| How
Are Migraine Headaches Treated?
The most important step in treating your migraine is to consult
your healthcare professional about any concerns you may have.
A qualified healthcare professional will:
-
Listen to your concerns.
- Ask
specifically about migraine and other headache symptoms.
- Diagnose
the condition and rule out other possibilities.
- Help
identify triggers and develop strategies for avoiding them.
- Develop
a treatment plan that may include a preventive or acute
medication.
Click
here for tips on maximizing a visit to your healthcare
professional.
Many
migraine sufferers go undiagnosed, believing they have to
put up with migraine pain.3 But recent advances in research
have led to new migraine medications that can be very effective
in alleviating migraine pain.3 Click
here for more information on current medications used
to treat migraine.
Other
things that you can do to help manage or prevent migraine
attacks include:3
- If
your healthcare professional prescribes a migraine medication,
be sure to keep some with you at all times, and take it
exactly as directed.3
- Learn
about and avoid migraine triggers.
- Keep
a Headache
Diary --it may help you to relate the migraine to
one or more triggers.3
- Eat
and sleep regularly.3 Changes in lifestyle can be a major
trigger. Do your best to maintain your normal sleeping and
eating patterns, especially during stressful times and while
traveling.3
- To
reduce risk of rebound headache, do not take pain relievers
daily and discuss their use with your healthcare professional.3
- Eat
a healthful diet and get enough exercise.3 Always check with
your healthcare professional before starting any exercise
regimen.
- Don't
smoke.3
- Some
migraineurs find relief through non-medicinal
treatments (like biofeedback, relaxation techniques or cognitive-behavioral
therapy) and herbal/alternative products3. Be sure to
discuss these with your healthcare professional.
- Check
out some of the many migraine-related Web sites and support
groups on the Internet.3 Click
here for more information.
Click here to continue.
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