According to the latest expert estimates, up to seventy-five percent of the world's working-age population experience headaches every year. A third of this number complains of migraine. But the harm of pathology is underestimated, and the direct attitude towards it is mostly indifferent.
Who is at risk? This disease affects people during puberty and can reach a peak by the age of forty. It should be noted that women are more susceptible to the disease. Thus, the number of visits to doctors about this disease from women is recorded several times more often. It has been established that migraine has a genetic nature, therefore, a significant role in the occurrence of the diseaseheredity plays.
As noted, the symptoms and treatment of migraine are related.
How is a migraine detected?
Like other types of headaches, the diagnosis of migraine is based primarily on patient complaints, which does not require additional examinations. The basis of diagnosis is a thorough patient survey along with a reconciliation of complaints, which are indicated in the International Classifier.
Sometimes doctors detect objective migraine symptoms in women. Treatment should also be based on this. Pathology can be expressed in redness of the fingers and moistening of the palms. It is interesting to note that only forty percent of patients receive a correct diagnosis regarding the presence of this disease.
Treatment of migraine symptoms with pills is very popular.
Performing medication
Medications in the presence of migraine are used to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, that is, first of all, you need to eliminate the feeling of pain. All drugs that are used for migraine are divided into the following main groups:
- For the treatment of cervical migraine, doctors prescribe analgesics with anti-inflammatory drugs. At the same time, universal pain medications are prescribed, which can be purchased without a prescription at a pharmacy. These include non-steroidal drugs in the form of Ibuprofen or Diclofenac.
- Means of ergot. The alkaloids found in ergot can tone the vessels of the brain, suppressing the production of serotonin, which causes pain. Preparations based on ergot extract servenarrowly targeted means, they are practically useless for ordinary headaches. They should be used directly during migraine attacks for its relief or as a preventive measure. This is done in courses up to a maximum of two weeks. This category of drugs has a number of side effects, and in addition, contraindications (for example, they are not prescribed to patients suffering from coronary heart disease). They should only be used as prescribed by a doctor, depending on the symptoms. Home treatments for migraine are listed below.
- The use of triptans. Such drugs stop vascular spasms and act on the vascular walls, blocking pain signals at the level of trigeminal nerve receptors. Triptans differ in that they can relieve the symptoms of complicated migraine in the form of light and noise fear, and can also combat nausea and vomiting. Triptans are considered narrowly targeted migraine medications.
But people are always wondering if it is possible to do without chemical drugs? In this case, you can turn to the methods of traditional medicine.
Treating migraines at home can be very effective.
Non-drug treatment
Migraine has been known to people since time immemorial. All this time, the struggle of mankind with this disease continues. Over the years, methods of physiotherapy have been developed to reduce the suffering of patients to a minimum. In particular, the traditional medicine of distant China succeeded in this. About medicinemany treatises have been written by the ancient people of this country, let's touch on the basic principles of physiotherapeutic treatment of migraine.
The main principle of Chinese medicine is a sparing effect and a gradual increase in its strength. The course usually begins with the minimum dosage and duration of treatment. The intensity is increased gradually, taking into account the results obtained from previous therapy sessions.
Physiotherapeutic sessions are carried out taking into account the established causes of the disease, which is done according to various schemes. The purpose of the physiotherapeutic action is the elimination or maximum reduction in the number of provoking factors in the form of stress, along with increased muscle tension in the cervical-collar region. Since ancient times, the following treatment methods have been especially effective:
- Carrying out acupressure. The technique consists in influencing active points, each of which can cause a response in the body.
- Performing acupuncture. Impact on biologically active points is made with the help of the finest sterile needles. Due to the fact that the needles are thin and very sharp, the procedure is almost painless.
- Performing tuina massage. This traditional massage is the hallmark of ancient medicine. Movements worked out over centuries, combined with knowledge about the energy zones of the body, make it possible to achieve excellent results. With migraine, massage of the cervical region and shoulder girdle is considered especially effective.
- Performing hydrotherapy. Therapeutic bathsare considered the most effective healing technique that allows you to combine the power of the four elements.
