A migraine headache can be caused by a number of different factors including hormone changes, foods, drinks, and stress. A migraine usually causes intense throbbing in an area of the head, commonly associated with nausea, sensitivity to light/sound, and vomiting.
There is still a lot that researchers and physicians do not know about migraines, but the providers at The Pain Center of Arizona are equipped with the best treatments and therapies to manage migraine symptoms. The Pain Center has 11 locations across the valley to better assist patients in pain. Migraine headaches can completely interfere in a person’s life, and we want to give patients the tools to continue to do the things they love.
Migraines can affect anyone from children and adolescences to adults. Typically, migraines develop in four stages: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. During the prodrome stage, patients may feel constipated, depressed, have weird food cravings, feel stiffness in their neck, and develop uncontrollable yawning.
Aura is a stage the describes symptoms of visual disturbances. Patients may have pain from light, sensations, movement, and even speech. Though most people will have migraine headaches without aura, patients who experience these symptoms may have them for up to an hour. Symptoms associated with a migraine attack include:
- Pain on one side/ both sides of the head
- Pulsating/throbbing pain
- Sensitivity to light, sound, and smells
- Nausea/vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Lightheadedness
In addition to a unique treatment plan designed by your Pain Center physician, a patient who experiences migraine headaches should use lifestyle strategies and home remedies to relieve their pain. Muscle relaxation exercises may help ease the pain of the migraine headache. These exercises may be progressive muscle relaxation, mediation, and yoga.
We recommend patients get adequate sleep each night and to not oversleep. Set a schedule with regular bed and wakeup times. When sleeping/napping, ensure your room is dark and quiet enough. For extra help, use an ice pack on your back and neck in painful areas.
The Pain Center encourages patients to keep headache diaries to share with their physician. This record with help you and your doctor determine what triggers encourage migraine attacks and what treatments are most effective.
For more information on migraine headache treatment, and how The Pain Center of Arizona is at the forefront of medical technology, contact a Pain Center representative today.
If you suffer from chronic pain due to any condition or injury, find hope at The Pain Center of Arizona! Our dedicated team of board certified pain management physicians will work with you to treat your pain, increase your functionality and quality of life, and get you back into life! We have locations across Arizona, including Phoenix, Anthem, Surprise, Mesa, Gilbert, Deer Valley, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and now Prescott and Tucson! We take multiple insurance plans; click here to see if we take yours! To make an appointment and take the first step toward getting back into life, call us today at 1-888-PAINCENTER. We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
©The Pain Center of Arizona, 2014
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