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Text Box: It is Friday afternoon, you are very tired. You had a long, stressful week at work. All you want to do after work is go home and relax. Then you feel a throbbing pain starting on one side of your head. You start to feel nauseous. You see lights flashing before your eyes and your ears are ringing. You can feel the migraine starting but are helpless to do anything about it. Sounds familiar? If so, you are not alone. It has been estimated that 28 million Americans are affected by this disease. Many experienced similar symptoms; however, there are others who do not. For some patients, the attack can be as short as hours or as long as days. They may experience any number of symptoms including nausea and/or vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, and/or odor, pain on one side, and many others. Fortunately there are preventions and treatments available. The best option is to be informed and talk to your health care providers. As part of the process to getting informed, you should keep a diary tracking your symptoms, the duration and frequency of the headaches, and any possible triggers. This will aid the physician in recommending the best course of treatment for you. The following Q&A is designed to help you understand a little more about this disorder.

Text Box: What are the different types of migraine headaches? Migraine without aura Migraine with aura Other rarer types such as retinal migraine Definition: aura—sensation(s) experienced before the start of a migraine such as flashing lights, blind spots, ringing ears, etc… How are migraine headaches diagnosed? They are diagnosed based on the criteria established by medical societies such as the International Headache Society. What are a few common symptoms of a migraine? Throbbing or pulsating headache Moderate to severe pain Nausea with or without vomiting Sensitivity to light and sounds What is a migraine trigger? Something that leads to a migraine but does not actually cause one What are possible triggers? Changes in hormones for women Stress Lack of sleep or Too tired Changes in your surroundings Changes in sleep patterns Certain foods or food additives such as chocolate or MSG

Text Box: What preventative options do you have? Avoid triggers Stress management Relaxation training Biofeedback Acupuncture Massages Prescription medications (those to prevent attacks and those that treat the attacks) What are some treatment options? Over-the-counter pain reducers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen Prescription medications (those to treat the attacks and those to prevent the attacks) For more information, visit the following websites or contact your health care provider: www.achenet.org www.headaches.org

Migraines—Don’t You Just Hate Them?

Contributed by: Son B. Doan, Pharm.D. Candidate

KU School of Pharmacy