Helpful Options For Treating Migraines

Muscle Relaxation Exercises

Muscle relaxation exercises can help relieve some of the tension that comes with migraines. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation techniques often provide some symptom relief for many patients and are useful as complementary medicine techniques. Restorative yoga is a yoga type focused on healing and may be especially helpful for reducing anxiety and stress in migraine patients.

Some patients may find specific yoga poses comforting during a migraine attack. Deep breathing exercises relax the entire body and can be a natural source of pain relief. Patients should practice these on migraine-free days, and those who gain familiarity with them may be better able to slow and deepen their breathing during an attack, thereby reducing pain. Meditation has been shown to increase relaxation and reduce pain as well, and patients may be able to use this technique as a distraction from their symptoms, even during an attack. Some patients who use these methods may need fewer pain relievers or other medications.

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Dihydroergotamines

Dihydroergotamines are medications used for treating cluster headaches and migraine headaches. With that said, experts do not recommend using this medicine for migraines affecting just one side of the brain. The medicine also shouldn't be used for migraines at the base of the neck and brain, or for the prevention of migraines. This ergot medication works by causing wide blood vessels in the head to become narrower. It causes headaches to have fewer throbbing effects. Dihydroergotamine medication is injected into a muscle, into a vein, or underneath the skin. Patients will receive dosage instructions from their doctor. The exact dosage varies depending on the condition in question and how patients respond to treatment. The medication is used as needed and is not designed to be used on a daily basis in the long-term. It works most effectively if patients take it when they have the first signs of a migraine. Doctors may instruct patients to repeat the dose an hour after they take the first dose if they don't experience relief.

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