Today you, and more than 1.1 billion people will be experiencing the same debilitating pain – the pain of a migraine. It's a condition so complex that even healthcare professionals have been scrambling for years to understand it fully and while medications can sometimes provide relief, they can also lead to a vicious cycle of long-term headache.
But what if there were simple strategies to help you take control when a migraine strikes?
Let's start with the basics. Migraines are not just headaches; they're a multifaceted condition that requires a deep understanding of how your brain and metabolism work. If you're watching this, you're likely all too familiar with the warning signs – those subtle changes in food cravings, energy and mood that signal an impending migraine. It's as if your body is sending out a distress signal, urging you to prepare for the storm ahead. If you have had migraines for many years, you will know exactly what I mean.
But did you know that migraines have distinct phases? The aura phase, which can occur anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour before the attack, is like a warning siren. It might manifest as blurry vision or those funny, hollow-like lights on the periphery of your vision but only about ⅓ of migraineurs have them and that is why recognizing these phases is crucial for effective management of migraine.
Imagine having an emergency kit at your fingertips, ready to spring into action the moment you sense a migraine approaching. This kit could be a lifeline and should contain essentials like a paper bag for nausea and vomiting, an eye mask and earplugs to block out light and sound, a portable ice pack to calm the pain, and of course, your emergency medications, lotions and potions. Make sure you keep these in the car or your overnight bag when you are traveling in case the migraine strikes unexpectedly.
Now, let's talk about the strategies that can help you abort a migraine once it starts. It's essential to differentiate between abortive therapies and long-term management strategies. Think of abortive therapies as fighting a war – they're necessary in the heat of the moment, but they're not the path to lasting results. Long-term management, is about building a harmonious relationship with your body and brain.
Abortive medication can be part of this short term strategy. Combinations of paracetamol and Ibuprofen, along with prescribed medications like triptans or CGRP inhibitors, can provide relief if they are taken in time.
But for those who prefer a more natural approach without the risk of side effects and medication induced headaches, high-strength ginger powder has been shown to be almost as effective as sumatriptan, with the added benefit of fewer side effects.
Imagine being able to take control of your migraine with something as simple as ginger. The dosage for ginger is 250mg at the onset of migraine and can be taken every 2 hours for a maximum of 1000mg/day and is readily available over the counter.
And then there's caffeine – our favourite morning pick-me-up. While it's generally advised to avoid caffeine due to its stimulant effects, it can actually play a crucial role during a migraine attack. Caffeine not only amplifies the effectiveness of medications but also interacts with other systems in the brain and body to help abort the migraine. Just one espresso shot or 150-200mg of caffeine can make a difference or you can include some caffeine tablets in your migraine kit, just in case.
But it's not just about the substances we take; it's also about how we care for our bodies during an attack. Drinking water or ginger tea helps replace lost fluids and supports the HPA axis, a hormone pathway intimately linked to migraines so make sure you grab some water if you suspect a migraine might be lurking.
And for those who dare to try something new, capsaicin – the chemical responsible for the burn in spicy foods – has shown remarkable benefits in reducing migraine pain when used as a nasal spray or cream. In fact studies have shown remarkable results using the nasal spray just once at the onset of migraine while rubbing capsaicin cream on the temples, head and neck has also shown great benefit.
As the migraine takes hold, it's time to retreat. Lie down, remove yourself from gravity and movement, and try to sleep if you can. Use your eye mask and earplugs to block out the world, and place a cold pack on the back of your head if possible. It's a time to quiet the mind and soothe the body using techniques such as CBT or Biofeedback if you are familiar with them. Warming your feet with warm water during an attack can also be incredibly soothing so trying the capsaicin on the feet if you can’t get to your trusty water bottle.
While aborting a migraine is crucial, it's only part of the journey. Long-term management is where true peace lies. But as we explore these strategies, it becomes clear that certain substances like caffeine can play a dual role in migraine management. This leads us to a fascinating question: what is the role of caffeine in migraine management? How does it interact with the brain and body during an attack, and what are its implications for both short-term relief and long-term management? Let's dive deeper into this intriguing aspect of migraine care and uncover the secrets that could change the way you manage your migraines forever.
References:
- https://www.nhscfsd.co.uk/media/kwzdo3ix/national-headache-pathway-acute-treatment-of-migraine-in-primary-care.pdf
- Maghbooli, M., Golipour, F., Esfahani, A. N., & Khodadad, A. (2014). Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine. Phytotherapy Research, 28(3), 412–415. doi: https://10.1002/ptr.4996
- Grzanna, R., Phan, P., Polotsky, A. J., et al. (2005). Ginger—an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions. Journal of Medicinal Food, 8(2), 125–132. doi: https://10.1089/jmf.2005.8.125
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- Fusco BM, Barzoi G, Agrò F. Repeated intranasal capsaicin applications to treat chronic migraine. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2003;90(6):812. doi: https://10.1093/bja/aeg572.
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