Advice for Migraine Sufferers

You will definitely know if you have a migraine. Headaches are nothing compared to this debilitating pain. Sometimes all you want to do is lay in a dark room with a cool rag on your forehead and wish for the pain to stop. Loud noises, strong smells, and bright lights just make you feel nauseous. It affects your work and home life - making you miss out on opportunities or call in to work. I have plenty of experience - started having them in my mid-teens and now I'm in my mid-twenties. I've been to numerous doctors and also have seen specialists, such as a neurologist. I'm here to pass on the advice I have received, and hopefully it will work for some of you!

Let's start with medicine. For non-prescription, Excedrin Migraine has proved to be quite useful. Caffeine is a main ingredient, which helps with the blood flow. These have helped me with smaller head pains. For prescription medicine, I've been on Midrin before, and now I have Imitrex and Maxalt. Imitrex is to be taken at the onset of a headache and is in pill form. Maxalt is similar with the instructions, but is a dissolving pill. Granted, these medicines should not be taken without consulting your doctor. I also have found Flexeril to be useful - at the moment, it is the most useful. This is a muscle relaxer that I originally got for back pain but my neurologist now says to take it for head pain. It can create a dizzy or sleepy feeling, so be careful about when you take it.