Treatment of Migraine

Treatment of Migraine 

 

General Principles Of Migraine Treatment

The doctor should strive to enter into a therapeutic alliance with the patient. This can 

be fostered

by empathic, active listening to the patient’s history, as well as by educating the 

patient about migraine. Patients are more likely to be active participants in their 

treatment if they have a better

understanding of their condition.  It may be useful to explain to patients, that they 

were born with a “sensitive neurovascular system,” which may overreact to 

internal changes or external stimuli and

produce migraine headaches,but that this condition is treatable.

 Prevention Of Migraine

More than a century ago, importance of migraine  triggers and its treatment “

should be directed toward the removal of the conditions upon which the 

attacks depend...”  Arguably, not enough emphasis is placed on educating 

patients to discern potential triggers in the induction of their migraines. 

Table 2 lists the major, reported migraine triggers, but this list is by no means 

exhaustive.

Discussing some of the more common ones with patients, such as menstruation, 

sleep and eating habits, bright light, and cafffeine is useful in preparing them to 

keep an effective headache diary. By having patients record the time, date, 

and circumstances pertaining to each of their migraine headaches, they acquire 

knowledge of how these may be prevented. While it is true that triggers may 

be variable, even in individual patients, and that some are unavoidable.