Migraine in women: symptoms and treatment at home

Varieties of the disease

There are many clinical varieties of hemicrania. The most common in women are:

• sleep migraine – attacks occur during sleep or immediately after waking up in the morning;
• panic or vegetative - in addition to the headache, vegetative symptoms appear: chills, suffocation, swelling of the face, lacrimation, palpitations;
• chronic - it is diagnosed when the frequency of attacks is more than 15 times a month for 3 months;
• menstrual – characterized by hormonal origin. The occurrence of pain depends on the menstrual cycle. Migraines cause a sharp drop in estrogen levels before your period.

Migraine is classified as either with or without aura. Aura is observed in 20-25% of patients and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• speech disorder;
• visual impairment: stripes, flickering, spots before the eyes;
• numbness and tingling of the extremities.

The aura can last 10-60 minutes and is usually followed by a headache.

What it is?

Migraine is a disease of the neurological system. It is characterized by acute sudden attacks of headache, quite often localized only on one side. Actually, the word “migraine” is translated as “pain on one side of the head.”

The reasons for its appearance are still not fully understood. It is known that brain disorders can be inherited.

The incidence of the disease in women is significantly higher than in men. But this does not mean that men do not suffer from this disease. Every seventh adult periodically reports the appearance of migraines. And since anxiety symptoms can be inherited, migraines most often run in families. Men have a particularly high risk of developing the disease during puberty or during prolonged nervous and emotional stress.

Symptoms and signs of migraine

A feature of an attack of hemicrania is its spontaneous occurrence. He can catch a woman in transport, at work, at home, in her sleep. Headache is preceded by the first signs of migraine.

If migraine with aura appears:

• bright zigzag lines, flashes in front of the eyes, blind spots, glare;
• sensation of visual distortion of objects (color, shape, size);
• feeling of stuffiness in the ears, noise, ringing;
• decreased skin sensitivity, which manifests itself in numbness and tingling;
• cramps, muscle weakness;
• partial paralysis of the limbs;
• speech and perception disorders.

During the attack itself, a woman may feel:

• weakness, malaise;
• decreased physical and mental activity;
• apathy; irritability and anger;
• fatigue, drowsiness;
• nausea, vomiting, hunger;
• severe unilateral throbbing pain in the head, which affects the temple, forehead, and back of the head;
• dizziness;
• fear of light and sound;
• sweating;
• frequent urination.

How long does the pain last? From 2-2.5 hours to 3 days, then gradually subsides.

How is it different from headaches?

Migraine differs from other headaches in that it is not a symptom of any disease, but is a separate neurological pathology that has clear criteria.

In the development of attacks, a special place is given to triggers - provocateurs that trigger the pain syndrome.

The sensations of hemicrania and cephalalgia can be distinguished by:

• unilateral localization of pain syndrome;
• pulsating nature of the pain;
• high intensity of sensations leading to limitation of physical activity;
• increased symptoms from movements, bright lights, loud sounds;
• accompanying symptoms – nausea and vomiting;
• The duration of the attack is from several hours to several days.

Causes of migraine development in women

Doctors do not have a clear and unambiguous answer to why migraines develop in adults. Some have a genetic predisposition, others are the first in a family with migraine.

It has been established that hemicrania develops due to changes in the diameter of intra- and extracranial vessels. This causes spasm of the arteries and deterioration of blood supply to certain areas of the brain, subsequently dilation of blood vessels and overstretching of their walls occurs.

Before a migraine, there is a sharp increase in serotonin in the brain tissue. After the attack ends, his concentration returns to normal. The following conditions and pathologies increase the risk of migraine.

Sedentary lifestyle

Excessive tension in the neck muscles, which occurs during prolonged sitting and working at a computer, leads to the development of headaches.

In this situation, do not forget about daily exercises and neck massage.

Arterial hypertension

Many patients associate headaches with increased blood pressure. In fact, with hypertension, your head may not hurt. Often, painful sensations from arterial hypertension occur in people with concomitant chronic diseases, for example, migraines or tension headaches.

Various provoking factors (food, alcohol, smoking, physical activity) can cause blood pressure to increase, which aggravates the condition.

