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Managing Migraine
October 2012
Lia Schmitz, Pharmacist at Island Drug in Clinton
This is Lia Schmitz, I'm one of the pharmacists at Island Drug in
Clinton. Migraines are more than simply a bad headache. They are a
primary headache disorder caused by a deep brain mechanism that
produces inflammatory chemicals which lead to a complex interaction
of vascular and neuronal factors. In any given year, an average of
10% of adults worldwide suffer a migraine. It appears to affect people
of any color or creed, women twice as often as men. A migraine can be
distinguished from other types of headache in that it is often unilateral
(effecting one side of the head), nauseating, and throbbing; it lasts
many hours, and causes sound and light sensitivity. Migraines can
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The above article is general information that is in no way intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical condition. Further it is not
intended, nor recommended, that this information be used without the supervision of your medical provider.
occur along with tension-type headaches, precipitate them, or be
triggered by them.
Because a migraines evolves differently from a tension or other type of
headache, it is important to get a formal diagnosis of migraine before
designing treatment strategies. The first step to managing migraines is
to note when they occur in order to identify triggers. Common triggers
include stress, fatigue, oversleeping, fasting, missing a meal, changes
in altitude, certain foods, caffeine, alcohol, or menses. Common food
culprits include fresh yeast baked goods, processed meats or fish,
monosodium glutamate, aspartame, cheese, and chocolate. Journaling
migraine occurrences and surrounding events is a good strategy and
will aid a doctor in diagnosing the headache.
Once migraine symptoms start, an over-the-counter pain reliever
taken immediately can abort a mild to moderate migraine. Even after
a migraine has progressed, an analgesic can relieve some of the pain.
Good options are ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen, or
ketoprofen. There are also a number of combination products
available, most of which contain these pain relievers, plus sometimes
caffeine. Different combinations work well for different people, so give
one a try, and next time try a different one if it didn't relieve the pain.
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The above article is general information that is in no way intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical condition. Further it is not
intended, nor recommended, that this information be used without the supervision of your medical provider.
Feel free to ask your pharmacist for product selection guidance.
Periods of rest and sleep help a great deal, and possibly applying a
cold pack to the head for minutes at a time. Complete pain relief is
unlikely, the goal is to prevent and lower the pain down to a functional
level. Carefully follow the package directions for dosing and
contraindications. If you are unsure if a medicine is appropriate for you
to take for migraine, please ask your pharmacist for advice.
Migraines frequency can sometimes be lessened by taking a
preventative medicine every day. Some herbal options are available
and include the following: Butterbur, which needs a dose of at least 50
mg/day, it can cause belching and should be avoided during
pregnancy. Feverfew, which does not have clearly defined dosing
recommendations and has been known to cause rebound headaches if
stopped abruptly. Peppermint oil used on the skin, which also should
be used with caution during pregnancy.
If migraines occur three or more times per week, or impact your life
on a regular basis, it's time to go to the doctor. Professional medical
advice is needed for treatments this frequent. Additionally, there are
prescription treatments for both migraine pain relief and migraine
prevention which are statistically more effective than the over the
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The above article is general information that is in no way intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical condition. Further it is not
intended, nor recommended, that this information be used without the supervision of your medical provider.
counter options. Commonly used prescription pain relievers are
referred to as 'triptans and include sumatriptan, rizatriptan,
almotriptan, and others. Commonly used preventative therapies
include amitriptyline, propranolol, and related medications. Once
preventative therapy is started, full effect may take up to 8 weeks.
It is important to know when a headache condition should be assessed
by a doctor. Please seek professional medical advice if you have
severe worst-headache-of-your-life type pain, a headache which lasts
for 10 days, you have a fever, you are pregnant or have liver disease,
or if the headache is caused by some other specific physical disorder.
World Health Organization [Internet]. c October 2012. Health Topics:
Headache disorders [cited 2012 October 16]. Available from:
http://www.who.int/topics/headache_disorders/en/index.html
Remington TL. Headache. In: Berardi RR, et al. Handbook of
nonprescription drugs. 15th edition. Washington DC: American
Pharmaceutical Association; 2006.
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The above article is general information that is in no way intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical condition. Further it is not
intended, nor recommended, that this information be used without the supervision of your medical provider.