Treatment for Migraine Headache in LA
Migraines are classified as severe headaches often accompanied by vomiting, sensitivity to light, and nausea. They can last for a couple of hours, days, or even longer.
The American Migraine Association estimates around 12% of the total population, or 36 million Americans, to have a migraine headache at any given time.
Some people report warning symptoms that precede the migraine such as blind spots, flashes of light, difficulty speaking, or tingling sensations in the face, arms, or legs.
Fortunately, medications help dull the symptoms and prove effective when coupled with positive lifestyle changes.
Migraine symptoms can emerge a day or two before the headache begins. This is referred to as the prodrome stage and symptoms include irritability, food cravings, depression, fatigue, hyperactivity, and neck stiffness. The next stage is known as aura and is associated with problems in sensation, movement, speech, and vision.
The third and most severe phase is called the attack phase. Symptoms can last from hours to days and vary from one person to another. Common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, throbbing and pulsing head pain, dizziness, sensitivity to sound and light, and pain on one side of the head.
As far as the causes of migraine are concerned, researchers are not certain. It is theorized that they result from abnormal brain activity. The following are common triggers that play a role in setting off migraines:
- Environmental triggers such as flashing lights, second-hand smoke, pungent smells, and exposure to bright lights
- Dietary triggers such as alcohol and caffeine
- Emotional triggers such as depression, stress, anxiety, shock, or excitement
- Hormonal triggers such as women experiencing mensuration
- Medications such as contraceptive pills
Treatment for migraines is aimed at preventing full-blown attacks and alleviating the symptoms. Doctors may use pain-relieving or preventive medications that include anti-nausea drugs, opioids, antidepressants, or Botox injections depending on the case.
Dr. Farzin Pedouim is a board-certified neurologist and headache disorder specialist based in Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. He has years of experience in dealing with migraines and helps patients find lasting relief.