Bronchial asthma

Studies have shown that people with bronchial asthma are more susceptible to developing migraines than those who do not have this pathology.

Both hemicrania and asthma are closely associated with the development of an inflammatory response and activation of smooth muscle in the airways and blood vessels. Thus, asthma can provoke the development of migraine attacks.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Often headaches occur against the background of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Everyone knows that when we are hungry, our heads can hurt. This also applies to any disorders of the digestive system.

With frequent migraine attacks, you need to check the condition of the intestines, gallbladder, liver, and genitourinary system.

The best drugs to treat migraine attacks

The rating of drugs intended for the treatment of migraine is opened by the mildest drugs, with which the treatment of this angiocephalgia is usually started. These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, many of them contain caffeine, the purpose of which is to narrow excessively dilated blood vessels. Some of these medications contain codeine and are available only with a special prescription and cannot be purchased over the counter. But they are very good drugs that can help relieve an attack of a typical and throbbing headache.

Remedies for low-intensity pain that slightly impairs quality of life:

Citramon ultra (Askofen – P)

Rating: 4.9

Many of us have been familiar with Citramon since childhood, which is prescribed for headaches. One of the active drugs is the Citramon Ultra modification. This product contains caffeine, acetylsalicylic acid and paracetamol. This combination is a successful combination that helps reduce headaches associated with excessive dilation of blood vessels. The ingredients are selected in such a way that they mutually potentiate, or enhance each other’s effects. At the onset of a migraine attack, adults should take 1 to 3 tablets 3 times a day, but not more than 6 tablets. Citramon is produced by many domestic companies, for example, the Obolenskoye enterprise, Pharmvilar, and other manufacturers. The average cost of one package of Citramon Ultra of 20 tablets is 70 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of this medicine is its mild action, minor contraindications, which include pregnancy and lactation, children under 15 years of age (aspirin intolerance). Citramon is widely available in pharmacies, and purchasing it is not difficult. It is a cheap drug, and it is quite possible to start drug treatment for migraines with it. The disadvantage is the inability of Citramon to stop serious migraine attacks associated with a long course of headache.

There are quite a lot of medications that contain caffeine in combination with other NSAIDs, and we will not list them all. Therefore, we will now move on to products that are prescribed according to special prescriptions, because they contain codeine.

Sedalgin-Neo

Rating: 4.8

This medicine is more serious because, in addition to caffeine and paracetamol, which is part of the previous drug, it also contains analgin, or metamizole sodium, the anticonvulsant component phenobarbital, and the narcotic component codeine. Therefore, pharmacies will not simply sell you Sedalgin Neo, since it contains an opioid drug. But it is more effective for migraines than Citramon, and in addition to reducing vascular headaches, the drug reduces intracranial pressure, and after an attack increases psychomotor activity, as well as mental and physical performance. This medicine should be used by adult patients, one tablet three or four times a day, but not more than 6 tablets. Sedalgin Neo is produced by the Bulgarian company Balkanfarma, and a pack of 10 tablets costs 200 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The disadvantage of Sedalgin Neo, like all other drugs containing codeine, is the delicate situation. On the one hand, they help well against migraines and vascular headaches, but on the other hand, they are not special anti-migraine drugs, and therefore doctors prescribe them with some resistance, since it is necessary to carefully justify the prescription of codeine-containing drugs. On the other hand, this remedy helps some people so much that it is their favorite medicine, and they visit doctors only to write out such prescriptions. Also considered a disadvantage is the phenomenon of overdose, when drowsiness, dry mouth, weakness and dizziness occur. It is not recommended to take a large dose of the drug at night, since codeine can lead to respiratory depression, especially in patients with sleep apnea syndrome, chronic hypoxia and large body weight.

Treatment of mild attacks

Kaffetin

Rating: 4.7

Caffetin contains the opioid narcotic component codeine, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug paracetamol, caffeine, and propyphenazone, which has a psychostimulant effect. Among the indications for the use of Caffetin, migraine comes first, and only then pain of another origin, for example, muscle pain, toothache, joint pain and its other varieties. But nowadays it is difficult to imagine a doctor who would prescribe a medicine for muscle or joint pain that contains codeine. But in relation to migraines, Caffetin shows high activity, helping to restore normal tone to the vessels and reduce pain.

