Migraine

Why do I get migraines?

Migraines aren’t well understood, although medical researchers find that a combination of both environmental considerations and inherited traits play big roles. When a migraine attack starts, it’s often caused by abnormal changes in the way your brain stem interacts with your pain pathway, known as your trigeminal nerve.

You can also have migraines because of brain chemical imbalances, particularly with serotonin, which is a natural pain regulator. Plus, if you have a history of migraines, several factors can trigger attacks, including:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Episodes of stress
• Food additives
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Abnormal sleep patterns
• Bright lights or sun glare
• Physical exertion, like from exercise

Plus, women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men, due to estrogen fluctuations.

What are the symptoms of migraines?

As you probably know, migraine attacks lead to debilitating head pain. But a migraine can affect your entire body and lead to a wide variety of issues including:

• Sensitivity to lights, smells, and sounds
• Visual disturbances, like flashes of light
• Pins and needles sensations in your limbs
• Constipation and bowel irregularities
• Nausea and vomiting
• Extreme mood changes
• Frequent yawning

As your migraine progresses, you might find that you have a throbbing sensation on one or both sides of your head, blurred vision, and even lightheadedness. To make matters worse, migraine attacks can last for several days at a time, so you need to get started on treatment before migraines start taking over your life.

How are migraines treated?

The team at Elite Urgent Care want to treat any migraine attack symptoms you’re currently experiencing, as well prevent future issues or lessen the severity of ongoing migraine attacks. Your customized migraine treatment plan may include:

• Daily preventive medications
• Fast-acting pain-relieving drugs
• Glucocorticoid (steroid) medications
• Oral triptans to constrict blood vessels
• Ergotamine and caffeine combination drugs

You may also benefit from certain injections that work quickly to treat migraine attacks. The specialists at Elite Urgent Care tailor your migraine treatment plan to your specific migraine symptoms, so you can expect effective relief.

If you’re in the middle of a migraine attack, you can walk into Elite Urgent Care for same-day treatment. You can even request an appointment slot online or over the phone.