Treatment decision: Migraine
Living with migraine is a daily challenge. When it comes to migraine treatment, there are no guarantees. But you can work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. Consider the basic pros and cons of acute and preventive treatment.
Acute medication: Take medication on an as-needed basis. The problem that can arise in individuals with migraine headaches is something doctors refer to as "medication overuse headaches" or "rebound headaches." Essentially, in this situation, a person's migraine headaches, for whatever reason, increase in frequency and lead to using medications more than a couple of days per week. That can result in withdrawal headaches caused by physical dependence on that medicine. If overused, may lead to rebound headaches and it is difficult to treat until the individual completely stops taking that particular medication. Another important thing should be considered that it is costly for those on limited incomes or without insurance coverage for medications.
Preventive medication: Prevent or control migraines before they start. Patients should take medication daily whether they have pain or not.
Typically physician consider preventive treatment if the person has more than a few days of migraine headache per month. For some people who have severe attacks and are quite disabled, even if they occur just a few days a month, preventive therapy may be needed for them because the acute treatments are not working very well and those individuals are frequently missing work or other activities. Patients do not like using acute medications more than about two days per week or more than nine days per month. So consult regarding the matter. Also ask yourself these questions:
* What treatments have been most effective for you in the past?
* Can you recognise early warning signs of an impending migraine?
* Are you comfortable taking medication every day?
* Are you concerned about possible side effects or medication overuse?
Even if you choose preventive treatment, you may still have migraines occasionally. Make sure you have acute medications on hand to treat them. Also consider how your lifestyle may be affecting your migraines. Making healthy choices about diet, exercise and stress can go a long way towards promoting good health.
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