Despite the fact that this alternative medicine is considered an ancient invention, it also successfully uses modern advances. So, electroacupuncture is a huge success - a method in which the effect of acupuncture is further enhanced by a small current. No less popular is electrophoresis based on herbal formulations, which are specially selected by Chinese doctors.
How can I relieve a migraine attack?
Methods of pain relief directly depend on its duration, and in addition, intensity:
- For mild attacks lasting up to one day, analgesics are used along with anti-inflammatory drugs. But preparations in the form of rectal suppositories have a much faster effect. This will be true even when the attack is accompanied by nausea. Codeine-containing medicines are also considered highly effective, but their use is addictive. They may contain: metamizole sodium along with drotaverine hydrochloride, phenobarbital and caffeine.
- Against the background of more serious multi-day seizures, enhanced measures are required. In this case, preparations from the category of triptans in the form of Zolmitriptan, Eletriptan and Sumatriptan are suitable. Such medications constrict the vessels of the brain, reducing the sensitivity of receptors to serotonin. In the presence ofchronic migraines, which are characterized by prolonged attacks, you should consult a doctor in advance. Properly prescribed triptan drugs, taken within the first two hours after the onset of an attack, can completely stop the development of the disease.
Migraine Prevention
The basis for the prevention of such attacks is the maximum elimination of provoking factors. A large role in this matter is played by the normal regime of the day, along with the correct alternation of work cycles with rest, avoidance of nervous strain and stressful situations. It will also be useful to have a diet that should exclude or reduce the consumption of foods that provoke the production of serotonin, we are talking about smoked meats, cheeses, chocolate and alcohol. In addition, as part of the prevention, anticonvulsants with antidepressants can be prescribed.
Treatment of migraine in women at home has become widespread.
Folk healing techniques or lifestyle changes
In order to get rid of a regular migraine, first of all, you need to reconsider your lifestyle, making the following adjustments to it:
- Going to bed and getting out of bed should always be at the same time, while trying not to stay too long. You should also avoid daytime sleep, which significantly disrupts the daily routine.
- Nutrition must be balanced, the diet should include vegetables with fruits, legumes along with nuts and seafood, and in addition, a variety of cereals. Not everyone knows how migraine is treated with folk methods.
- Daily walks will help a person stay in a constant tone, getting the necessary amount of oxygen.
- It is extremely important to eliminate bad habits in the form of smoking and alcohol.
- Unrest with overwork, lack of regular physical activity negatively affects the he alth of each person.
- Regular use of aspirin helps prevent migraine attacks. But keep in mind that it does not help everyone.
- By observing seizures, you can determine what exactly provokes them. By eliminating such factors, you can avoid a new attack. For some, this factor is the cold with emotional outbursts, and for the other - foods that contain serotonin. As noted earlier, there are quite a few such factors, and all of them are individual in nature. How else is a quick migraine treatment done at home?
- In the event that an attack nevertheless occurred, and the person is at home at that time, then the following method will help alleviate his condition: after quitting, you need to close yourself in your room, turn off the light, lie down on the bed and try to relax as much as possible. Sleep is also recommended. Thanks to such measures, a person will not feel pain after waking up in an hour.
Folk remedies for migraine have been used for centuries.
Use of folk recipes
There are many different ways to cure migraines that have been tested for centuries, and are now available to everyone and do not requirebig costs. You can effectively treat migraine at home as follows:
- You need to apply lilac leaves along with cabbage and burdock to the place of pain, after an hour the migraine will stop.
- Apply a raw onion compress to the forehead. It can also be inserted into the ear from the side where the head hurts. This will relieve the condition during the attack.
- A tampon that is pre-wetted in beet juice helps well. It must also be inserted into the ear on the affected side.
- For migraines, drink half a glass of potato juice.
- Also pour viburnum with boiling water and let the broth brew, then filter and drink like tea. It is also recommended to add some honey.
- It is equally beneficial to take a bath with the following herbs added to the water: yarrow with thyme and mint. A bath with a decoction of valerian also helps a lot.
Migraine has long been a frequent and widespread ailment. But these days, there are many different ways to treat it, which should first be discussed with a doctor.
We covered the symptoms and treatment of migraine.