This drug is prescribed one tablet 3 to 4 times a day, and if the patient is taken by surprise by a severe one-sided and throbbing headache with nausea, then you can take two tablets at once for severe pain. It is not recommended to take more than 6 tablets per day, and the course of treatment should not exceed 5 days without consulting a doctor. Caffetin is produced by the Macedonian pharmaceutical company Alkaloid, and one package of 12 tablets will cost about 180 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The disadvantage of Caffetin is the difficulty in prescribing the drug, because if only Caffetin helps, as sometimes happens, then there is a need to convince the doctor (if you were unable to come to see your specialist) that you need this particular remedy. This drug is also not always available in pharmacies. But if the patient has a typical migraine and Caffetin helps him, then the person constantly carries pills with him and never parts with them. However, it must be remembered that this remedy is contraindicated in severe liver and kidney disorders, with a reduced number of leukocytes, and other hematopoietic disorders. It should not be taken for anxiety and panic attacks, severe arterial hypertension, insomnia, as well as during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, the drug also has side effects, such as increased excitability and palpitations.

Solpadeine (Prohodol)

Rating: 4.7

Solpadeine is also a relatively difficult drug to obtain. It contains three simple ingredients that work well for common migraines. These are codeine, caffeine and Paracetamol. Codeine and caffeine are otherwise called psycholeptics, and one of them is an opioid narcotic analgesic. As in the previous case, migraine is the first and main indication for taking this drug. The product is available in capsules, tablets, or soluble tablets.

Solpadeine is used two tablets, three or four times a day, but no more than 4 times, and no more than 8 tablets a day. For severe headaches, it can also be indicated for children, but the maximum dosage is half as much, and children should not be given more than 1 tablet per dose. Solpadeine is produced by the well-known company Glaxo Smith Klein, and the cost of one package with 12 soluble tablets is 195 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Both advantages and disadvantages are common to this product with drugs that contain codeine and caffeine. It is contraindicated in severe bronchial asthma and respiratory failure, with increased intracranial pressure, and during pregnancy. When breastfeeding, Solpadeine “can be used, but only after consulting a doctor.” This phrase in the instructions is obviously meaningless for Russian conditions, since it is impossible to buy the drug without a doctor’s prescription in Russia. The most common side effects are nausea, dizziness, insomnia and nervous agitation with a tendency to constipation. But if the drug is selected correctly and the dosage does not exceed the specified limits, then it significantly alleviates the condition of the patient with migraine and relieves uncomplicated headaches well.

Provoking factors for migraine attacks

The development of hemicrania in girls is based on the hyperexcitability of nerve cells (neurons). In people suffering from migraines, neurons are very sensitive to external and internal stimuli: hormone fluctuations during menstruation and pregnancy, stress, sleep disturbances, foods.

These factors are called migraine triggers. Under their influence, electrical activity changes in hyperexcitable nerve cells and a number of biochemical changes are triggered, causing unpleasant symptoms.

Physical fatigue

Intense physical training, hard physical work, doing fitness and sports after a long break, excessive sexual activity - all of these are migraine triggers.

Emotional stress

Any stressful situations, life changes, moving, chronic stress, tense relationships with the team or in the family, mental fatigue, and excessive demands on oneself can trigger migraine attacks.

This can also include depression, suppression of emotions, negative thinking, anxiety and worry.

Bad habits

When drinking alcohol, blood circulation to the brain increases. Red wine, whiskey, champagne, and beer are generally recognized headache triggers.

The same applies to smoking. Tobacco causes a sharp expansion and spasm of blood vessels.

Change of weather

Any fluctuations in weather, air temperature, humidity, pressure, strong wind and frost, heat can lead to migraine attacks.

This is especially true for people with meteosensitivity, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and arterial hypertension.

Hormonal fluctuations

Hormonal factors are one of the main causes of hemicrania in women. The development of migraine is influenced by fluctuations in estrogen levels.

