|  | Conditions Treatments | Migraines

Abdominal Migraine Treatment

Abdominal migraine is a syndrome that physicians, especially pediatricians, often diagnose in children. This type of migraine is much more common in children than adults and can have a negative effect on quality of life. Because abdominal migraine has symptoms common to other health conditions, it can take some time to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Once this has happened, treatment is available.

  1. Symptoms

    • Abdominal migraine is a migraine attack without the headache. These most commonly occur in children from five to nine years of age. A child with an abdominal migraine will complain of stomach pain; he may also complain of nausea and might have to vomit. He will develop photophobia (sensitivity to light), be irritable, lose his appetite and have diarrhea. He may have a flushed or pale face with dark circles under his eyes. In rare instances, he may also complain of head pain. His symptoms could last any where from 1 to 72 hours. If he is younger than five and is experiencing these symptoms, he may be suffering from abdominal migraine; he may not be able to verbalize what he is feeling.

    Biofeedback

    • A non-medication treatment that has helped some children is biofeedback. Children are trained to relax certain muscles so they can prevent migraine headaches (even the abdominal kind). A trained therapist will use technology such as sensors applied to the child's skin to measure muscle tension, temperature, sweat gland activity and brain waves to detect physical tension. The child will then be taught how to reduce her own tension so she can learn how to prevent migraine attacks.

    Beta Blockers

    • Inderal (propanolal) helps migraine sufferers to avoid migraine headache; it can be used with children who have been diagnosed with abdominal migraine. This class of medication affects the heart, lowering the pressure with which it beats; the heart will also beat more slowly in the patient who takes beta blockers. If the patient is a child with abdominal migraines, the medication he takes will also open his blood vessels, which improves blood flow to the brain.

    Triptans

    • This class of medications includes some formulations which help the migraineur (migraine sufferer). Although not all triptans have been approved for use in children, some exist, such as Imitrex. This particular medication can be given to the child in his nose, as the medication comes in a nasal spray formulation. If he has high blood pressure or diabetes, he should not take this type of medication.

    Antihistamine

    • One medication (Midrin) has been found to relieve migraine after it has started. Midrin (isometheptene acetominophen dichloralphenazone) contains a mild sedative that will help the child as she is experiencing the symptoms. Midrin will affect the serotonin levels in her brain as it is working. This medication can only be taken at the first onset of migraine symptoms; it cannot be taken daily to prevent migraine as it can lead to physical dependence.

Migraines - Related Articles