The status headache is rare and may involve hospitalization.   Symptoms of a status migraine begin like any other migraine but the status migraine lasts for more than three days and the pain is very intense. (Stanley J. Swierzewski III, 2010)  The IHS or International Headache Association classifies the status headache under migraine 1.5.2. (Robert Kunkel, 2010)  When a person has a status headache, they sometimes call it a migraine attack, although if it does not last for three days, it is not classified as a status migraine.

The diagnosis of a status migraine involves keeping track of the length of the painful migraine headaches and the intensity of the attacks.  Many migraine specialists will ask a migraine sufferer to come in to the office or visit the emergency room if the migraine pain, when not sleeping, lasts more than 72 hours and there is no break in the pain for more than 4 hours.  (Robert, 2010)   It is important to the doctor treating a patient with a status migraine to determine that there are no other factors affecting the patient.  Hormone treatments, medications, narcotics, and depression can all be reason for the kind of pain associated with a status migraine.  Even dehydration can cause this kind of pain, so it is important to know the true status of the patient before sending them to the emergency room for a headache that could have been caused by some other factor. (Wygod, 2010)

When a status migraine is finally diagnosed, many doctors will prescribe prochlorperazine.  Prochlorperazine is an anti-psychotic medication that works by changing the actions of brain chemicals and is used to treat psychosis.  On a more innocuous level, it can be used to treat nausea. (Kluwer, 2010).  Metoclopramide is also prescribed, although its main use is for gastric problems. (Multum, 2010)  Other drugs prescribed for the symptoms of a status migraine are dihydroergotamine, haloperidol, and diazepam.  Some doctors use steroids but there has not been any scientific studies supporting the use of steroids for the relief of migraine symptoms.  Another drug sometimes prescribed is Sumatriptan but it does not work for all patients. (Stanley J. Swierzewski III, 2010)

It is important with a status migraine to not only stop the migraine symptoms but to also stop the problem causing the symptoms.  A status migraine often cannot be stopped by just taking medications at home, so a visit to the hospital or doctor is necessary.  When you get to the emergency room, IV medications can be used to treat status migraine symptoms.  Drugs like magnesium sulfate, and some other types of anticonvulsants are used. (Robert, Status Migrainous, 2010)

There is an unpleasant side to the visit to the emergency room or after hours’ clinic.  It is the fact that many doctors do not believe that status migraines exist and think that over the counter medication should work.  Since the emergency room does not have historical records on patients that come there, they have no way of knowing the real situation and often times can make a misdiagnosis.  It is very important for you to keep records of all the diagnostic work that you have had performed to date if you make an emergency room visit.  Informing the doctor about your medical history will become very important in bringing you relief from long lasting “migraine attacks” in the future.

Works Cited

Kluwer, W. (2010, February 2). Prochlorperazine . Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Drugs.com: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/prochlorperazine.html

Multum, C. (2010). Metoclopramide. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Drugs.com: http://www.drugs.com/metoclopramide.html

Robert Kunkel, U. (2010, February). IHS. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Migraine: http://ihs-classification.org/en/02_klassifikation/02_teil1/01.05.02_migraine.html

Robert, T. (2010). Migraine. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Health Central: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/c/9924/35330/status-betahistine

Robert, T. (2010, February). Status Migrainous. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from Extended Headaches: http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/types-of-headaches-39093-5.html

Stanley J. Swierzewski III, M. (2010, February 3rd). Migraine headaches. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from Neurology Channel: http://www.neurologychannel.com/migraine/index.shtml#status

Wygod, M. J. (2010, january). WBMD.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from status migraine: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429681_5

With all the new information regarding migraine available today, and the somewhat slow but progressive change in the attitude toward migraine treatment, it is important to understand the many factors involved. There are usually two ways that migraine has been treated in the past: —The doctor either tried to prevent the migraine attack before it started;

-or-

The doctor chose to use medication to treat the pain of the migraine attack.
Today, migraine sufferers are treated using a multifactorial approach which includes health care, prevention, stopping the triggers of the attack, and stopping the pain. (Coleman, 1994)

Today, the first step for any migraine sufferer is to look at their overall health and determine factors in their everyday life that may be a trigger to the migraine attack. Elimination of certain foods can be considered an important first step in the treatment of migraine pain although it has been found to only help about 20% of migraines sufferers. The food issue is, of course, going to be related to the individual, considering that we all have different reactions to certain foods. However, it is pretty well agreed upon in the medical community that caffeine should be cut from the diet. (Harris, 2009)

Other food related triggers seem to be Tyramine, Histamine, Nitrates, Monosodium Glutamate (or MSG) and Citrus. (Harris, 2009) Trigger management can take other forms also. Once again, as with the issue of what foods to eat, triggers can be different for different people. Some commonly known triggers include weather changes, smelling strong odors – especially chemical in nature, aspartame, and bright lights. (Shreve, 2006)

