CHRONIC MIGRAINE
WHAT IS A CHRONIC MIGRAINE?
Chronic Migraine is a debilitating condition where patients suffer headaches for 15 days or more per month, with migraine on at least 8 of those days. In real terms, this means that a person who suffers from Chronic Migraine has a headache or migraine for more than half the days in the month.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF MIGRAINES?
While no one knows exactly what causes migraines, there are certain things that can trigger them. Headache and migraine triggers are different for everyone, and they can change over time. The good news? Knowing your triggers can help reduce the likelihood of headache days.
MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS
A migraine is a severe, painful headache that can be preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND TYPES OF HEADACHES USE THESE LINKS:
www.chronicmigrainehelp.com.au
www.neurocenter.com/the-headache-center.aspx
TYPES OF TREATMENTS
SELF CARE
Avoid migraine triggers
Common triggers include alcohol, caffeine or poor sleep.
Stress management
Pursuing an enjoyable activity or verbalising frustration to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Improved sleep habits
Good sleep practices include having a regular bedtime schedule and avoiding naps, caffeine and TV before bedtime.
Diet modification
Adjusting diet to reduce triggers causing disease or address dietary deficiencies.
MEDICATION:
- Analgesic
- Relieves pain.
- Anti-nausea medication
- Can act as a migraine preventative.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
- Relieves pain, decreases inflammation and reduces fever.
- Nerve pain medication
- Blocks pain caused by damaged nerves.
- Triptan
- Relieves pain and symptoms associated with migraines and cluster headaches.
- Neurotoxin/Injection therapy
- Reduces or eliminates muscle activity and spasms by paralysing muscles.