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Migraines are more than just headaches. They can cause severe pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and visual disturbances that disrupt daily life. For some people, migraines occur occasionally, while others experience them frequently enough to impact work, family activities, and overall well-being.
Understanding what triggers migraines and knowing when to seek treatment can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. At Cache Valley ENT, we help patients throughout Logan, UT, and Northern Utah identify potential causes of recurring headaches and explore treatment options that provide lasting relief.
What Are The Common Symptoms Of Migraine?
- Pre-migraine symptoms include neck stiffness, increased thirst, change in mood, constipation, increased yawning, and cravings.
- Aura includes auditory, visual, or physical disturbances like seeing shapes, numbness, or hearing phantom noises.
- Nausea or vomiting
- Light, sound, or touch sensitivity
- Throbbing is intense or pulsing pain on one or more sides of the head.
- Post-migraine symptoms include mood change, excessive tiredness, confusion, and pain with sudden movement)
What Are the Causes of Migraines?
Migraines are a different type of headache. It is a genetic neurological disease that interacts between the pain neurons in the brain and the blood vessels. Also, it can be triggered by different factors, stimuli, conditions, and foods.
In addition, these triggers vary from person to person, with the most common including:
Food Allergy/Bowel and Gut Imbalances
Under this factor, migraine’s symptoms can be brain fog, fatigue, bloating, joint or muscle pain, irritable bowel syndrome, sinus congestion, postnasal drip, etc.
The treatment is an elimination diet, such as getting rid of gluten, eggs, dairy, corn, and yeast, which is a good way to start. Other important things to make the gut healthy are enzymes, omega-3 fats, and probiotics.
Chemical Triggers
Some causes are processed-food diet including aspartame, nitrates (in deli meats), MSG (monosodium glutamate), sulfites that are found in dried fruit, food from salad bars, and wine. Also, those tyramine-containing foods like chocolate and cheese can trigger.
The treatment is to eliminate sweeteners, additives, sulfites, and processed food. Ensure to eat whole foods and phytonutrients.
Hormonal Imbalances
The causes are premenstrual syndrome, which includes cravings, bloating, fluid retention, irritability, menstrual cramps, and breast tenderness; also, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and oral contraceptive pill use. In addition, pre-menopausal can also trigger, which leads to too much estrogen and not enough progesterone due to changes in ovulation.
This treatment is eating whole foods, low-glycemic load, a high-phytonutrient diet with soy, flax, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Also, the herbs such as Vitex, along with magnesium and B6, can help. Ensure to avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, and exercise and stress reduction techniques.
Magnesium Deficiency
The symptoms of magnesium deficiency are anything that feels tight or crampy, like constipation, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, muscle cramps, sensitivity to loud noises, palpitations, and twitching.
The treatment for this is citrate, Magnesium glycinate, and aspartate in doses to relieve symptoms until getting loose bowels. In the case of kidney disease, a doctor’s supervision is needed.
Mitochondrial Imbalances
The mitochondrial imbalances can cause fatigue, muscle aching, and brain fog, although sometimes the only symptom can be migraines.
The treatment for this is to take riboflavin (B2) 400 mg twice a day and coenzyme Q10 100 to 400 mg a day to help the migraine.
How to Get Rid of A Migraine Headache?
Being proactive when the migraines begin can help, since the sooner the person starts mitigating their effects, the better the situation will be. Some treatments may involve taking over-the-counter and prescribed medicines, and other measures to help with the symptoms.
Moreover, there is now a range of medications to relieve migraine attacks. Those medications delivered as tablets or pills, nasal sprays, suppositories, or injections can include the following:
- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors are newer medications that help block the CGRP, a small protein involved in pain transmission when a migraine attacks.
- Dopamine antagonist antiemetics, medications for nausea and vomiting, could also help mitigate the effects of migraines. Compazine (prochlorperazine), Thorazine (chlorpromazine), and Reglan (metoclopramide) are among the most prescribed.
- Over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil Migraine (ibuprofen), and Excedrin Migraine (aspirin) are widely available pain-relieving drugs that may work for mild attacks.
- Opioids like butorphanol, codeine, ConZip (tramadol), and Demerol (meperidine), stronger pain-killing drugs, can help manage headaches. Note that these should be used sparingly since they have many side effects and have high abuse potential.
- Triptans like sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, and others are the first-line treatment and are regarded as the most successful prescription class of drugs for a migraine attack. Not only do they help with pain, but they also treat associated nausea, light sensitivity, and other symptoms.
Also, migraines can be helped with transcutaneous nerve stimulation, which uses a mild electric current to deliver to the specific nerve areas through the skin using wearable devices that can also be done at home. The electricity essentially scrambles the pain messaging when migraines start.
Furthermore, the following methods may also help relieve pain:
- Drinking water
- Look for a quiet, dark place to rest with eyes closed
- Having a caffeinated beverage
- Placing ice or a cool cloth on your forehead
- Taking a nap
When to Seek Professional Treatment?
Knowing when to see a doctor is another critical aspect of living with migraines. Get emergency medical help if you experience:
- Sudden onset of headache;
- Loss of balance or other neurological symptoms;
- Worst headache that has ever been experienced before;
- Speaking problems, along with vision and motor function.
In this case, alert the doctor if any of the following happen:
- Treatments aren’t working anymore.
- Change in the pattern of the headaches.
- Headaches are worse when lying down.
- Experiencing side effects from medications.
- Taking medications for pain three or more days a week.
- Started taking birth control while on medications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to stop a migraine?
Resting in a dark, quiet room, staying hydrated, and taking medication at the first sign of symptoms may help reduce migraine severity.
What causes migraines most often?
Common migraine triggers include stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, hormonal changes, certain foods, and environmental factors.
Can migraines be prevented?
Many people can reduce migraine frequency by identifying triggers, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, and following treatment recommendations from their healthcare provider.
When should I see a doctor for migraines?
You should seek medical attention if migraines become frequent, severe, or begin interfering with daily activities.
Find Relief From Chronic Migraines
Migraines can significantly impact your daily routine, but effective treatment options are available. If you are experiencing frequent headaches or migraine symptoms, the team at Cache Valley ENT is here to help.