When a migraine sufferer first feels an attack beginning, or is experiencing a headache, then pain medication is usually prescribed. Pain medication should not be used to prevent attacks and definitely should not be taken daily. The idea is that you take the pain medication to allow you to return to your daily routine and begin to work on finding a way to prevent the attack in the first place. (Shreve, 2006)

The idea of prevention is of utmost importance because a migraine sufferer can return to an almost normal life, headache free, if they never trigger the attack in the first place. Recurrent migraines can be disabling, so prevention is the best way to improve the quality of life of a sufferer. The migraine disease itself is related to vessels in the brain swelling, so to try and prevent this from happening, doctors will most commonly prescribe beta blockers to help prevent swelling. Antidepressants are often prescribed because they are thought to help with serotonin levels in the brain. Calcium channel blockers and methysergide are also used to help prevent swelling. The newest drug treatment is Depakote®, which was originally developed for epilepsy attacks, and seems to have some positive outcomes for migraine treatment. (Coleman, 1994)

There are also some alternative holistic migraine treatments and methods available but they’re so numerous that I cannot mention them all but a few of the obvious ones are Butterbur root, Feverfew Leaf, Vitamin B2 supplements, and Magnesium. (Shreve, 2006) The prevention and management of migraine disease is not easy, but with careful management and consistency, a migraine sufferer can lead a normal life.

Works Cited

Coleman, J. M. (1994). MAGNUM. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from The National Migraine Association: http://www.migraines.org/about/abouhist.htm

Harris, D. K. (2009). MSN. Retrieved 10 29, 2009, from Migraines and food: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/pain-management/headaches/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100123958

Shreve, D. (2006). Migraine.org. Retrieved october 24, 2009, from Migraine.org: http://www.migraine.org/index.php

Lots of people who suffer from headaches use over the counter medications and for many it works. Over the counter medications include medicines such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Acetaminophen, caffeine, or medicine that has a mixture of two or more of these. This is especially true for people who suffer infrequent migraine pain. Aspirin acts as a blood thinner and some believe it actually raises a person’s tolerance for pain. (Laties, 1960) Small amounts of caffeine also seem to be helpful if taken early enough. When used as directed, over-the-counter pain relievers are considered safe. But, it is important to remember that you should never exceed the recommended dosage. Sometimes these medicines can actually increase the pain or cause what is called a rebound headache. (Ohio, 2009) Over the counter medications do help many people, but more often than not, a migraine sufferer must get prescription medicine to help with their migraine pain.

Prescribed medications, known as “triptans”, are most often given to a patient who is trying to get migraine pain relief. Examples of triptans are sumatriptan and naratriptan. (Shreve, 2006) Their basic job is to relieve constriction of blood vessels in the brain and stop the throbbing that causes so much pain. These “triptans” also seem to be effective against the nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity that often accompanies a migraine headache. It is important when taking these prescribed medications that the medicine be taken at the first sign of any migraine pain. (Shreve, 2006)

There are other drugs that have been shown to work well for some migraine patients. Antidepressants – called MAO inhibitors – can work to stop migraine headaches. They block an enzyme which blocks serotonin. Serotonin is useful in pain relief; it is a neurotransmitter that can cause constriction in the blood vessels in the brain. However, MAO inhibitors can have some strong side effects and are better for the prevention of a future migraine than for immediate relief of pain. Another migraine drug is ergotamine tartrate, which comes from ergot, a fungus, from which LSD is also made. This drug is used for constricting the blood vessels which stops and prevents migraine pain for some people. (Laties, 1960)

Usually the first step a doctor performs for a migraine sufferer is to give the patient a drug for stopping the pain. Some of the many medications for relief of migraine or headache symptoms include fenoprofen, fluriprofen, ibuprofen, ketaprofen, nabumetone, naproxen, diclofenac, ketorolac, meclofenate, carisoprodol, Orphenadrine citrate, Methocarbamol, Cyclobenzaprine HCL,and Metaxalone. (Jung, 2009) You’ll have to talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.

One problem for many migraine sufferers has been the issue of prescriptions drugs, like oxycodone hydrochloride, which is often prescribed for back pain and other types of body pain. This drug has become more popular for migraine pain relief and it has the bad side effect of being a very potentially addictive prescription medication. Along this same line is a drug called Fioricet® which has acetaminophen, caffeine, and butalbitol – a barbituate. Any medication containing barbiturates (butalbital) or narcotics (codeine) should be used with caution. (Jung, 2009)

Sometimes it takes quite a while to find the medication that will be most effective for the migraine sufferer. The drugs often have to be tried and retried – in different combinations – until pain relief is realized. As hard as it is to be patient through this process when one is in the middle of a migraine attack, some comfort can be had from the knowledge that there are so many possibilities for pain relief out there to try.

Works Cited

Jung, L. (2009). Drugs for Migraine and Headache Pain. Retrieved from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/pain-relief-headaches Laties, B. W. (1960). CHANGES IN PAIN TOLERANCE AND OTHER BEHAVIOR PRODUCED BY SALICYLATES. The Journal of Pharmocology , 120-129.

