Migraine Treatment

Migraines are some of the most intense headaches you can experience, often causing debilitating pain. Sadly, migraines can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or lifestyle, and when you are in the middle of one, it is challenging — if not impossible — to think about or do anything else.

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What Are Migraines?

A migraine is an intense, throbbing headache that is often accompanied by nausea and dizziness. These headaches can last hours or days.

What Are Migraine Symptoms?

A migraine may go through four stages. These include:

Prodrome

The subtle changes that occur in the days before a migraine. For example, you may notice mood changes, food cravings, or a stiff neck.

Aura

This often causes visual changes, such as seeing wavy lines or flashing lights. It can also lead to symptoms like muscle twitches, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.

Attack

A migraine attack is associated with a variety of uncomfortable or debilitating symptoms, including:
- Severe, throbbing pain centered around one or both temples
- Sensitivity to lights, smells, or sounds
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vertigo

Postdrome

After your pain ends, you may experience weakness or confusion

While some migraine sufferers are aware of all of these stages, the only stage a person is guaranteed to experience is the actual migraine attack.

A migraine usually lasts at least four hours but can continue for up to three days.

How Are Migraines Different From Common Headaches?

The common headache can be uncomfortable; however, it is not as disrupting as a migraine. Common headaches can develop from a range of situations, including not enough sleep, eye strain, caffeine withdrawal, excessive alcohol consumption, and emotional stress.

Migraines interfere with school, work, and everyday activities, and they do not respond to over-the-counter pain medications the way that regular headaches do.

What Are Chronic Migraines?

Chronic migraines are defined as:

Having 15 or more headache days in a month
At least eight of those days being migraine headaches
Each headache or migraine lasting four or more hours

Why Should I Choose the Advanced Relief Institute for My Migraine Treatment?

Migraines prevent you from living an active and full life. The specialists at the Advanced Relief Institute want to help you put those migraines in the past. They offer a series of pain management treatments that help significantly reduce the severity and frequency of migraines.

What Triggers Migraines?

Migraines arise from a complex interaction of nerve and neurotransmitter activity, leading to inflammation and changes in blood vessels. These begin when something triggers the cranial nerves.

Each person has their own migraine triggers, but some of the most common include:

Stress
Alcohol
Caffeine
Lack of sleep
Too much sleep
Changes in the weather
Dehydration
Missed meals
Certain foods
Food additives
Changes in hormone levels

How Are Migraines Treated With Interventional Pain Management?

Our team at the Advanced Relief Institute helps you identify your specific triggers so you can avoid them as much as possible. They then develop a treatment plan that draws from multiple options to provide optimal pain relief.

Some migraine treatment plans may include:

Medications

We may prescribe medications you can take at the start of a migraine to reduce the pain or recommend daily medications that help prevent future migraines.

Nerve Blocks

A nerve block contains a local anesthetic that’s often combined with a steroid. The anesthetic stops the nerves from sending pain signals, while steroids reduce inflammation.

Trigger Point Injections

Migraine patients often have trigger points, which are tight muscle areas in their head, neck, and shoulders. A trigger point injection relaxes the muscles. This way, they don’t trigger a migraine.

How Long Is the Recovery After Interventional Pain Management Treatments for Migraine?

If you undergo an injection or nerve block, there may be some temporary sensitivity following treatment. This will subside shortly.

There is no recovery or downtime associated with migraine medications.

How Are Migraines Treated With BOTOX®?

Another treatment option for migraines is BOTOX®. While commonly associated with aesthetics and anti-aging, BOTOX® can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.

You may be a candidate for BOTOX® if you experience chronic migraines.

BOTOX® is an injectable medication made from botulinum toxin. When injected into targeted areas of your head and neck, the medicine stops nerves from releasing chemicals that transmit pain messages.

BOTOX® is FDA-approved to treat chronic migraines.
BOTOX® is injected using a very slim needle. Various injections are made in specific muscles in the head and neck to block pain receivers. This stops you from feeling migraine pain and may even prevent future migraines from occurring.

Your BOTOX® for migraine therapy starts with two treatment sessions spaced 12 weeks apart. Since BOTOX® gradually wears off, you will need to return for repeated treatments every three months or so.

Have Additional Questions About Migraine Treatment?

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Looking for Migraine Relief?

If migraines are ruling your life, take back control and experience real relief. While these treatments cannot guarantee you will never experience another migraine, they can help reduce their frequency and pain.

Contact the Advanced Relief Institute to learn more about your options for migraine treatment.

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