Migraines aren’t as uncommon as you’d think. Globally, they’re the third most prevalent medical condition. In just the United States, one out of every four people deals with migraines. What makes it worse is that it’s one of the leading causes of disabilities—sixth on the list, to be exact.
If anyone in your family experiences migraines, there’s a high chance that other people in the family do too, as they can run in the family. Migraines affect the quality of the life of the individual immensely. In the worst cases, they may also lead to mental health issues like depression, sleep disorders, and anxiety.
Here’s what you can do if a loved one is constantly reeling from migraines:
Don’t downplay the symptoms
As stated earlier, migraines aren’t like your everyday bad headache. So don’t invalidate someone’s symptoms if they’re going through a migraine spell. Telling a friend or family member that they shouldn’t make an issue out of it won’t help them at all.
The exact symptoms vary, but some of the common ones are nausea, light and sound sensitivity, dizziness, and even vomiting. If your loved one has any of these symptoms, please be compassionate. Don’t tell them that their symptoms are trivial when they’re clearly not!
Learn Their Triggers
For most individuals, the exact stimulus that triggers the occurrence of their migraine varies. For some, it’s a certain type of food, while for others, it’s sounds or light. If the patient is unable to track and understand the stimulus on their own, help them!
Make a list of the food they last had before the episode took place. Did they go to an event where the music was too loud or the lights were too bright? Identifying and avoiding the trigger is one of the most effective ways to control migraine episodes.
At the same time, make sure your behavior is not making it worse for them. If their migraine is triggered by a loud noise, avoid banging on the door when you can choose not to, for instance.
Try Botox Injections
Botox serves a lot of purposes apart from the anti-aging treatments it’s known for.
Botox is a neurotoxin that’s produced by bacteria called Clostridium Botulinums. Although it’s a toxin, it doesn’t negatively affect the body, since the dosages that are administered are small and controlled. Initially, Botox injections were only used for anti-aging purposes, but medical scientists discovered that the injections lessened the severity of migraine episodes as well, and this propelled further studies to be carried out.
Botox helps control the severity of migraines, because it acts as a roadblock for neurotransmitters that convey pain signals to nerve endings. They do this by inhibiting the chemical release which carries out the nerve transmission.
If you’re looking for a certified doctor who offers specialized treatments for movement disorders, Parkinson’s and migraines look no further than Dr. Farzin Pedouim. Dr. Pedouim has over 8 years of experience in the field of movement disorders. Botox injections and Xeomin are some of his most sought after treatments. Feel free to contact us to book an appointment today!