It can be triggered by contraceptives, hormonal replacement therapy, menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

Starvation

People with chronic and, especially, endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid pathologies) know that if they do not have breakfast on time, their blood sugar levels drop, and this leads to severe headaches.

Fasting and any strict diets are contraindicated for people with such diseases.

Excess caffeine

Caffeine itself is rarely a migraine trigger; it is even used to relieve pain in the head. But if it is abused, attacks of hemicrania can become more frequent and symptoms become more pronounced.

Too much or too little sleep

Migraines can develop due to lack of sleep or, conversely, oversleeping. Late bedtime, jet lag, and insomnia can have an impact.

Food

Substances contained in certain foods can trigger migraines. These include monosodium glutamate, aspartame, nitrates, salicylates, gluten.

Avoid chocolate, cocoa, citrus fruits, nuts, and blue cheeses as they contain tyramine and phenylethamine, which can cause unpleasant reactions.

Effect of drugs

In addition to hormonal drugs that provoke menstrual migraine, Ranitidine, Nitroglycerin, Histamine, Reserpine, Hydralazine can influence the development of headaches.

What causes migraines in pregnant women?

Migraine during pregnancy can bother even those women who have never heard of it before. Logically, migraine attacks should not occur during pregnancy, since estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels, on the contrary, increase.

But if these parameters are violated, that is, there is an insufficient level of progesterone, this can cause painful ailments. The triggers for migraines are no different from those that affect non-pregnant women. This:

• intake of certain foods, such as blue cheese, chocolate;
• lack of fluid in the body, especially in the first trimester;
• overdose of drugs, for example, Citramon;
• stress, lack of sleep and psychological stress;
• allergic reactions;
• response to climate, weather changes.

Women carrying a child must be treated with caution, since many medications are contraindicated during this period.

Phases of the development mechanism

Migraine has 4 stages of development, the duration and intensity of which vary from person to person:

1. Precursor phase (prodorma). A set of symptoms indicating an approaching attack: drowsiness, nervousness, fatigue, inability to concentrate.
2. Aura (only for migraine with aura). Even one patient can have different symptoms. It is not dangerous, but its symptoms are very frightening for the patient. Manifests itself in distortion of sound, visual, and tactile sensations. Lasts from 10 minutes to an hour. In some cases it lasts several hours.
3. Pain phase. The most difficult, lasts from several hours to several days. The headache usually hurts only on the right or left side, nausea, vomiting, and fear of sounds and light appear. To reduce the intensity of sensations, the patient is recommended to take a horizontal position, limit mobility as much as possible, ensure silence and twilight so that nothing can irritate, and wrap his head in a cold towel.
4. Resolution phase (after migraine). The patient experiences irritation, fatigue, and weakness in the body. These migraine symptoms in women disappear within 24 hours and it is better to rest and sleep during this time.

With a high intensity of attacks and their constant succession one after another, migrainous status is diagnosed. It causes symptoms such as slow heart rate, constant vomiting, and irritation of the meninges. The person completely loses his ability to work and needs treatment in a hospital.

Diagnostics and consultation with a doctor

Migraine treatment is carried out only after a thorough diagnosis. For this purpose, you need to contact a neurologist or neurologist.

To make a diagnosis, the doctor examines the data:

• about the duration and frequency of migraines;
• history and clinical picture of the disease;
• MRI of the cervical spine and brain;
• reencephalography.

When making a diagnosis and choosing treatment tactics, it is necessary to distinguish episodic tension pain from attacks characteristic of migraine.

Diagnosis of migraine

It is quite difficult to correctly diagnose migraine, therefore, if this disease is suspected, the patient is referred for a thorough neurological examination. At the first stage, a survey of the patient is conducted, during which the characteristics of the headache are clarified. The patient must tell us approximately how long each attack lasts, what is their nature and intensity, how often they occur, in which area the headache hurts, at what age the pain began to bother them, and whether relatives suffer from migraines.

Based on the patient’s answers, the neurologist makes a conclusion about the necessary tests and additional consultations with other specialists. Often the patient is referred for laboratory tests and x-rays to differentiate migraine from fever, hypotension, hypertension and other diseases.

