Stop Headaches In Minutes - 2000 Year Old China Remedy

Clinical
History
The typical headache of migraine is throbbing or pulsatile. It is initially unilateral and localized in the frontotemporal and ocular area, then builds up over a period of 1-2 hours, progressing posteriorly and becoming diffuse. It typically lasts from several hours to a whole day. Pain intensity is moderate to severe, prompting the patient to remain still as it intensifies even with routine physical activity.

* The attack commonly occurs when the patient is already awake, although it may have already started upon awakening and less commonly may awaken the patient at night.
* Nausea and vomiting usually occur later in the attack in about 80% and 50% of patients, respectively, along with anorexia and food intolerance.
* Some patients have been noted to be pale and clammy, especially if nausea develops.
* Photophobia and/or phonophobia also commonly are associated with the headache.
* The headache usually subsides gradually within a day and after a period of sleep; a majority of patients report being tired and weak afterwards.
* About 60% of people who experience migraines report a prodrome, often occurring hours to days before headache onset. Patients describe a change in mood or behavior that may include psychological, neurological, constitutional, or autonomic features.
o These symptoms may be difficult to diagnose as part of the migraine complex if they occur in isolation from the headache or if they are mild. The prodrome of migraine has yet to receive significant investigational attention.
o Because of the set periodicity of migraine, linkage to the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus that governs circadian rhythm has been proposed. Discovering the central trigger for migraine would help identify better prophylactic agents.
* The migraine aura is a complex of neurologic symptoms that may precede or accompany the headache phase or may occur in isolation.
o It usually develops over 5-20 minutes and lasts less than 60 minutes.
o The aura can be visual, sensory, motor, or any combination of these.
o The most characteristic visual aura of migraine is a scintillating scotoma (occurring in about 64% of cases), beginning as a hazy spot from the center of a visual hemifield followed by shimmering light of different patterns expanding peripherally to involve a greater part of the hemifield with scotoma (see images below).
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Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma a...
Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma as described by a person who experiences migraines. Note the visual loss in the center of vision.

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Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma a...

Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma as described by a person who experiences migraines. Note the visual loss in the center of vision.
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Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma a...
Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma as described by a person who experiences migraine headaches. Again note the visual loss in the center of vision.

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Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma a...

Migraine headache. Example of a central scotoma as described by a person who experiences migraine headaches. Again note the visual loss in the center of vision.
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Migraine headache. Example of a visual migraine a...
Migraine headache. Example of a visual migraine aura as described by a person who experiences migraines. This patient reported that these visual auras preceded her headache by 20-30 minutes.

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Migraine headache. Example of a visual migraine a...

Migraine headache. Example of a visual migraine aura as described by a person who experiences migraines. This patient reported that these visual auras preceded her headache by 20-30 minutes.
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Migraine headache. Example of visual changes duri...
Migraine headache. Example of visual changes during migraine. Multiple spotty scotomata are described by a person who experiences migraines.

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Migraine headache. Example of visual changes duri...

Migraine headache. Example of visual changes during migraine. Multiple spotty scotomata are described by a person who experiences migraines.
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Migraine headache. Frank visual field loss can al...
Migraine headache. Frank visual field loss can also occur associated with migraine. This example shows loss of the entire right visual field as described by a person who experiences migraines.

Migraine Headache -Treatment and Medication

Treatment
Prehospital Care

Patients should be transported in a way that minimizes visual and auditory stimulation. Most patients should not receive opiate analgesics until a thorough neurologic examination can be completed by the responsible physician.
Emergency Department Care

* While the emergency physician must be able to identify patients with serious headache etiology, note that more than 90% of patients in the ED have migraine, tension, or mixed-type benign headache. Therefore, providing symptomatic relief should be a priority.
* Migraine-specific medications and analgesia are the keys of ED care.
* Rest in a darkened, quiet room is helpful.
* Some patients find cool compresses to painful areas helpful.

Consultations

Neurologic consultation may be required in complex cases, though referral to a primary care provider often is sufficient.
Medication

The goals of pharmacotherapy are to prevent attacks or alter the migraine attack once it is underway. Specifically, this is done by reducing the severity and the duration of the attack. Preventive therapy encompasses these same objectives and decreases the frequency of attacks, improves responsiveness to treatment, and improves function while decreasing disability.

Acupressure Points & Techniques - Acupressure Points for Migraine Headaches