Pain management is a necessity, not only for people who are injured or under palliative care but also for those who regularly have migraines. Some people cannot work when they have a migraine. They require pain relievers due to migraine attacks.
Migraine is characterized by pain on one side of the head. Severe migraine is so painful that the person experiences nausea and may have disturbed vision.
Causes of Migraine
Migraine affects people in different ways. The pain may last for hours or even days, and the symptoms also differ from person to person. Although it is not yet fully understood, studies show that both environment and genetics play a part in migraines. Having a family member who suffers from migraine increases the chances that you would also have them.
There are also some common triggers that can cause migraines. Triggers are usually specific to a person, and sometimes a trigger for one person might help alleviate symptoms in another. For instance, coffee has been cited as a trigger in some people, and yet others use it to lessen the pain.
The common triggers include the following:
- Hormonal changes, particularly changes in estrogen levels in women, or when women have their menstrual period, take birth control pills, or are pregnant
- Stress, whether work or home-related
- Certain foods, such as cheese, and salty and processed foods
- Alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, and drinks with high caffeine content
- Strong sensory stimuli, like bright lights and strobes, as well as sun glare
- Other strong stimuli, like perfume, cigarette smoke, paint thinner and acetone
- Lack of sleep or a change in sleep patterns, or oversleeping
- Jet lag
- A change in weather, like the change in barometric pressure before a storm
Medications for Migraine
Pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and mefenamic acid are usually prescribed for migraine. Some medications are a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine. In most instances, pain relievers can be followed by a cup of coffee, which helps to ease the pain.
Severe migraine, on the other hand, might require prescription medicines, such as triptan, ergots and anti-nausea medication. Opioids are also sometimes prescribed for severe migraine. Some patients in Mesa can ask marijuana dispensary and shops for assistance in relieving their migraine.
Migraine is a fairly common health condition that affects a lot of people. Up to 13% of adults in the United States have migraine and up to 3 million suffer from chronic migraine. Additionally, women are three times more likely to have migraine than men.
There is no single cure for this condition, but there are options when it comes to medications. Tracking and recording the history of migraine attacks can help the individual to prevent the onset of a migraine attack.
