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Read MoreIntensely and relentlessly painful, migraines leave sufferers desperate for relief.
In his memoir, “A Brain Wider Than the Sky,” author Andrew Levy wrote: “The migraine head wants to be cut open; it longs to be cut open.”
That, clearly, is not a solution. Though it once was considered. Trepanation, a technique of removing bone from the skull, is one of the most ancient treatments for migraines. The earliest “trepanned” skulls date to around 10,000 BCE. Much has been learned about migraines since then and, thankfully, trepanation has long been dismissed as a potential treatment.
Today, migraines remain a common malady – occurring in 15 to 18% of children and a similar proportion of adults – effectively treating them can be challenging.
One reason may be due to the fact that what exactly causes these headaches is still being studied. They seem to arise due to dysfunctional regulation of the tone of blood vessels inside the head. There’s also a genetic component as two-thirds of childhood migraine sufferers have a family history as well.
The good news is we understand more than ever about these headaches and how to prevent and treat them.
The best results come from a many-pronged approach, which includes:
For those who experience chronic migraines (headache at least 15 days a month), more advanced options are also available.
What triggers migraines differs from person to person. Common triggers include:
The following options are used to reduce the number, severity and length of migraines:
Relief from migraine pain and symptoms is best achieved if given at the first sign of a migraine. Options include:
New and more advanced options are available for those who have frequent, severe or chronic migraines. These include:
Making the pain stop or, even better, preventing a migraine from occurring in the first place, can significantly improve quality of life for migraine sufferers. With many options now available, there’s no reason to suffer in silence. If you experience severe headaches, talk to your primary care provider.
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Read MoreWhen you need local health information from a trusted source, turn to the CHI Health Better You eNewsletter.