Managing Migraine Pain

Migraine is that painful, intense, throbbing and excruciating headache that no living person would want to experience. It is said that its origin or nature may be partly caused by the changes in the level of a chemical in our brain called serotonin, which have an effect on the blood vessels.

When the serotonin levels strike high, the blood vessels constrict or shrink. And when the level of serotonin falls, the blood vessels dilate or swell. The swelling part can actually cause the pain or other problems. A lot of things could affect the level of serotonin in our body; that includes the level of blood sugar, certain foods and if you are a woman, the changes in your estrogen level could elicit a migraine attack. The following are some of the symptoms of migraine.

* An intense throbbing or dull aching pain on one side of the head or on both sides.
* Pain that worsens or aggravates with physical activity.
* You feel nauseous or want to vomit.
* There will be changes in how you see; including a blurred vision or blind spots.
* You will feel bothered by bright lights, loud noises or strong/unusual odors.

It is quite disturbing for people who have migraines. It interferes with their daily activities, not to mention the irritating feeling that a migraine causes. But it is important to know the necessary migraine pain remedies so that you know what to do the next time a migraine sets in. For those who do not have migraine, it will help you understand those who have it and it will enable you to help them also.

Migraine pain remedies can be in a form of taking non-prescribed and prescribed medicines; non-prescribed medicines include: aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), a combination of an acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine which falls under the name of Excredin Migraine, ipubrofen (Motrin); for prescribed medicines: sumatripan, ergotamine. If the pain cannot be treated with these analgesics, a stronger medicine may be needed, such would be a narcotic or a barbiturate - but it should be taken cautiously to avoid over dosage.

Another thing that you could consider for migraine pain remedies are the following:

* Avoid foods or activities that seem to cause your migraine
* Get enough sleep and drink plenty of water
* Relax and lessen the stresses in your life
* Try to have a regular exercise
* Put a cold compress over your forehead (to reduce pain)
* Massage your scalp and put pressure on your temples
* Try eating 10-12 almonds, it is effective in treating migraine
* Niacin has been proven to help relieve migraine pain. The natural sources of this vitamin are yeast, whole wheat, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, sunflower seeds, liver, and fish.