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What To Do When Your Migraine Won’t Go Away
May 24, 2022
Migraines are so inconvenient. They always seem to strike at the worst time and can be totally debilitating. Migraines are also frustrating because there isn’t a single cause. They result from many different things going on inside and around you. These can range from lack of sleep to foods you eat or changes in the weather.
If you are familiar with what it feels like to have a tension headache or migraine, you are probably familiar with all the over-the-counter (OTC) medication that promises relief.
However, it can take time to figure out what’s making your head throb. First, let’s discuss the basics of a migraine headache to help you determine what may be causing it.
What Is a Migraine?
A migraine is a type of headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the discomfort can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.
A migraine is much more serious than a common headache: it is a neurological disease that causes a variety of symptoms. Your migraine will likely worsen with strenuous physical activity, muscle tension, and exposure to lights, sounds, or smells. There are also genetic disorders that cause frequent migraines in some people.
What Causes Migraines?
Though it’s impossible to know every single migraine trigger, there are several common causes. Some of the most common migraine triggers may include:
- Hormonal changes in people with periods. Fluctuations in estrogen, such as before or during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause, can trigger migraines in many women.
- Hormonal medications. Oral contraceptives, or other over-the-counter prescription medications that alter a person's hormones, can also worsen migraines.
- Drinks. Alcohol, especially wine, or too much caffeine can cause migraines.
- Stress. Research has shown that higher stress levels can lead to neurological damage and an increase in migraines.
- Sensory stimuli. Bright or flashing lights, loud sounds, and strong smells can induce migraines.
- Sleep changes. Missing sleep or getting too much sleep can trigger migraines in some people.
- Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, might provoke migraines,
- Weather changes. A change of weather or barometric pressure affects your body, leading to a migraine.
- Foods. Aged cheeses and salty and processed foods might trigger migraines. Additionally, skipping meals can put pressure on your body and lead to migraines.
- Food additives. Food additives such as sweeteners and MSG, found in many foods, can sometimes be a trigger for migraines.
- Genetics. Many people who get migraine headaches have a first-degree relative who also experiences chronic migraines.
- Medical Conditions. Conditions like high blood pressure, hypertension, and poor mental health may also increase the risk of migraines and frequent headaches.
Phases of a Migraine
There are four stages of a migraine, and many people experience symptoms before their migraine actually starts. The phases are:
Prodrome
The first stage lasts a few hours, or it can last days. You may or may not experience it as it may not happen every time. Some know it as the “pre headache” or “premonitory” phase.
The symptoms of this phase may include:
- Problems concentrating, speaking, or reading
- Irritability and depressive feelings
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Muscle stiffness, such as a stiff neck
Aura
The aura phase can last as long as 60 minutes or as little as five. Most people don’t experience an aura, and some have both the aura and the headache at the same time.
The symptoms of this phase can include:
- Seeing bright flashing dots, sparkles, or lights
- Numb or tingling skin
- Ringing in your ears
- Temporary vision loss
- Changes in smell or taste
Head and Neck Tension
This phase is what most people would associate with the actual feeling of having a migraine, which can last around four hours to 72 hours. This phase is when the migraine will feel the worst, and it is the time most people recognize they have a migraine.
The most basic experience of this phase is the feeling of a throbbing, pulsing headache on one side of your head. This can worsen with physical activity, lights, sounds, or smells.
While it may be feasible to go about your daily life with a persistent headache, a migraine headache should be taken much more seriously.
A migraine headache can prevent a person from doing anything that requires moving or the lights being on. The side effects of this phase can include:
- Sensitivity to light, noise, and odors
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling warm
- Experiencing chills
- Pale skin color
- Speech changes
- Dizziness and blurred vision
- Tender scalp
Postdrome
The postdrome stage goes on for a day or two. It’s often called a migraine “hangover,” and it is extremely common amongst those who have migraines.
The symptoms of this phase can include:
- Feeling depressed
- Fatigue
- Euphoric
- Inability to concentrate
Different Types of Migraines
There are several types of migraines, and the same type may go by different names. Some common types of migraines are:
- Migraine without aura. This type of migraine headache strikes without warning an aura may give you. The symptoms are the same, but it is common for your body to skip the aura phase.
- Migraine without head pain. However, sometimes you will experience a silent migraine in which you notice the symptoms of the aura phase, but the intense headache does not follow.
- Retinal migraine. You may notice a temporary, partial, or complete loss of vision in one of your eyes, along with a dull ache behind the eye that may spread to the rest of your head. That vision loss may last about a minute or a few months.
- Chronic migraine. Chronic migraine is when a migraine occurs at least 15 days per month. The symptoms may change frequently and cause severe pain.
- Migraine with brainstem aura. With this migraine, you may have vertigo, slurred speech, double vision, or loss of balance.
Migraines do not look the same every time you get them, nor do they look the same from person to person. They can have symptoms that go beyond this list.
Treatment
If your migraine is persistent and you need to do something about it, there are ways to provide some relief.
Home Remedies
The most important thing to do when experiencing a migraine is to sit in a quiet, dark room to lessen your exposure to loud sounds or lights, which are agitators to a migraine.
While sitting in a dark room, be sure to apply a warm or cold compress to your head/neck and drink as much water as you can. The cold compress can have a numbing effect, and a warm compress can relax tense muscles. Hydrating properly can reduce your migraine if it was triggered by dehydration.
If it doesn’t cause you pain, massaging your temples can help your muscles relax and decrease the severity of your symptoms.
Lastly, there are a few over-the-counter medications that may help reduce your symptoms or shorten the duration of your migraine.
IV Therapy Treatment
If you have chronic migraines or have tried every home remedy and nothing has worked, you are probably ready for a more efficient solution.
Migraine Relief IV therapy is the perfect solution for people whose migraines never seem to go away or get better with home remedies. With a migraine relief treatment, a health professional will come to your hotel, house, or apartment and administer a restorative and abortive IV created for Migraine Relief used in Emergency Rooms around the country, all while being sensitive to any migraine triggers such as noise or light.
A bag of saline solution that includes electrolytes, anti-inflammatory medication, and other migraine relief medications used in ERs across the country may be administered to you through an IV in your arm or hand. This will allow the medication to hit your bloodstream within seconds and provide instant temporary relief.
The process is quick, easy, and designed for your own comfort all within the privacy of your home, hotel, or private office.
Conclusion
Migraines are no joke. They can cause sensitivity to light, nausea, blurred vision, and so much more. Additionally, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what has triggered a migraine. The causes can range from changes in the weather to a genetic disorder.
Regardless of what caused the migraine, they are almost always debilitatingly painful.
While a few home remedies may provide some relief, nothing will provide relief that is as instantaneous or efficient as a migraine IV therapy treatment.
The medicine and hydration needed to recover from a migraine are deposited directly into your bloodstream, allowing it to act immediately. Furthermore, you do not have to do anything during the process as you can sit and rest while the medicine is being administered to you, reducing the risk of agitating the migraine further.
Got a migraine that just won’t quit? Schedule your appointment with The I.V. Doc today!
Learn about Our Migraine Relief IV Therapy
Sources:
Migraine - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
Migraine Headaches: Causes, Treatment & Symptoms
How Long Does a Migraine Attack Last? | AMF
