How to treat migraines

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

Updated on September 19, 2024

00:00

00:00

Migraine is a very common type of headache clinically. Its treatment mainly includes the following aspects:

The first method involves giving patients some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers for treatment, which most patients find relieving. If the headache is severe and these drugs are not effective, then it is necessary to use some specific drugs, mainly ergot preparations.

Second, symptomatic treatment. Migraine patients are prone to complications such as nausea and vomiting, and can be treated with some antiemetic drugs.

Third, patients should rest in a quiet environment, avoid strong light and loud noises, and maintain a calm mood. Additionally, if migraines recur frequently, preventative treatment is recommended. The treatment plan mainly includes some calcium channel blockers and some β-blockers.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Feng Ying Shuai

Traditional Chinese Medicine

50sec

home-news-image

Can migraines be massaged?

For some primary migraines clinically, we can alleviate clinical symptoms, reduce the intensity of pain, and decrease the frequency of pain through massage, which has certain clinical effects. How do we perform the massage? Generally, we select some massage areas according to the patient's clinical symptoms and characteristics, and also choose some acupoints based on differentiation. For example, for forehead pain, we usually start by selecting local acupoints, including Jingming, Sizhukong, Yangbai, and Touwei acupoints, then massage Baihui and Tongtian acupoints. For distant points, we choose to massage acupoints such as Houxi and others to alleviate the clinical symptoms of migraines.

home-news-image

Written by Liu Yan Hao

Neurology

1min 6sec

home-news-image

What should I do if I have a migraine and feel nauseous?

Migraine-induced nausea can be symptomatically treated with oral pain relievers, medications that suppress gastric acid secretion, protect the gastric mucosa, and treat nausea. It is essential to confirm that the nausea is caused by a migraine rather than other acute cerebrovascular diseases. This is because migraine attacks do not pose a significant risk to health, and temporary relief from pain can be achieved by taking pain relievers orally. It's important to avoid staying up late and overworking to minimize the frequency of migraine attacks. If one experiences persistent severe headaches accompanied by nausea, conditions such as cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage must be ruled out, as these acute cerebrovascular diseases can be triggered. This is to avoid delaying treatment due to taking pain relievers. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the cause before proceeding with specific treatment. (Please administer medication under professional medical supervision and do not self-medicate.)

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

59sec

home-news-image

How long will it take for the migraine to get better?

Migraine is very prevalent among young and middle-aged people, with sufferers usually experiencing unilateral, though sometimes bilateral, pulsating headaches. These may accompany a sensitivity to light and sound, along with significant nausea and vomiting. Typically, migraines resolve within 4-72 hours, meaning recovery generally occurs within three days. If it doesn’t resolve within three days, it’s referred to as a status migrainosus. During an acute migraine episode, it is important to rest, ensure adequate sleep, consume more fruits, and take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment. Specific pain relievers such as triptans may also be used, and concurrent complications should be addressed. Furthermore, if migraines recur frequently, prophylactic treatment with medications like beta-blockers may be considered. (Please consult a professional physician before taking any medication.)

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

58sec

home-news-image

Where does the migraine hurt?

The location of migraine pain is generally most commonly on one side, particularly in the frontal and temporal areas, which are the temples. Patients may feel a distinct pulsing in the blood vessels, and the pain can be quite severe, accompanied by significant nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. However, some migraine sufferers experience bilateral pain in the frontal and temporal areas, meaning both temples feel significantly painful. The treatment primarily involves administering non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications. If the patient also experiences significant nausea and vomiting, these symptoms need to be addressed as well. Additionally, migraine sufferers tend to be very sensitive to strong light and sound stimuli; it is recommended that they rest in bed during a migraine attack. If migraine attacks are frequent, it is advisable to take preventative medications orally.

home-news-image

Written by Zhang Hui

Neurology

56sec

home-news-image

What causes migraines with nausea?

Patients with migraines often experience significant nausea and vomiting, which is also an important diagnostic criterion in the diagnosis of migraines. The reason migraines cause nausea is primarily due to abnormalities in the trigeminal ganglion of migraine sufferers. These impulses may be transmitted to the solitary nucleus in the brainstem, which is mainly responsible for some autonomic nerves and closely related to vomiting. When the solitary nucleus is affected, obvious vomiting naturally occurs. Many migraine patients find that their symptoms are somewhat relieved after vomiting. The main treatment for migraine-induced vomiting is to have the patient rest quietly and take appropriate pain relief medication. If vomiting is pronounced, it is recommended that the patient take antiemetic drugs orally, preferably by muscle injection, which generally provides quick symptom relief.