How do you get rid of a migraine?
Im 15 years old and I get migraines or very bad headaches at least more than one time a week. I’ve taken Excedrin Migraine, Aleve, Tylenol, and Advil Migraine. Sometimes they help but not all the time. They are usually located on the top of my head. I’ve been to the doctor and she thinks that I have allergies, but I don’t agree. Please let me know if you have and suggestions on what to do. At this time I’m pretty much desperate. =] Thank you!
Tags: Advil, excedrin migraine, aleve, top of my head, excedrin, MigraineRelated posts:
Naproxen by prescription. Go see your doctor. It really helped me.
Well if nothing is working for you, try something natural like Ginger Tea. Just follow directions on the box. Also, try drinking lots of water too. Also, trying seeing another doctor for a second assessment because having migraines more than one time a week is not normal unless you are totally stressed out.
Look into Midrin - http://www.Midrin.org
Ask your doctor for a prescription. She should be willing to let you try it.
There is hope. A new product has become available within the last year. It has helped every single person I know, not just with headaches, but with Chronic pain of all types. It is not a drug, so there are no side efx. The product is Seven+. The active ingredient for headaches is fucoidan, but it is also loaded with other botanicals, Acai, Mangosteen, Gac, Goji, Pomegranate…the list goes on. It is very inexpensive, and guaranteed. You can go to this website, and take the seven day challenge for free. http://www.brolinforexfuze.iexfuze.net. I also have coupons available crosquist@utah.gov. There are a ton of testimonials from pro athletes and everyday people as well, If you have time check out the Journey of these people, It was designed to help their dieing father. I have personally seen it work. There’s also a way to make money with it if you’re into that. E-mail me if you have questions.
Cary
You might ask your doctor for a referral to a neurologist, particularly one who is familiar with migraines.
Also, while over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can help mild migraines, they don’t always, and they can, if taken too often, cause something called “rebound headaches”…which means they’re something you should be careful with. Many drugs that can help migraines can do this. These can happen when using any of these as infrequently as 5-10 times a month.
Something you might want to do is to start watching for what might trigger your migraines. Keep a migraine journal (to record what you’ve eaten or done that could be a trigger). Maybe do an elimination diet (same principle).
For the most part, when you get a migraine, it’s triggered by…something. It can be a trigger food that is specific to migraines. It can be other types of triggers.
Just as each person is different, each migraine is, too, so your triggers are bound to be different from mine. But there are common triggers (possibilities) you might want to look out for… Not every one of these may have an effect on you. SOME of them may only affect you in combination. There are primary triggers (things that, all by themselves, will set you off), and then there are triggers that build up (things that combine with other things to trip you into a migraine state). Some things you can avoid…some you can’t.
While the following are common triggers, they are by no means all of the triggers that are around:
Aged cheese
Eggs
Tomatoes
Citrus fruits
Wheat products
Alcohol
MSG
Chocolate
Caffeine (this can be a bad OR a good thing, btw)
Nitrites (hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat, etc.)
Sulfites
Avocado
Fermented or pickled foods
Yeast, protein extracts, freshly baked yeast products
Onions
Nuts, peanut butter
Dairy products, yogurt, sour cream
Aspartame
Mold/mildew
Bright lights/loud noises
Perfumes and strong scents
Skipping or delaying meals
Missing sleep
Hormonal Changes (period/menopause)
Oral contraceptives/hormone replacement therapy
Weather conditions, barometric changes, cold and/or dry weather
High altitude
Time or time zone changes/jet lag
Stress is not a trigger exactly, but in the same way that stress won’t =cause= a cold, if you’re stressed, it can often be a contributing factor.
There are a lot of different medications that will help to prevent migraines. You and your doctor can work together to find the right single medication or combination of meds that will help. Or, unfortunately, there may not be anything that will prevent your migraines totally (this happens to be how it works with me).
There are also “abortive” drugs called triptans - seven in all. Imitrex, which is all over the television, is one of them. Different ones will often work for different people. If they work for you, they’ll kick in at the beginning of a migraine, like magic, and like the commercials say, pretty much stop a migraine in its tracks. They work better for some than for others. They are NOT for some types of migraines (I can NOT use them myself, darnitall!) There are other types of abortive drugs that work well for other people. Not all abortives work for everyone, but, again, they’re worth talking with your doctor about.
As a last effort, there are pain meds, what I call my “rescue” meds or my “big guns”. Mine are narcotic. Not all pain medications are. If you absolutely need them, they are a lifesaver - and as you’ve noticed, we know that there are definitely times that Excedrin Migraine and the like just do not cut it! *rueful grin*
Exercise (the kind that suits you - not going out and going nuts), stress management and relaxation, getting plenty of sleep (form good sleeping habits), avoid missing meals, and (this is a big one!) discontinue smoking - will all help. Basically all those thing people talk about as healthy measures…as taking care of YOU!
If you’d like to try vitamin supplements, they may well help as preventatives. Many migraineurs (folks who get migraines) take:
Magnesium Oxide
Vitamin B2
Coenzyme Q10
Calcium + Vitamin D
(when taking supplemental magnesium, it’s necessary to take extra calcium to keep them balanced)
While the migraine is raging, you’ll need to try things to see what best works for you. I see a lot of folks talk about cold cloths on their head or neck - I’ll kill anyone that brings cold close to me, but it does help others. So cold OR WARMTH to the head or neck. Showers (sometimes - but others, no - the water hitting the head can be a problem other times). Soaky baths. A dark room. Soothing music or absolute silence.
An urgent care clinic, if you get to the point you need pain medication, is better than an ER. You’ll get seen faster, and you’re more likely to be taken more seriously (I read a study in a National Headache Foundation newsletter a few years back about this, as so many of us are viewed as drug seekers, when all we’re looking for