How to Treat a Severe Migraine

The pain of migraine headaches can be debilitating. Frequent migraine sufferers are best treated by a medical professional. Home treatment can be used for occasional migraines or as a complementary method to combine with medical treatment. Treatment of a migraine headache is most successful when initiated before the pain is too severe. Preventative treatments are also helpful in reducing the frequency and severity of migraine headaches.

Things You'll Need

• Over-the-counter headache pain reliever

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Instructions

• 1

  Take an over-the-counter headache pain reliever at the onset of the migraine headache, or take a prescription migraine medication if one has been prescribed to you by your doctor.

• 2

  Consult with a doctor if you experience more than nine migraine headaches a month. Overuse of medications can cause rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are headaches that are caused by pain medications. A doctor can prescribe preventative medication to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and therefore minimize the use of pain medications.

• 3

  Rest in a quiet, dark room when you experience migraine pain, especially if the migraine symptoms include sensitivity to light.

• 4

  Eat regularly without skipping meals to maintain even blood sugar levels. Drops in blood sugar can bring on a migraine headache in some individuals.

• 5

  Drink plenty of fluids to keep the body hydrated. Dehydration can bring on migraine headaches in some individuals.

• 6

  Follow the "migraine diet." The migraine diet eliminates migraine-causing foods such as MSG, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol and aged cheese. See the resource section for a complete list of foods to avoid when following the migraine diet.

• 7

  Stop smoking. The Migraine Headache and Neurological Institute reports that the results of a smoking survey showed that 33 percent of migraine sufferers were smokers.

• 8

  Go to a licensed acupuncturist for treatment. A study reported by the British Medical Journal was conducted on 401 patients in England and Wales showed that headache sufferers who underwent acupuncture experienced fewer headaches.