Navigating constant migraines can be tricky to navigate, especially when it is having debilitating effects on your day to day life. Studies state that approximately 10 million people live with migraines in the UK and 3 million workdays are lost every year due to migraine related absenteeism. In this blog post, we’ll discuss ways to treat migraines, from home remedies, to various medical treatments.

What is a migraine?

A migraine can often feel similar to a headache and you will experience symptoms such as a throbbing sensation on one side of your head. This is in contrast to headaches that cause pain across the forehead.

Types of migraines

There are also many different types of migraines, including the following:

• Migraine with aura
• Migraine without aura
• Chronic migraines
• Vestibular migraine
•  Abdominal migraine
• Menstrual migraine

Symptoms of a migraine

Symptoms of a migraine can vary from intensity. Some symptoms can be bearable, much like a pounding headache, whereas others can affect your ability to perform day to day activities.

These include:

• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Sensitivity to smells
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness
• Facial pressure

Treatment for migraines

There’s no cure for migraines but a range of lifestyle changes, home remedies, medication and advice from a specialist can effectively treat the symptoms of migraines.

Home remedies

When suffering from an aura or migraine, there are a few steps you can take at home to ease your discomfort or pain. This includes:

• Relaxing in a dark, cool & quiet room
• Hydrate
• Massages
• Rest
• Cold compresses

Medication

There are a range of medications available either over the counter or that can be prescribed through a healthcare professional. These include triptans which are useful in providing relief from migraine headaches. You can take non-steroidal anti inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen to reduce any pain or throbbing sensations. Anti-sickness medication can also be beneficial to combat any nausea.

See a specialist

Sometimes home remedies and over the counter medications aren’t enough to combat migraines. That’s when a migraine specialist comes into play. They can assess your current symptoms and lifestyle to determine what course of treatment will be best for you. This includes botox, cranial nerve blocks and anti CGRP treatments.