Migraine

What triggers migraines?

Migraines begin when something triggers the cranial nerves, leading to a cascade of events that causes inflammation and affects brain chemicals and blood vessels.

Each person has their own migraine triggers, but some of the most common include:

• Stress
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Lack of sleep
• Too much sleep
• Changes in the weather
• Dehydration
• Missed meals
• Certain foods
• Food additives
  

Changes in hormone levels can also trigger migraines.

What symptoms develop due to a migraine?

Migraines may go through four stages called prodrome, aura, attack, and postdrome. However, the only stage you’re sure to experience is the migraine attack. The other stages only affect some people.

Prodrome refers to subtle changes that occur in the days before your migraine. For example, you may notice mood changes, food cravings, or a stiff neck.

About one-third of migraine patients experience aura shortly before their migraine begins. The aura often causes visual changes, such as seeing wavy lines or flashing lights. It can also bring on symptoms such as muscle twitches, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.

When your migraine attack begins, you may experience:

• Severe, throbbing pain centered around one or both temples
• Sensitivity to lights, smells, or sounds
• Nausea and vomiting
• Vertigo

A migraine attack lasts at least four hours and may continue for three days. After your pain ends, you may experience postdrome symptoms such as weakness or confusion.

How are migraines treated?

Dr. Zidan helps you identify your triggers so you can avoid them as much as possible. Then, he develops a treatment plan that draws from multiple options to provide optimal pain relief.

These are a few examples of treatments Dr. Zidan frequently uses to treat migraines:

Medications

Dr. Zidan may prescribe medications you can take at the start of a migraine to reduce the pain, or he may recommend daily medications that help prevent future migraines.

Botox® for migraines

Botox injections can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of future migraines. You’re a good candidate for Botox if you have chronic migraines, which means 15 headache days each month, with eight of those days being migraines. 

Nerve blocks

A nerve block contains a local anesthetic that’s often combined with a steroid. The anesthetic stops the nerves from sending pain signals, while steroids reduce inflammation.

Trigger point injections

Migraine patients often have trigger points, which are tight muscle areas in their head, neck, and shoulders. A trigger point injection relaxes the muscles so they don’t trigger a migraine.

Miami Headache & Pain Clinic offers expert care for migraines. You can schedule an appointment online or call the office today.