How to Get Help for Migraines

Even with a correct diagnosis, many patients assume that nothing can be done about their migraines. "If someone went to see a doctor ten years ago, or saw their mother or sister go and not get much help, they may not be too enthusiastic about seeking the treatment," says Mannix. "A lot of people though it out, but actually there are new medication that are more potent and effective against migraines attack,"

One of those people is Bill Hittler. The 47 years old lawyer and father to the three teens never mention his migraines to his doctor, even though he had suffered through them with minimally effective over the counter drugs for more than eight years. "It was not such a big deal," he says. "It was not like my life was stooping or could not function at all, so I just put it in the back of my mind." Nearly two years ago, he finally told his doctor about hid headaches and was prescribed sumatriptan tablets.

Now, as long as he takes the medication the instant he senses the attack coming on, it usually stops his headache cold. "It is a wonderful thing," he says.

Getting a proper diagnosis can mean more than just stopping the pain because severe headaches can effect more than your head: migraines has been linked to a number of serious conditions, including stroke and obesity.

Stroke: Recent reviews of 14 studies suggest that certain migraine suffers are more likely to have a stroke than those who don't get the headache; those with migraines who take oral contraceptive pill are at even greater risk. The likely reason is that, changes in blood flow to the brain during an attack, which could result in dangerous clotting.

Braine lesion: sufferers with auras are also at increased risk of developing certain type of lesion n the brain, according to the research from the Netherlands. It is still unclear what kind of these lesions mean for the migraines patients, though they have been shown in other studies to increase the likelihood of stroke and dementia.