How best to treat migraine? Dizziness, blind spots, numbness and the pain. My wife is tortured with them. PK?

Answer 1

Migraines are a neurological disease. They are VERY real. Absolutely not psychosomatic. There is no cure. They are not just headaches.

There are three parts to a migraine. When your wife is getting the blind spots, she's going through the prodrome. The prodrome has the aura (the visual part that a lot of folks are familiar with - the "light show"), it also has muscle weakness and achiness, sleep problems, flu-like symptoms, mood swings, confusion, and word recognition issues. The "headache" (I can't just call this a headache - no one who suffers from migraines could - it just hurts too darned much!), light sensitivity, problems with odor and sound sensititivy, nausea and vomiting, etc. The postdrome (afterwards) - is more confusion, just plain old brain dead - I call it my marshmallow brain, others call it a migraine hangover...

While your wife could see a general practitioner/primary care doctor for your migraines, it is really preferable to go to a neurologist...and, for that matter, one who specializes in migraines...

For the most part, when someone gets 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 wife's triggers are bound to be different from mine. But there are common triggers (possibilities) that she might want to look out for... Not every one of these may have an effect. SOME of them may only affect her in combination. There are primary triggers (things that, all by themselves, will set her off), and then there are triggers that build up (things that combine with other things to trip a migraine state). Some things are easy to avoid...some she just 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
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 someone is stressed, it can often be a contributing factor.

There are a lot of different medications that will help to prevent migraines. Your wife and her 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 her 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 her, they'll kick in at the beginning of her 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 at all, darn it!) 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 the 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 your wife absolutely need them, they are a lifesaver - and as true migraine sufferers, we know that there are definitely times that Excedrin Migraine and the like just do not cut it! Have your wife talk to her doctor to find the proper pain medication that will work for her.

(As a quick aside, while we're talking about meds - and only because so many of us learn about this one the hard way: some of these meds - the abortives (triptans, cafergots) pain meds, AND the over the counter stuff, will cause rebound headaches - also called medication overuse headaches. This can happen when using them as infrequently as 5-10 times a month. Have your wife talk to her doctor as long as she's in there - no sense helping one problem, only to have another problem crop up!)

Exercise (the kind that suits - 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, if she smokes - will all help. Basically all those thing people talk about as healthy measures...

Keep a migraine journal (to record what she's eaten or done that could be a trigger). Maybe do an elimination diet (same principle).

If she'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, she'll need to try things to see what works best for her. 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 of neck. A dark room. Soothing music or absolute silence.

Whew! That was a long one! I hope you're still with me!

Above all else, I wish you good luck with something that will let you get beyond the pain.

Take care.

Answer 2

Yes, but you know the truth, I think it seems most of the time. Usually the deceased is thought of first and then yes, their survivors who are obviously not just women. You don't know why people say things. It could be agenda loaded or it could be a figure of speach. It is also the truth, however lacking the mention of men only in your example. I don't see that happening everywhere. Ok, when a dispute occurs, another thought is don't believe everything you read as a guard to your own sanity, can you and do you believe all truth is included leaving gender out? If men and women are programmed to think, hey, all I have to is lie and I've got power over a man or a women, how's about power over another person who they are not treating as person already - thus cancels out power and wisdom. Men should lead this in the other direction----------->don't get the wrong impression and see this as a sexist remark. I'm a woman, yes. wo*man* Consider the third-party source. Good question DBJ

Answer 3

When I start to feel one come on (like having blind spots) I take 2 aspirin and close my eyes and lie down. It takes about 10 - 15 minutes, but I can fight a migraine off. The aspirin thins the blood so it can flow through the constricted vessels.

Answer 4

I have suffered with migraines all my life. The trigger foods for me are cheese, chocolate and red wine, all of which I love. Sometimes I also get menstrual migraines. My migraines are "migraines with aura" where you actually see things and my speech goes slurred - even without the red wine!!

The only solution I have found is to take a pain killer, try and have a soothing, relaxing bath and lay down in a dark room with a cold compress.

Mine only really clear once I have been sick, and this can take anytime from a few hours to 3 days being the longest.

Go to the doctor's and find the strongest migraine medication you can - I take co-proxamol but this has now been withdrawn.

Try and avoid the trigger foods.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

See the doctor. Their could be an underlying cause that hasn't been established. Insist on a blood test as well.

Sorry I'm no doctor but my mother lost the function of both her kidneys when she had the same sort of problem. It was left undiagnosed for ages so be safe and see the doctor.

Answer 7

Seek out a Bowen Therapist, i used to suffer from migrane all the time and since i saw a therapist i have never suffered again, also very good for the whole body. you will proably find that your body is not correctly alligned and the minute tension is the trigger to cause it.

Answer 8

Make an urgent appointment with her GP.

There are modern prescription drugs which can help.

Also, a consultation would rule out other causes.

Answer 9

Hiya, yes tricky problem is getting rid of migraines! I know because I'm only in my teens i've suffered with them badly (can't see, talk, or stop throwing up!) for a few years.

I've been to my GP but everything he has given me hasn't worked. I agree with a few others who have said to get rid of the cause. Mine are set off by oranges and cheese so although I haven't stopped eating them I've cut down lots.

Also I think the best way to get rid of one is to lie down after taking a few painkillers with a cold flannel (or something similar) on your head.
It should go in about 20/30 mins.
Although this is what works best for me it may not help your wife, however I hope one of the answers helps, good luck x

Answer 10

I have found after suffering for many years ,the best way to treat a headache is to prevent it.They have a drug called TOPAMAX. Its a life saver.Since I started taking it I no longer have headaches everyday.You take the drug every day and it prevents a headache from occurring!!! It truly has helped me and maybe it will your wife. Hope shes feeling better soon. Topamax is a wonder drug for me!!

Answer 11

a neurologist will be able to help her with meds that can
stop the pain once it comes, also meds that she can
take daily as a preventative. See if your local hospital
as a support group for headaches. I belong to one
and get lots of info about various meds.

I wish her good luck because I know what she is
going through. If you never had a headache, thank God,
and try to put up with her pain also.