What are some ways to control/cure frequent migraines?

Question

I have been having frequent migraines, and it is very annoying to have them while i'm in school,etc.

Answer 1

Find a headache and pain relief clinic. Some family doctors are very good with headaches. (There is still a bit of a stigma attached to headaches ...."It's all in your head!") So get a specialist - a neurologist or headache/pain specialist.
There is alot that can be done to help:
meditate (with practice, you can reduce the severity of your headaches dramatically!)
medicine (pain relief and preventive meds),
therapy (craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, nerve blocks (some people are cured after about 6 weeks of nerve block treatment), chiropractic, etc.)
holistic (tinctures from a nautropath or high doses of vitamin B2 riboflavin and magnesium)
food (learn to recognize foods that trigger your headaches. Then stop eating those foods. (eg. bananas, red wine, coffee, white sugar, wheat, cheese are all triggers for me.)
adjust your schedule (my headaches are particularly bad around the time of my period and when there are changes in the weather (low pressure systems)... so I try to avoid doing much at those times.)
keep a pain diary (rate then pain every day. keep tractk of triggers)

Rules of thumb.... reduce stress, avoid trigger foods, eat at regular intervals, have a regular sleep pattern, learn to meditate to reduce stress and pain intensity.

Answer 2

Of course you've already gone to the doctor and are being treated, right?

The next step is to be able to recognize what situations cause (trigger) them. When I had migraines, it was fluorescent lighting, and babies or kids screaming or crying. Any kind of stress is of course is going to raise your blood pressure and will not help the situation.

You may be able to also feel an 'aura' that lets you know that a migraine's coming; If you can tune yourself into this strange feeling, you can have a few minutes advance notice to get somewhere cool, dark, and quiet.

I feel bad for ya since you're going to be under fluorescent lights all day, and this is a common trigger for migraines. Perhaps a counselor at the school can help you figure out some solutions since you're suffering a bit.

And this may be an old wive's tale, and I've never tried it, but I've read that soaking your hands and / or feet in cold water can provide some temporary relief. I've never tried it since my migraines passed before I read that.

That's basically the only good news, if you can treat them aggressively enough, they will probably (hopefully) go away eventually.

OH YEAH stay away from the computer or tv as much as possible!

Answer 3

My daughter has suffered with migraines since the age of ten. We have seen many doctors and we currently see a neurologist for help. Although there is no cure for them, there are several treatments that can prove beneficial in controlling them either in severity or frequency. My first suggestion is see a neurologist to determine if what you are experiencing is a migraine and to determine that nothing else is going on. Secondly, they have several new medications to offer that helps control them. Topamax is one of the most frequently prescribed drug to help in addition to other anti-seizure drugs that have been proven helpful. If you are going for pain control once you have a migraine, drugs such as Maxalt, Imitrex and Zomig are great for helping with the severity of the migraine. If you want some low tech help start with your diet. Stay away from caffine, cheese, chocolate and red wine. These are items that are the best offender of causing migraines. Some people have migraines because they are especially sensitive to strong smells such as tobacco smoke, perfumes, strong food odors, paint and solvents, nail polish. Try the dietary changes first and if you have eliminated them, move on to the smells which could be causing you problems. Keep a log of times, days and diet and this will provide the neurologist with background if you end up having to go. This will also eliminate you having to try all these things after your first visit since they usually ask you to start with this first before moving on to drugs. Good luck.

Answer 4

Food is a big factor. Stay away from cheese , eggs , fried foods , chocolate,alcohol, even the smell of frying food can cause migraines. drink plenty of fresh water, no need to buy bottled if you live in U.K. it is the best tap water in the world. Try not to get too stressed with school work. This might sound a bit old fashioned but if you plan your time out for your homework you will be amazed at how much down time you really have for relaxing and having a real good chill out. Also if you are female it might be caused by your Periods or coming up to them?

Answer 5

OMG I have one right now!!!! arggghhhhh!!!!

First off, see a neurologist. They are the best drs. for helping with migraines. Be sure to get one that specializes in dealing with headaches.

You need to eat properly and at the right times, get a good night's sleep on a regular basis and exercise. Avoid bright lights, loud places and getting too warm. All of these can trigger migraines. Also, start keeping a chart about your headaches and what you are eating and doing. Certain foods and drinks can also contribute to migraines such as cheese and red wine.

You can go on certain meds such as the beta-blocker Inderal which can help prevent migraines. And there are many great meds to get rid of them, too. I just Imitrex injections but mine are particularly hard to get rid of most times.

A REALLY important thing that many do not know about is to stay hydrated! This can make the difference between if your meds works or not. If you take them and they don't, drink at least a quart of water. Chances are it will start to work within an hour or so. When I have gone to the ER with mine, I also now ask for them to start an IV up right away as that helps.

I keep suppositories at home for nausea, too.

There are various herbal and "natural" remedies but I would get a full check-up and discuss them with your doctor. Do a really extensive research online and have some questions ready when you go in based on what you learn. Most of the triptan family of drugs have at least one that work for most people. If the Imitrex works for me, for example, my headache will be gone in 20 minutes after taking the shot.

And don't be like me! LOL Stay off the computer. That can make it worse!!! K, I am going now.......

Answer 6

Muscles get knots called trigger points. These make the muscles tight causing them to press on nerves and other thing.
Pain can be referred from places other than the head.
#1 The first thing is to take a couple swigs of molasses or eat a couple of bananas. They contain magnisium and potassium both of which muscles need.
#2 WATER she should be drinking 1/2 gallon minimum. The head of neurology at UCDavis likens a body running low on water to a car running low on oil (the engine can seize).
Get a good (deep tissue) massage (to loosen the trigger points) on the back, shoulders and neck. Make sure to press up at the base of the skull where it meets the spine.
You rub or lightly scratch everywhere on your head. You will hit spots that are tender these are trigger points. The idea is to rub across them 6-12 times per session up to six times per day until they go away.
For more information on trigger points read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies.

Answer 7

Headache is a pain in the head, scalp or neck. Headaches can be
caused by minor problems like eyestrain, lack of coffee or more
serious reasons like head injury, brain tumors, encephalitis and
meningitis. Taking painkillers continuously can have harmful side
effects, so it is better to modify your lifestyle. More information
available at

Answer 8

You could try Mangosteen juice, my mom's been taking it and she's living with a lot less pain now herself. It's so powerful that in south east asia the dentists use it on their patients as a treatment for pain instead of conventional pain medications, and a lot of people who suffer from chronic migranes have had great results with the juice and were able to stop having to take the medications they were on, a relief since they can be a bit hard on the liver. You can find out about this mangosteen juice at these two places: (check out their testimonials and research)
http://www.mangosteenhealth101.com
(fox4 news broadcast)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCnp6Z12hu4

Hoping the best for you, good luck

Answer 9

A permanent cure is available for some people: http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr_feb04_foramen.html

Answer 10

Your doctor can prescribe something to prevent them, and then there is also medication to help them go away when they actually happen.