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Prescription medications for migraine relief work well for a lot of patients. Nevertheless, some patients experience unwanted uncomfortable side effects equivalent to a racing heartbeat, nausea, and difficulty concentrating once they take migraine medications. In a single study, two-thirds of patients delayed taking their migraine medications due to uncomfortable side effects equivalent to these.
If you happen to are fighting the uncomfortable side effects of migraine medications, it could be time to explore other options to seek out relief out of your headaches. While there are many migraine treatment options that don’t involve popping pills, the next three are among the commonest and effective decisions.
1. Botox Injections
Botox injections are best known for his or her cosmetic, wrinkle-reducing effects, but this medication can be an FDA-approved treatment for migraines. Botox reduces the frequency of migraines. Some patients do still experience the occasional migraine after Botox injections, however the headaches they do experience are inclined to be less severe.
Botox injections are administered in your doctor’s office. The procedure is easy: your doctor makes 31 tiny injections along your brow, above your ears, and behind your ears. The results of Botox injections last about 12 weeks, after which you’ll be able to return for a follow-up treatment. Expect to see a gradual decrease in migraine frequency as you proceed with Botox treatment.
Botox works by reducing muscle contractions, that are a key component in lots of migraines. Some patients experience neck stiffness after the injections, but serious uncomfortable side effects like difficulty swallowing and airway swelling are very rare.
2. Occipital Nerve Blocks
The occipital nerves are a bunch of nerves situated at the bottom or your neck. Inflammation and swelling within the tissue around these nerves may contribute to migraines. Your doctor can administer a steroid injection called an occipital nerve block to scale back activity in these nerves, thereby reducing the frequency of your migraines.
An occipital nerve block is often injected if you are awake and laying down on the treatment table. You’ll feel some pain with the injection, but the method only takes a couple of minutes. That is an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to return home or to work immediately afterwards. You can even know after the primary injection whether or not the treatment works for you.
An occipital nerve block may offer you a couple of weeks or months of relief. Your doctor will work with you to find out one of the best schedule for administering nerve blocks. Most patients are good candidates for nerve blocks, but your doctor may recommend against this procedure for those who are taking blood thinning medications or have poorly managed diabetes.
3. Acupuncture
For years, mainstream science dismissed acupuncture as an ineffective, outdated procedure. Nevertheless, recent studies have found acupuncture to be effective for relieving various sorts of pain, including pain attributable to migraines. Acupuncture may help decrease each the frequency and severity of your migraines.
In acupuncture treatment, thin needles are inserted into various points along the body. If you happen to feel these needles being inserted in any respect, you’ll only feel a tiny pinch. The needles are then left in place for a couple of minutes. Their presence is assumed to change nervous system impulses that may contribute to migraines. Acupuncture also gives stress relief and rest, which can not directly protect against migraines.
If you happen to determine to hunt acupuncture treatment for migraines, be certain that you visit a licensed, experienced acupuncturist who uses good, sanitary practices.
If prescription migraine pills are usually not working for you, don’t quit on finding a treatment that works for you. Visit Specialists in Pain Management to debate these and other migraine management options. With years of experience in pain management, we’re confident we are able to discover a treatment or combination of treatments that gives you with secure, powerful relief.
