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Suggest Treatment For Chronic Migraine
Question: Hello, I am 22 and I have had a nonstop migraine since I was 11 (when I started to endure physical and verbal abuse). My migraines are usually dull but can have sharp pains sometime. Especially on the right side of my head. I have recently noticed some dents in the top of my head that are painful and a dent on the right side of my head where my worst migraines come from. I also have bad eye pain. I have been going to the chiropractor for back and neck pain and even though that issue has resolved, it has not helped my migraines. I have tried basically everything from Excedrin to Botox injections and nothing has worked. I was wondering if there were any other options for me. I would prefer not to take medicines daily.
Brief Answer:
There is treatment and counselling that can help
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HCM.
I am sorry to hear about your experience with abuse and I understand it might affect a lot your body and psychologically also. I am very glad to be able to answer to your question.
Migraine is a chronic condition that is generally not going to hurt you, it is benign, but it does affect quality of life and it might really prevent you sometimes from engaging in activities.
Depending on how often they are and how long they last we decide on treatment.
If you have headaches at least every week than prevention can be considered with daily tablets. I understand it is not comfortable taking tablets daily but they are used only for a few months.
Because of your past experience it would be beneficial to speak with a doctor to see if you have anxiety- depression and see if you need treatment for this. Some of medications used for anxiety- depression are used as preventive ptreatment for migraine also so it might be very beneficial for you.
You might also need speaking with a counselor and evaluate the need for counselling sessions.
You will need to address and resolve issues of the past as they might go on to affect your body and psychologically also.
If migraines are less then once a week you will need just migraine tablets when on headache, you need to start it as soon as possible for it to be affective.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question.
I wish you quick healing.
Kind regards
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
There is treatment and counselling that can help
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HCM.
I am sorry to hear about your experience with abuse and I understand it might affect a lot your body and psychologically also. I am very glad to be able to answer to your question.
Migraine is a chronic condition that is generally not going to hurt you, it is benign, but it does affect quality of life and it might really prevent you sometimes from engaging in activities.
Depending on how often they are and how long they last we decide on treatment.
If you have headaches at least every week than prevention can be considered with daily tablets. I understand it is not comfortable taking tablets daily but they are used only for a few months.
Because of your past experience it would be beneficial to speak with a doctor to see if you have anxiety- depression and see if you need treatment for this. Some of medications used for anxiety- depression are used as preventive ptreatment for migraine also so it might be very beneficial for you.
You might also need speaking with a counselor and evaluate the need for counselling sessions.
You will need to address and resolve issues of the past as they might go on to affect your body and psychologically also.
If migraines are less then once a week you will need just migraine tablets when on headache, you need to start it as soon as possible for it to be affective.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question.
I wish you quick healing.
Kind regards
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
Thank you for your response. I also have migraine pain even when I am not stressed or have any present issues going on externally or internally... sometimes my migraines spike and become extremely bad even when nothing is really going on. Is there anything that could be triggering that? Also, my worst migraines make it so I cannot open my eyes, is there anything that could help that?
Brief Answer:
Trigers not always present. Medication for migraine: Sumatriptan
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
You are right to ask these questions as sometimes it is true that no cause can be identified and migraines just happen.
Migraines generally happen without a clear reason medically. We have noticed that sometimes some situation make it worse or agravate it like stress, and diet factors like cheese, chocolate and alcohol.
We advise patients to avoid those dietic factors that can triger it and some patient find a lot or improvement with this but these are not the core cause of migraine and still a patient might get migraine without a clear cause. it is a chronic condition and has its own pattern and this varies in different patients.
To help with pain is to take the treatment for migraine as soon as you notice headache is there. The earlier you take the treatment the more likely it will help. If ibuprofen 800 mg does not help improving the headache than Sumatriptan is the first line of treatment and the most effective treatment.
Keeping yourself active and ingaged in activities you like is very good for the mental and general wellbeing- of course not to abuse those. I would say have 1 hour exercise 3-4 days a week. Go for walks. Make sure you do not work more than 8 hours a day. Spent quality time with friends and family. Speak with a cousellor to see if you will get some help with this to rearrange your thoughts and how you can handle past and present situations.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question
I wish you all the best
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Trigers not always present. Medication for migraine: Sumatriptan
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
You are right to ask these questions as sometimes it is true that no cause can be identified and migraines just happen.
Migraines generally happen without a clear reason medically. We have noticed that sometimes some situation make it worse or agravate it like stress, and diet factors like cheese, chocolate and alcohol.
We advise patients to avoid those dietic factors that can triger it and some patient find a lot or improvement with this but these are not the core cause of migraine and still a patient might get migraine without a clear cause. it is a chronic condition and has its own pattern and this varies in different patients.
To help with pain is to take the treatment for migraine as soon as you notice headache is there. The earlier you take the treatment the more likely it will help. If ibuprofen 800 mg does not help improving the headache than Sumatriptan is the first line of treatment and the most effective treatment.
Keeping yourself active and ingaged in activities you like is very good for the mental and general wellbeing- of course not to abuse those. I would say have 1 hour exercise 3-4 days a week. Go for walks. Make sure you do not work more than 8 hours a day. Spent quality time with friends and family. Speak with a cousellor to see if you will get some help with this to rearrange your thoughts and how you can handle past and present situations.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question
I wish you all the best
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
Thank you for your response. I have tried Sumatriptan before and it didn't work for me ð£ is there anything else I could try? Also, I will most definitely start the other things you've suggested!
Brief Answer:
There are few other options- please see a doctor if they do not work
Detailed Answer:
Hello againg,
Sumatriptan is highly effective in migraines,there are very rare cases with migraine that do not respond to it. You have to take it as soon as your headache starts to be effective.
Another good option is acetaminophen/aspirine/caffeine combination also called Excedrine Migraine- this has to be taken as soon as headaches starts also.
Dihydroergotamine can be tried also but this one has many side effects and is not used to commonly now for migraine headaches- you can try this one but do not repeat doses unnecessarily.
Please do not use all the above options at the same time. They might cause side effects together.
You might try a different one in different days you have the headaches. Make sure you use them as soon as the headache starts to be effective.
If none of these improve your headaches than you will need to have a visit with a doctor and careful evaluation to rule out other causes of headaches other than migraine.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your questions.
Kind regards
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
There are few other options- please see a doctor if they do not work
Detailed Answer:
Hello againg,
Sumatriptan is highly effective in migraines,there are very rare cases with migraine that do not respond to it. You have to take it as soon as your headache starts to be effective.
Another good option is acetaminophen/aspirine/caffeine combination also called Excedrine Migraine- this has to be taken as soon as headaches starts also.
Dihydroergotamine can be tried also but this one has many side effects and is not used to commonly now for migraine headaches- you can try this one but do not repeat doses unnecessarily.
Please do not use all the above options at the same time. They might cause side effects together.
You might try a different one in different days you have the headaches. Make sure you use them as soon as the headache starts to be effective.
If none of these improve your headaches than you will need to have a visit with a doctor and careful evaluation to rule out other causes of headaches other than migraine.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your questions.
Kind regards
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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