What are migraine headaches?
Diagnosis
How Chemist Online can help
Symptoms
Effect on your life
Advice & Support
Causes
Treatment
What are migraine headaches?
We all suffer from a headache at some point in our lives. Where migraine headaches are different is that the migraine itself is the central cause of the person becoming unwell. You may be in good health overall and not suffering from any diseases or conditions, but the sudden onset of migraine symptoms can still occur, due to what may be a range of possible causes.
Symptoms
Symptoms of migraine headaches include:
sudden headache attacks
nausea and vomiting
sensitivity to light, loud music and other noise (e.g., crowd noise)
disturbance of vision
feeling unable to do anything other than go to bed
Some people may also experience fever and feelings of drowsiness.
Causes
Causes of migraine can include:
changes in levels of certain chemicals in the brain
high blood pressure
eye strain
hormonal factors (e.g., as a result of being pregnant)
certain medications
physical and emotional stress
smoking and alcohol
dietary triggers
additives
eating meals infrequently
Diagnosis
If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms and are struggling to manage your pain through taking over-the-counter remedies, make an appointment to see your GP. After taking your medical history, he or she will ask you some questions about your symptoms, carry out a physical examination, and then recommend an appropriate course of treatment.
Note: If your headache occurs suddenly and severely, seek medical advice urgently, particularly if you have recently received a blow to the head.
Effect on your life
Most people with migraine say that this condition can be a miserable experience. The sudden onset of symptoms (a migraine attack) can occur without warning and can mean you feel unable to do anything other than go to bed or sit quietly in a dark room until your symptoms ease. Commonly, a migraine can last for up to 72 hours.
Treatment
As yet, there is no definite cure for migraines, but there are several treatments which can help to reduce symptoms. These include:
painkillers
anti-inflammatories
anti-sickness medicines
triptan medicines (these make the blood vessels around the brain contract – easing symptoms)
acupuncture, massage, reflexology
migraine clinics
It can be a good idea to keep a migraine diary to try to track which food, drink and/or activities seem to trigger your symptoms. That way you can organise your life as best you can to try to avoid migraine attacks, and also protect yourself when it comes to making career choices. For example, many people with migraine find their symptoms can be triggered by bright lights in a supermarket, or by sitting for prolonged periods at a computer monitor.
How Chemist Online can help
Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy which can help relieve the symptoms of migraine, such as: Panadol ActiFast Paracetamol and Vantage Ibuprofen Tablets which offer fast-acting relief. We also have Nurofen Migraine Pain – Nurofen’s first ever migraine-only painkiller that acts at the first sign of migraine and headache pain.
www.chemistonline.co.uk
Advice & Support
Migraine Action
4th Floor
27 East Street
Leicester
LE1 6NB
Tel. 0116 275 8317
Website: www.migraine.org.uk, e-mail enquiry form here
The Migraine Trust
55-56 Russell Square
London
WC1B 4HP
Tel. 020 7462 6601
Website: www.migrainetrust.org
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.
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