What Are the Top Treatment Options for Migraines?
When a migraine strikes, it can leave the sufferer without options. It can feel impossible to do even the simplest actions, from being around any kind of light to focusing on a task – and they can last for hours with no relief.
Don’t want to suffer the sharp, unbearable symptoms of migraines any longer? Here are the top treatment options to consider the next time a painful migraine strikes.
Abortive Migraine Medications
When a migraine begins, there’s only one way to find relief and stop it from growing worse: medication. There are two types of migraine treatment medications available, according to WebMD:
- Preventive medication, which works to prevent a migraine altogether.
- Abortive medications, which aim to stop migraines that have already started.
So, when a migraine strikes, the top treatment is taking an abortive medication made just for migraines. There are a number of different types of abortive medications, from injections to pills to skin patches to nasal sprays. Commonly, abortive migraine medications are designed to treat headache pain only, with no effect on any other conditions. These medications, WebMD reports, often include triptans, which target serotonin to offer pain relief.
Another option is to try over-the-counter pain relievers. Unlike abortive medications, these common treatment options are more of a backup option when it comes to migraines. General pain relievers don’t specifically target headache pain and its causes, so these medications may not work for all migraines.
Alternative Medicines
If medication isn’t an option or is simply not effective, migraines can respond to alternative medicines as an excellent treatment option. While medication is often the first treatment people try, non-traditional medicines and therapies can be just as effective.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the following alternative medicines and practices can be used to treat migraines:
- Acupuncture: Small needles are inserted at pain sites and pressure points to relieve migraine pain.
- Biofeedback: A special relaxation technique, biofeedback teaches migraine sufferers how to spot the signs of a migraine and to control the body’s responses to prevent the headache from worsening.
- Herbs and vitamins: Adding specific herbs and vitamins into a daily diet can prevent migraines or make them less severe. It’s important to look for and use only herbs and vitamins that have been proven to help migraines.
- Riboflavin: Better known as vitamin B2, riboflavin has been found by scientific research to prevent migraines and reduce their frequency.
Exercise and Therapies
Getting moving is always a smart idea for improved health and wellness, and the same goes for migraine sufferers. When a migraine occurs, it can be difficult to find the strength and motivation to stay active, but certain activities can actually double as migraine treatments.
As the Migraine Research Foundation explains, getting moving with exercise or movement therapy of some kind can stop migraines from happening and lessen their effects. Migraine sufferers who are more physically active tend to experience less pain, and exercise doesn’t trigger a migraine or worse symptoms – giving sufferers plenty of reasons to move. Try the following exercise practices as a form of treatment:
- Stick to low-impact exercises that don’t require jumping, speedy movements, or pounding.
- Exercise on stationary equipment, like a bike or elliptical.
- Try stretching to alleviate muscle stress and strain.
- Avoid any exercises that affect the neck area (which can trigger migraines).
- Focus on slow exercises and move at a comfortable speed.
And the Migraine Research Foundation also notes that migraine sufferers don’t have to work up a sweat to stop the pain. Instead, the Foundation says that active therapies that promote health and wellness, such as physical therapy, yoga, and tai chi, can alleviate migraines if practiced regularly.
How to Find the Right Migraine Relief
Migraines are a difficult condition to treat. They can strike at any time, and once a migraine is in full swing, it can feel impossible to stop. Migraine pain and symptoms can last for hours, leaving sufferers without options and without any way to live normally.
Fortunately, there are treatment options – but these treatment options can only be effective if they’re understood before a migraine happens. In order to prevent migraines from ruining the entire day, it’s important to seek out treatment before another one happens. With knowledge of the top treatment options, it’s easy to search and find the right fit for any kind of migraine.