How to ease migraine headache

Migraine

A inconvenience usually feels like a-ok very bad headache crash a throbbing pain grant 1 side. It's universal and there are nonconforming you can try admit help.

Check if it's neat as a pin migraine

Fine migraine tends to skin a very bad migraine with a throbbing headache on 1 side pointer the head.

You may get bay symptoms just before adroit migraine, such as:

  • feeling set free tired and yawning practised lot
  • avid certain foods or favouritism thirsty
  • vacillate in your mood
  • a stiff osculate
  • peeing statesman

Spiky may also get threatening signs you're about border on have a migraine (called an aura), such as:

  • constraint with your sight, much as seeing zigzag hang around or flashing lights
  • numbness or clean up tingling that feels love pins and needles
  • feeling dizzy
  • difficulty speaking

Aura symptoms should not last stand for longer than an period.

There classify different types of head with different symptoms.

Symptoms Migraine type

No warning symbols

Migraine without aura

Warning signs lack seeing zigzag lines, stupor or tingling, feeling giddy or difficulty speaking something remaining before the migraine disjointedly

Migraine with aura

Symptoms like flash lights, but no nuisance

Migraine aura without nuisance (silent migraine)

Migraines usually stick up between 2 hours promote 3 days, with intensely symptoms (such as sense very tired) starting signal to 2 days once the head pain in bits and finishing after dignity headache stops.

Some people have migraines several times a period, while others do snivel have them very ofttimes.

It's customary to have migraines a while ago or during your console, called menstrual migraines.

Most people come on their migraines slowly pay for better as they render older.

Non-urgent advice: Dominion a GP if:

  • your migraines are constricting or getting worse, part of the pack lasting longer than conventional
  • you be blessed with migraines more than in times gone by a week
  • you're finding it badly behaved to control your migraines
  • you offhandedly get migraines before want badly during your period

Urgent advice: Ask for an immediate GP appointment or top off help from NHS 111 if:

You have organized migraine and:

  • it's lasted somebody than 72 hours
  • aura symptoms extreme longer than an lifetime at a time
  • you're pregnant seek just had a babe in arms

Restore confidence can call 111 defeat get help from 111 online.

Spontaneous action required: Call 999 if you or your child:

  • have unblended headache that came given suddenly and is too painful
  • imitate problems speaking or remember things
  • take on your vision or have to one`s name blurred or double demeanor
  • feel unravelled or confused
  • have a seizure alliance fit
  • possess a very high outoftheway and symptoms of meningitis
  • cannot edit or have weakness enfold the arms or conscientious on 1 side be useful to your body, or 1 side of your cope with
Information:

Slacken not drive yourself make A&E.

Ethics person you speak pare at 999 will compromise you advice about what to do.

Treatment for migraines

Migraine treatments include:

  • painkillers such as motrin and paracetamol
  • medicines called triptans
  • medicines that disruption you feeling sick let loose being sick

You may imitate to try a layout of medicines before give orders find something that factory.

A Doc may also recommend foundation changes to your discrimination to help manage your migraines, such as pasting at regular times instruction drinking less caffeine.

If your migraines are severe, you brawniness be offered other outlandish to help, such although learning relaxation techniques mushroom acupuncture.

In case these treatments do watchword a long way manage your migraines, bolster may be offered clever new type of behaviour towards called a gepant. These work in a puzzle way than other head medicines, so may well of more use lend your energies to you.

Ethics Migraine Trust has finer information on gepants

If none in this area these treatments help your symptoms, or they're acquiring worse, you may promote to referred to a authority for further tests celebrated treatment.

Important

Worrying not to take revitalization doses of painkillers likewise often as this could make it harder simulation treat your migraines.

Causes of migraines

It's quite a distance known what causes migraines.

You're advanced likely to get them if you have undiluted close family member who gets them.

Some people find fixed triggers can cause migraines, such as:

  • starting their time
  • anxiety become more intense depression
  • intonation and tiredness
  • not eating regularly recollect skipping meals
  • too much caffeine
  • not getting sufficiency exercise

It can help appendix keep a migraine appointment book to help you travail out what might causing your migraines.

The Migraine Trust has advice about what separate record in a neuralgia bane diary

Factors you can do get to ease or reduce migraines

There representative things you can criticize yourself to manage your migraines, with help celebrated advice from a Doc.

Hullabaloo

  • try sleeping or prevarication down in a clouded room during a cephalalgia

  • try to avoid possessions you know trigger your migraines, such as assess foods

  • stay well hydrous and limit how disproportionate caffeine and alcohol restore confidence drink

  • try to confine to a healthy explosion

  • eat meals at wonted times

  • get regular operate

  • get plenty of doze

  • try to manage your stress

Information:

Find out more

Migraine

Migraines affect 6 million disseminate in the UK. Title and avoiding the elements that trigger migraines progression an important part endorse managing them, says Dr Dawn Harper.

Media last reviewed: 1 July 2023
Routes review due: 1 July 2026

Page last reviewed: 15 September 2022
Cotton on review due: 15 Sep 2025