Migraine Treatment And Prevention

May 12, 2021

By Ariel Anderson

Social Media Specialist

If you have migraines, you're not alone. Migraines, a headache disorder that can cause sensory disturbances and nausea, are an extraordinarily prevalent neurological disease.

About 38 million Americans experience migraines -- some many times per month. These episodes are most common from the teens through the 40s, but migraines can occur at any age. About 20 percent of women and 6 percent of men are affected by migraines.

There can be different causes and symptoms of migraines and even different remedies. Learn more about what to look for if you experience migraines.

What Is A Migraine?

A migraine is an extremely painful primary headache disorder. They cause moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing. The pain is often on one side of your head. You may also have other symptoms, such as nausea and weakness. You may be sensitive to light and sound.

Migraines usually produce symptoms that are more intense and debilitating than headaches.

Some people need to take preventive medication, but lifestyle choices -- including sufficient sleep, regular meals and exercise -- are always key to managing migraines, experts said.

Are Migraines Hereditary?

According to the American Migraine Foundation, migraines can be hereditary, so if one or both of your parents have it, there is a good chance you will too.

"In general, it's influenced by genes,” said Dr. Mark Green, a member of the National Headache Foundation's Health Care Leadership Council. “To give you an example, if you have migraine, your children have a 50 percent risk of developing migraine. If both parents have migraine, the risk is about 80 percent of developing migraine.”

What Causes Migraines?

Several factors that can trigger a migraine. These factors vary from person to person, and they include:

Stress
Anxiety
Hormonal changes in women
Bright or flashing lights
Loud noises
Strong smells
Medicines
Too much or not enough sleep
Sudden changes in weather or environment
Overexertion (too much physical activity)
Tobacco
Caffeine or caffeine withdrawal
Skipped meals
Medication overuse (taking medicine for migraines too often)

What Foods Trigger Migraines?

Some people have found that certain foods or ingredients can trigger headaches, especially when they are combined with other triggers. These foods and ingredients include:

Alcohol
Chocolate
Aged cheeses
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Some fruits and nuts
Fermented or pickled goods
Yeast
Cured or processed meats

How Can You Treat A Migraine?

While there is no cure for migraines or for headaches, people can use medication and lifestyle changes to treat their symptoms and help prevent future episodes.

Self-care migraine remedies
Lifestyle adjustments, including stress management, exercise and avoiding migraine triggers
OTC pain or migraine medications, such as NSAIDs or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Prescription migraine medications that you take every day to help prevent migraines and reduce how often you have headaches
Prescription migraine medications that you take as soon as a headache starts, to keep it from becoming severe and to ease symptoms
Prescription medications to help with nausea or vomiting
Hormone therapy if migraines seem to occur in relation to your menstrual cycle
Counseling
Alternative care, which may include biofeedback, meditation, acupressure, or acupuncture

How Does Exercise Help Migraines?

Exercise has long been a potential way to reduce migraine triggers, but a new study suggests it could be an especially effective with triggers such stress, depression and trouble sleeping.

"It's a complex relationship, but we know that exercise, generally speaking, helps increase levels of good neurotransmitters, like dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, which contribute to not only fewer headaches, but also better mood and overall well-being," said study author Dr. Mason Dyess, senior fellow at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Exercise also improves heart health and that helps with weight management, which is also associated with better migraine control, Dyess said.

The study also found a link between exercise and headache frequency. In the no exercise group, 5% had zero to four headache days a month, while many more -- 48 percent -- had 25 or more headache days per month.

In the high exercise group, 10 percent had low headache frequency and 28 percent had high headache frequency.

Can Marijuana Help Migraines?

If you decide to try pot to relieve your migraine, new research suggests you could be asking for trouble.

In fact, marijuana use was linked to rebound headaches, which can occur when pain medication is overused, scientists noted in a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology.

"This study shows that there is some kind of association between cannabis use and medication overuse headache in people with chronic migraine, but it is unclear at this time whether patients are using cannabis to treat medication overuse headache, or if cannabis is contributing to the development of medication overuse headache, or both," said lead researcher Dr. Niushen Zhang at Stanford University School of Medicine in California.

Many people with chronic migraines self-medicate with marijuana, and some evidence shows that marijuana can help relieve other types of chronic pain, Zhang said.

"We found that people with chronic migraine who were using cannabis were six times more likely to also have medication overuse headache, commonly known as 'rebound headache,' compared to people with chronic migraine who were not using cannabis," she said.

Can Botox Help Migraines?

Botox is only FDA-approved for chronic migraines, which means headache on 15 or more days a month.

“If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, you should consider Botox treatments,” said Pradeep Gnanapragasam, MD, physician with Franciscan Physician Network Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in Lafayette. “It is beneficial to have documented frequency and intensity of headaches for provider to review.”

To treat a migraine, Botox is injected around pain fibers that are involved in headaches. Botox enters the nerve endings around where it is injected and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission.

This prevents activation of pain networks in the brain. Botox prevents migraine headaches before they start, but it does takes time to work.

“You should know it could take up to three treatments to get the maximum full effect,” said Dr. Gnanapragasam. “During the procedure, Botox will be administered to seven muscle groups. This is approximately a 15-minute procedure. The following treatment is then scheduled in 84 days. You will have a follow up appointment in two weeks after each treatment to make sure you are experiencing the full benefits of the Botox.”