TREATMENT CHALLENGES AND NEW POSSIBILITIES

You may feel like you have tried everything to treat your migraine,1 from medicine to at-home remedies, and holistic methods such as essential oils and meditation. This usually involves a significant amount of trial and error, and most people try various combinations to find relief, which only increases the complexity of navigating migraine.2-3

In addition to trying multiple treatments, you may also feel like you have spoken with your doctor so many times that there is less value in having yet another conversation. But what if there were another way?

Speaking to your doctor can have an impact on how you treat your next migraine attack.

Need help approaching the migraine conversation with your doctor?

doctor

DOCTOR DISCUSSION GUIDE

  • Our doctor discussion guide includes ideas on what to ask and a questionnaire that can help your doctor assess the impact of your headaches that are causing on your life and determine the best treatment option for you.4

THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE OR TRIGGER A MIGRAINE ATTACK. SOME COMMON TRIGGERS INCLUDE:5-6

  • Stress
  • Certain foods
  • Medication overuse
  • Irregular sleep schedule
  • Light or smell stimuli, such as bright or flashing lights and strong smells

Once triggers are identified, people living with migraine start to use coping strategies.

WHAT COPING STRATEGIES DO PEOPLE WITH MIGRAINE USE?

People with migraine know that they can plan life, but they cannot plan a convenient time for a migraine attack because there never is one. That is why people with migraine have a list of coping strategies they use to prevent or subdue the symptoms of an attack.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON COPING STRATEGIES:

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MANAGING STRESS

MANAGING STRESS

Prioritize what you want to do, schedule some "me" time, and communicate your wants and needs.2

MANAGING MEDICATION

Frequent use of medication for pain relief in migraine can sometimes lead to medication overuse headache or other side effects.6

GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

Not enough sleep is one of the most common triggers of a migraine attack. If you are suffering from migraine, do what you can to get enough quality sleep.8

EXERCISE REGULARLY

EXERCISE REGULARLY

Regular exercise can help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in some people. Physical exercise has also been shown to improve self-esteem and can lessen the severe symptoms of migraine.11

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH

Migraine can take an emotional toll, meaning that you also tend to have a higher chance of developing depression and anxiety. Speak to your doctor about any mental health issues you may be going through.9

EATING RIGHT

EATING RIGHT

Migraine is generally sensitive to diet and it's thought that some dietary ingredients, such as chocolate, nuts, alcohol, and others, can actually trigger migraine attacks. Food diaries can help in identifying triggers in individual patients.5,10

Reference: 1. Lipton R. What to do when migraine treatment fails. American Headache Society. Accessed January 30, 2023. https://americanheadachesociety.org/research/library/what-to-do-when-migraine-treatment-fails. 2. Burch R. Preventive Migraine Treatment. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2021;27(5):1494-1495. 3. Moreno-Ajona D, Chan C, Villar-Martinez MD, Goadsby PJ. Targeting CGRP and 5-HT1F receptors for the acute therapy of migraine: A literature review. Headache. 2019l;59 Suppl 2:3-19 4. Iigaya, M. et al. (2003). Reliability and validity of the Japanese Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire. Headache. 43(4), 343-52 5. Diamond M, Marcus D. Diet and headache control. American Migraine Foundation. Updated May 2008. Accessed January 30, 2023. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/diet/. 6. Mayo Clinic. Migraine symptoms and causes. Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201. 7. Goadsby P. Stress and Migraine. American Migraine Foundation. Published on March 16, 2017. Accessed January 30, 2023. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/stress-migraine/. 8. Negro A, Seidel JL, Houben T, et al. Acute sleep deprivation enhances susceptibility to the migraine substrate cortical spreading depolarization. J Headache Pain. 2020;21(1):86. 9. Meissner M. The evidence connecting migraine and mental health. Medical News Today. Published February 25, 2021. Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/evidence-connecting-migraine-and-mental-health. 10. Association of Migraine Disorders. Triggers of Migraine. Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-disorders/migraine-triggers/. 11. Amin FM, Aristeidou S, Baraldi C, et al. The association between migraine and physical exercise. J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):83.