Most often prescribed:

• psychiatrist consultation;
• CT scan;
• MRI;
• magnetic resonance angiography;
• biochemical analysis of urine and blood;
• examination by an ophthalmologist;
• sinus radiography;
• Lumbar puncture and electroencephalography may be indicated.

After the examination, a neurological examination is performed to exclude intracranial pathologies, central nervous system disorders and brain tumors.

How to treat?

Migraine therapy has 2 goals:

• stopping an attack that has already developed;
• preventing the development of migraine attacks in the future.

For this purpose, drug and non-drug treatment are used. Physiotherapy methods and a properly selected diet play an important role. Treatment requires patience from the doctor and the patient, strict adherence to all points of therapy.

Quick help with tablets

How is an acute attack of hemicrania treated? For this purpose, the following drugs are prescribed:

These drugs are taken as soon as dangerous signs of migraine occur.

Simple and combined analgesics

These include Paracetamol, Analgin, Aspirin. It should be used under the supervision of a doctor, as uncontrolled use can provoke drug pain syndrome.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

They are used for attacks of moderate and mild severity with a duration of no more than 2 days. Most of them are ineffective for severe pain. List of common ones:

• Ibuprofen;
• Diclofenac;
• Naproxen.

Serotonin agonists

Triptans help treat moderate to severe attacks. The most common and accessible drug is Sumatriptan. If it is ineffective, new generation triptans are prescribed, which have fewer side effects and greater effectiveness:

• Naratriptan (Naramig);
• Zolmitriptan (Zomig);
• Eletriptan (Relpax).

Ergot preparations

During the period of migraines, ergot preparations, which have a pronounced vasoconstrictor effect, are effective. These are Ergotamine, Dihydrergot, Dihydroergotamine, as well as combination products with ergot extract Cofergot, Caffetamine, Migrex.

Combination medications

Combination drugs have an analgesic, vasoconstrictor, and sedative effect: Migrenol, Citramon, Sedalgin, Solpadeine, Vincanor.

Treatment at home

Drug treatment for migraines alone is not enough. They need to be combined with other techniques.

Biofeedback method

Biofeedback (BF) is a technology based on a set of diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive procedures, during which the patient is provided with information about certain physiological processes in his body using computer technology.

Biofeedback technology allows the patient to learn to control these processes and changes.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the most commonly used non-drug methods in the treatment of migraines and headaches. The effectiveness of acupuncture has been confirmed by numerous studies.

Biologically active points are exposed to thin sterile needles. They are long and so sharp that the procedure is almost painless.

Autotraining

Migraine is a disease of the nervous system, or more precisely, the autonomic one. The autonomic system is responsible for the innervation of blood vessels, the condition of which determines a person’s well-being.

Autotraining increases the regulatory abilities of the nervous system, therefore directly combating the cause of migraine.

Rational psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is indicated for patients who have personal problems and conflict situations. The main goal of psychotherapy is to separate the mind and body, and invite the patient to see everything that is happening to him from the outside.

This will allow you to abstract from problems, be less nervous and cope better with stress.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

This is stimulation of the nervous system using a weak electrical signal produced by a special device. In fact, this is one of the methods of acupuncture, which affects certain biologically active points with short current pulses of various frequencies.

The transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation technique sends signals to the brain that dampen pain impulses and stimulates the production of endorphins, which help relieve migraines.

How to get rid of it using folk remedies

Regardless of the causes of migraine in a woman, you can fight the attack with the help of folk recipes:

1. Mix the juice: mix 1 part carrot and dandelion juice, add 3 parts spinach juice. Drink 3 times a day an hour before meals.
2. An excellent tincture is made from elderberry flowers. Pour in 1 tsp. a glass of boiling water, let it brew and strain. Drink with honey half an hour before meals.

Treatment of migraine with folk remedies is carried out using herbs:

• shepherd's purse;
• mistletoe;
• hawthorn.

Treatment of atrial scotoma

Therapy of the disease is carried out by a neurologist, who sees the patient

dynamically. In this case, certain drug treatment is prescribed. The prognosis of the disease is favorable.

