How to Relieve Migraines

A migraine is a severe, throbbing headache that can debilitate the sufferer during an episode. A typical migraine might occur on one side of the head. It can interfere with your daily activity and can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Physical activities, light and sound can exacerbate the discomfort. Some who suffer migraines see flashing lights or shapes prior to the onset of the headache. These are hallucinations referred to as an aura.

Things You'll Need

• Pain relief medication
• Cold compress

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Instructions

• 1

  Take an over the counter headache pain medicine, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, when first seeing the aura. In some instances, this can prevent the migraine, if the medication is taken prior to the headache.

• 2

  The Mayo Clinic advises to take a pain relieving drug at the first signs or symptoms of a migraine. These include ibuprofen, aspirin, Excedrin Migraine, Sumatriptan, and Ergotamine. Consult with your physician before deciding on the proper pain relief medication for you. Many medications have side affects, that may be more severe for some individuals.

• 3

  Apply a cold compress to the area of pain.

• 4

  After you take the pain medication, lay down in a dark, quiet room and try to go to sleep.

• 5

  Preventive medication therapy is available for those who suffer migraines two or more times a month, if other pain medication is not working, if the symptoms include impaired movement on one side of your body, numbness or experiencing a prolonged aura. Consult your physician if you feel you fall into this category.