Ohio, U. o. (2009). The Ohio State Medicval University. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from Vascular headaches: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/nervous_system/headache/vascular/pages/index.aspx

Shreve, D. (2006). Migraine.org. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from Migraine.org: http://www.migraine.org/index.php

There are natural herbal supplements that have been reported to give migraine pain relief. Feverfew (tanacetum parthenium) is known to help blunt migraine pain. You can take this in capsule form or just take 2 leaves daily. It may take a few weeks to get fully into your system, so continue to take it for at least four weeks on a daily basis. Once it does it will reduce the frequency of migraine headaches and when you do actually get one it will reduce the migraine pain associated with it. If you take the capsules you will need to take 250 mg daily for a few weeks to start getting results. Ginkgo biloba is another herbal supplement that has been reported to reduce migraine pain for some people. It improves circulation and decreases inflammation of the blood vessels, which is one of the causes of pain in migraines.

Another method that many people have gotten migraine pain relief from is by taking magnesium supplements. It is said that 80% of Americans’ suffer from a magnesium deficiency. This is thought to lead not only to migraine headaches but to heart problems and diabetes. Most physicians fail to recommend that their patients consider a magnesium supplement, so most people are oblivious to the possible benefits. For those people who have found this recommendation by researching on the Internet, many order or purchase magnesium supplements from a health food store and find that after a period of time, they are not getting any results.

The human body can only absorb about 10% of the magnesium that is taken orally. To get a full dose you would have to take a lot of pills. This in turn could cause some serious stomach problems. There are magnesium lotions available though, that allow the magnesium to get into the blood stream a lot faster and easier than through the digestive system. It is recommended that the lotion be applied to the arms and legs daily. You can do a foot bath with the lotion in the water at night to help get more magnesium into your body. If you use both of these methods, you may find that not only do you get migraine pain relief, but you may recover from other medical conditions as well.

Headache

A common migraine symptom is a very bad headache, often found in the side of the head at the temple area. This headache can be extremely painful and may sometimes be debilitating during the time the person experiences the attack.

Flashing Lights

Some people experience vision problems like seeing flashing lights or having blurred vision when having a migraine. These visual symptoms may be minor or may be severe enough that they affect one’s ability to function.

Nausea and Vomiting

Some migraines are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Some people find that taking anti-nausea medications helps relieve these symptoms. For others, lying down may help alleviate the feeling of nausea.

Sound and Light Sensitivity

Another common migraine symptom is sensitivity to both light and sound. When someone has a migraine, they may find that their symptoms are worse when they are in bright light or when they’re surrounded by a lot of noise. Because of this some migraine sufferers may find relief by lying down in a dark, quiet room.

It’s important to remember that migraine symptoms are not the same for everyone, and even people who have had migraines in the past may not get the same symptoms for each migraine. Also, if someone experiences the symptoms above it’s not necessarily certain that they’re experiencing a migraine. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor and let them make a diagnosis and provide suggestions for relief.

• Exertion Migraines – This type of migraine is usually over faster than the other kinds of migraines. It usually occurs when someone does a lot of exercising and becomes dehydrated, they lift something that is heavy, has a fit of sneezing, or bends over.

• Retinal Migraines – This second of the migraine types is one that causes the sufferer to lose their vision in one of their eyes temporarily. This usually happens before the person’s headache starts.

• Hemiplegic Migraines – One of the scariest migraine types, this migraine causes the person to become temporarily paralyzed on one side of their body. People who have this kind of migraine may also think that they are having a stroke. But unlike with a stroke, the paralysis is only temporary. If someone has doubts, they should get checked out.

• Ophtalmoplegic Migraines – This one of the migraine types is one that can last a long time. It starts with eye problems and pain in the eye area, both of which are going to continue throughout the migraine’s duration. Blurry vision and distortion in vision are two symptoms that people experience with this migraine type.

• Nocturnal Migraines – This kind of migraine, as the name suggests, happen during the night. They are very rare, but they are so intense that they will wake the person who gets one from sleep.

• Basilar Artery – This type of migraine usually occurs just in girls who are teenagers or young adult woman. They are caused by the constriction of the person’s basilar artery, and it leads to bad coordination, dizziness, vomiting, and sometimes speech problems. This kind of migraine is eventually going to become the classic migraine, complete with the classic symptoms.

• Abdominal Migraines – This is the only kind of migraine that doesn’t involve pain in the head. It causes pain in the stomach and is going to cause the usual vomiting and nausea once the pain in the stomach begins. This kind of migraine mostly happens in children who are young.

As you can see, there are a lot of different migraines that people suffer from, and each of them has their own problems and symptoms. There are migraines that can have some really scary symptoms and some that are going to incapacitate their victims. There are migraines that wake their suffers from the sleep, and there are migraines that affect children and people in their teens and twenties.

If you are someone that suffers from migraines on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to see a doctor and make sure that there isn’t something more serious going on. Migraines plague a lot of people in the world, but they are an illness that can be easily treated and managed with medication.