Migraines

What are migraines?

Migraines are a type of headache that causes intense, sometimes debilitating, head pain. It’s most often localized to one side of the head. Your migraine may last a few hours or a few days and may have a significant impact on your daily life. 

In addition to the pain, migraines may also cause other symptoms such as sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting. 

Though the exact cause of migraines is still under investigation, researchers believe the neurological condition may develop from a combination of genetics and environmental factors. However, if you suffer from migraines, you may have specific migraine triggers, such as:

• Certain foods
• Alcohol
• Lack of sleep
• Exercise
• Weather change
• Hormones
• Stress
• Medications

Identifying your migraine triggers is an essential part of your migraine treatment plan. 

What are the stages of a migraine?

Migraines tend to develop in stages. However, not everyone who suffers from migraines goes through all the stages. The migraine stages include:

Prodrome

Before you experience any head pain, you may have warning symptoms, which are referred to as the prodrome stages. These symptoms occur 1-2 days prior to your migraine and may include constipation, food cravings, or changes in mood.

Aura

Aura refers to the visual disturbances some people experience with migraines, such as flashes of light or bright spots. The aura stage may occur before or during your migraine attack.

Head pain

Migraine head pain may include throbbing or pulsing sensations that last 4-72 hours if left untreated. 

Postdrome

After your head pain resolves, you may go through the postdrome stage of your migraine, which lasts up to a day and may cause you to feel drained.  

How are migraines treated?

Treatment for your migraines may depend on the frequency of your migraines, as well as the severity of your symptoms. 

The pain management specialists at Interventional Spine Medicine work closely with you to develop a plan that prevents onset of your migraines, as well as treatments to alleviate your symptoms during an attack.

Your treatment plan may include:

• Pain relievers
• Migraine-specific medications
• Massage therapy
• Acupuncture
• Botox®
• Physical Therapy

For chronic migraine sufferers (15 or more migraine attacks a month), the pain management specialists offer Botox® injections. 

During treatment, your provider injects Botox around the nerves responsible for your pain, which blocks the pain signals and may reduce the frequency and severity of your migraines for up to 12 weeks.

To schedule a consultation with the pain specialists at Interventional Spine Medicine so you can get relief from your migraines, call the office today.