In the medical department, everyone can undergo examination using the most modern diagnostic equipment, and based on the results, receive advice from a highly qualified specialist. The clinic provides consultations to children from 4 years old. We are open seven days a week and work daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Our specialists will help identify the cause of vision loss and provide competent treatment for identified pathologies.

You can find out the cost of a particular procedure or make an appointment at the Moscow Eye Clinic by calling Moscow 8 (daily from 9:00 to 21:00) or using the online registration form.
Fomenko Natalia Ivanovna

For girls

1. Girls suffering from migraines need to know about the destructive effect of alcohol and nicotine on the vascular system. Bad habits can trigger an attack and increase intense headaches. Therefore, it is better to refuse them.
2. Drinks with a high caffeine content, as well as energy drinks, should be excluded from the diet. They stimulate the body and provoke heavy loads.
3. Don't forget about rest and good sleep. If a person does not sleep until 03.00 or longer, the body becomes exhausted.

Women 30 years old

1. Women over 30 need to reduce the intensity of physical activity and spend more time outdoors. Regular walks in the park or walking to work are helpful. They make the body more resistant to stress and reduce the risk of an attack.
2. Meals should be complete, and breaks between meals should not exceed 4-5 hours.
3. Limiting the consumption of smoked meats, spicy and fatty foods, and processed foods will strengthen the immune system and reduce the frequency of painful attacks.

After the age of 50

1. Ladies over 50 years old should take care of strengthening their immunity. Hardening the body and regular gymnastics is useful.
2. If you have diseases of the spine or problems with the heart and blood vessels, consult your doctor and undergo treatment.
3. Eliminate from your diet foods that provoke the development of atherosclerosis. Smoked products, fast food, preservatives, flavorings and flavoring additives can not only cause an attack, but also worsen the condition of the cardiovascular system.

Causes

The causes of migraine development may be the following factors:

1. Incorrect and “harmful” nutrition. Regular skipping meals, excessive consumption of fatty and fried foods.
2. Drinking large amounts of caffeine. It has been proven that coffee drinkers have a significantly higher risk of getting sick. Coffee not only stimulates the brain, but also depletes it.
3. Nicotine and alcohol. When the first symptoms appear, doctors recommend limiting or completely getting rid of bad habits. Otherwise, attacks will become a habitual condition.
4. Incorrect sleep pattern. Regular lack of sleep, as well as excess sleep, are among the first factors predisposing to the development of migraines.
5. Meteosensitivity. We often associate mild headaches with changes in weather. Over time, the pain can intensify and become simply unbearable.
6. Frequent stress , nervous work, hidden worries - this is what is so typical of breadwinners in the family. And at the same time, lack of peace are factors that contribute to improper functioning of the brain.

Prevention and healthy lifestyle

Prevention of hemicrania attacks includes the following recommendations:

• avoidance of sharp and strong odors;
• avoiding stress and overexertion;
• yoga classes and meditation;
• healthy sleep;
• diet;
• proper organization of rest;
• compliance with doctor's orders;
• avoiding flickering light and noise;
• avoiding alcohol;
• proper nutrition;
• conducting your own observations;
• taking vitamins and microelements.

By adhering to the rules described above, you can, if not cure migraines, then minimize painful attacks.

Visits: 24,091

Help during attacks

1. You can relieve acute symptoms of migraine at first with the help of a contrast shower. Take a shower for 15 minutes, alternating hot water with cold.
2. After a shower, you need to lie down for several hours. It is advisable to retire to a room where there are no bright lights or loud annoying sounds.
3. Then you can massage your head, neck, and face (you can find out more about massage for migraines at home here). Rub your temple area with menthol oil and wrap your head in a warm scarf.

You can find out more about what will help with migraines absolutely and quickly here.

It is much easier to prevent the development of an attack

To do this, you need to introduce into the rule the following points:

• healthy sleep;
• proper nutrition;
• avoid conflicts, overwork;
• maintain optimal proportions of rest and working time, do not work too hard;
• minimize the amount of alcohol consumed, try not to smoke, at least for a few days;
• drink more fluids;
• strengthen the body: sports, vitamins, hardening;
• monitor the condition of the blood vessels.