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Demystifying Migraine Symptoms and Treatments

A migraine can cause incapacitating symptoms that make it impossible to live life normally. But, drug-free relief is available at McWhorter CNR.

Reduce The Symptoms of Migraines With Chronic Migraine Treatment

The migraine is one of the most startlingly prevalent neurological diseases in the world. It’s estimated that they affect over 39 million men, women and children in the U.S. and over 1 billion people worldwide. Those suffering from chronic migraines will often be forced to skip school, work, and important family events because of the symptoms of migraines. These intense headaches can make it incredibly difficult to live a normal life. Many sufferers will seek out a chronic migraine treatment to alleviate those symptoms and help them rebalance their life.

Defining The Migraine

Thanks to advancements in the scientific community, we have a much better understanding of migraines than other neurological disorders. There can be a number of factors that contribute to a migraine, from your genetic makeup to your food choices, but we still don’t know the exact cause of these intense headaches. While there is still no clear reason for the existence of these headaches, we know that migraines are usually caused by differences in our brain function. The result is an extremely incapacitating collection of neurological symptoms.

We know that migraines in Denver create a high-stress state in your brain, which in turn causes your sympathetic response to increase while decreasing your parasympathetic response. These responses lead to a severe imbalance in your brainwave function. When your migraines occur more frequently, your brain has a harder time readjusting and normalizing. The more frequently you experience these chronic headaches, the more likely you need cutting-edge chronic treatment.

The Symptoms of Migraines

All migraines involve some type of recurring headaches or head pains, usually localized to a specific area of the brain. Many of the symptoms may be different depending on the patient, but visual sensations are some of the more common symptoms.

Let’s get one thing very clear: Migraines are not your typical afternoon headache. They’re intense multi-staged attacks with a wide variety of incapacitating symptoms. A typical migraine is made up of 4 separate stages: the prodrome, the aura, the migraine attack, and the postdrome. Each stage comes with its own symptoms.

The Prodrome

The prodrome is the beginning stage. It will usually begin a few days before the actual migraine starts, but for some this stage can start just a few hours before the attack. The prodrome symptoms could include:

  • Irritability
  • Food cravings
  • Fatigue/Low energy
  • Hyperactivity
  • Frequent yawning
  • Concentration problems
  • Muscle stiffness

Anyone who is familiar with these symptoms knows exactly how much dread comes with this stage.

The Aura

In this second stage, the severity and intensity of the chronic headache starts to build. The aura can last anywhere between 5 minutes to 1 hour, and at this stage the symptoms start to impact your vision, sensations, movements, and speech. They include:

  • Having difficulty speaking clearly
  • Experiencing prickling or tingling sensations
  • Temporary loss of vision
  • Visual disturbances (e.g., seeing shapes, light flashes, etc.)

The Migraine Attack And Postdrome

As the name of the stage implies, the migraine attack is the most severe and debilitating part. People will experience an intense and incapacitating headache in this stage, usually localized to one region of the head. In some cases, this stage can begin before the aura stage is over. The attack stage lasts anywhere between a few hours to a few days! Of course, the symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms of this stage include:

  • Throbbing head pain
  • Increased sensitivity to light and sound
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling faint
  • Drilling, burning, or even stabbing sensations
  • Depressed mood

Following the attack, individuals may experience a final postdrome phase. The severity and intensity of the headache slowly fades, but other symptoms remain in this stage. They may experience changes in their mood and feelings, while a mild and dull headache remains. Some may feel euphoric and elated, while others experience a depressed mood and fatigue. This final stage can last 1-2 days.

Typical Chronic Migraine Treatment Methods

You never forget your first migraine. It’s an incredibly uncomfortable experience that will undoubtedly drive you mad. Traditionally, there have been two methods of chronic migraine treatment: acute and preventative. Acute treatments aim to relieve the symptoms during the attack phase. These treatments are usually over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription medications.

Preventative treatments, on the other hand, attempt to reduce the likelihood of migraines happening at all. These treatments also rely on prescription medications, like beta blockers or certain types of antidepressants. While this treatment may benefit some patients, the medications can often come with negative side effects and don’t always fully treat the symptoms.

The Best Drug-Free Alternative For Chronic Migraine Treatment

Currently, there are no medical cures that will fully eliminate migraines. However, McWhorter CNR offers innovative drug-free treatment methods that can help quell the symptoms before they start.

If you struggle with migraines in Denver on a recurring basis, McWhorter CNR has the resources that you need to reduce your headache days significantly. Contact our chronic migraine treatment specialists today to start effectively treating your symptoms without the use of drugs.

Contact Us

(720) 717-4748
7000 S Yosemite St Suite 260
Centennial, CO 80112

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