Migraines Specialist

What are migraines?

Contrary to popular belief, migraines aren’t just severe headaches. They’re neurological attacks that cause severe headaches on one or both sides of your head and other symptoms, including:

• Sensitivity to light, sound, and odors
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Visual disturbances
• Numbness in your hands, feet, or face

Migraine attacks last between 4-72 hours and are usually debilitating. Many patients say all they can do is rest in a cool, dark, quiet room. 

Migraines also have different phases, including prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. The prodrome occurs a few hours to a few days before the attack and can cause seemingly unrelated symptoms such as irritability, muscle stiffness, and food cravings. 

Some people experience the aura phase, which includes visual disturbances, numbness, and tingling. Headache is the main migraine phase and includes other migraine symptoms. During the postdrome, your headache subsides, but you may be tired or have an abnormal mood. 

What causes migraines?

Medical researchers are still studying the causes of migraines. They know that abnormal activity in the trigeminal nerve triggers pain signals and blood vessel dilation in your brain. 

Some studies indicate that hormonal fluctuations contribute to migraines. Other known migraine triggers include:

• Changes in sleep patterns
• Skipping meals or fasting
• Dehydration
• Exercise and overexertion
• Strong smells
• Bright or flickering lights
• Medications, including pain killers and oral contraceptives

Some patients may identify a link between certain foods and migraines, although there isn’t strong evidence to support this correlation. 

How are migraines treated?

SEPA Pain & Spine provides comprehensive treatment plans to reduce or eliminate your migraines. In addition to prescribing medication to take when a migraine attack starts, your provider may recommend therapies to prevent migraines from occurring in the first place. 

Your SEPA Pain & Spine provider may prescribe medications that prevent migraines from happening. You can also make lifestyle adjustments to reduce your exposure to migraine triggers. You can also discuss alternatives to estrogen medications like birth control. 

Your provider may also suggest Botox® injections, nerve blocks, or trigger point injections. Botox and nerve blocks can stop abnormal nerve activity from reaching your brain. Trigger point injections relieve muscle spasms that can stimulate your trigeminal nerve, leading to migraines.

Call SEPA Pain & Spine, or make an appointment online today for expert, personalized treatments for migraines.