Can I wash my hair if I have a migraine?

Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
Updated on December 29, 2024
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Patients with migraines should avoid washing their hair during an attack. Water that is too hot or too cold can stimulate the dilation or spasm of cerebral blood vessels, potentially worsening migraine symptoms. Therefore, it is advised not to wash hair during a migraine attack, though it is fine during remission periods. During a migraine attack, symptomatic oral pain relievers and medications to alleviate vascular spasms can be used for treatment. It is important to prevent migraines by avoiding staying up late and overexertion. Additionally, certain foods known to trigger migraines should be avoided, including foods containing nitrites such as leftovers, pickled vegetables, and other preserved foods which may contain nitrites. Foods like red wine and cheese can also trigger migraines and should be consumed with caution. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What should I do if I have severe migraines?

Migraine is a very common type of headache with a high incidence rate. Severe migraines can lead to nausea, vomiting, and even an inability to move, significantly impacting the patient's life and work. When migraines are severe, they can be managed by taking oral medications, specifically drugs that target migraines, mainly ergot preparations and triptans. However, these medications should not be used by patients with severe hypertension or by pregnant women. Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be taken to provide relief. Furthermore, symptomatic treatment should be administered for nausea and vomiting, using antiemetic drugs. If migraines frequently occur and severely affect life, preventive treatments can also be undertaken with oral medications. These mainly include receptor blockers and calcium channel antagonists.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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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.)

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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How to quickly relieve a migraine

Migraines can be quickly alleviated by taking oral painkillers, but this is under the precondition that the diagnosis confirms a migraine attack, rather than some other acute cerebrovascular diseases. If it is an acute cerebrovascular event, taking oral analgesics may mask the symptoms and delay appropriate treatment. Typically, before a migraine attack, there may be premonitory symptoms such as blurred vision or other changes in vision. After these premonitory symptoms appear, headache on one side of the head occurs, and these symptoms may recur. When the symptoms alleviate, they disappear completely. This is a typical migraine attack. Generally, migraines do not pose a major threat to one's health, and symptomatic oral analgesics can quickly relieve the pain. However, it is also necessary to rule out acute cerebrovascular diseases, such as cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage, which can also cause headache on one side. If the headache on one side is persistent, a cranial CT scan should be conducted to rule this out. (Please take medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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How should migraines be treated?

The treatment of migraines is actually quite simple. During an attack, oral pain relievers can be taken to temporarily relieve pain, but it is crucial to first confirm whether it is indeed a migraine attack. This is because some organic cerebrovascular diseases, such as cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, can also present symptoms of headache. Mistaking these for migraine and taking pain relievers could delay proper treatment. If it is confirmed to be a migraine, then pain relievers can be taken for treatment. Migraines often recur, typically causing unilateral headaches, and visual aura symptoms may appear before an attack. Even without treatment, symptoms usually subside completely within a few hours. It is best to investigate conditions mentioned like cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage, which are organic changes that can cause similar symptoms. Once diagnosed, the treatment becomes straightforward. Normally, it is important to be aware of and avoid triggers for migraines, such as staying up late, consuming salty pickled vegetables and other foods, red wine, and cheese, as these may trigger migraines. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician and do not medicate blindly.)

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Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to massage for migraines

Migraine is a common clinical symptom in medical practice. Sometimes patients may experience pain on the left side of their head, sometimes on the right, or sometimes at the back of the skull. Based on the specific condition of the patient, we can choose to perform massages. For instance, if the pain is on the left side, we can massage certain acupuncture points on the left side and the tips of the ears, as well as the "Lugou" point. Additionally, using our five fingers to comb from the front to the back of the head may also alleviate the migraine on the left side. Of course, massaging certain parts on the left side of the body, such as the "Waiguan" and "Fengchi" points, can also help reduce the symptoms of migraine.