Managing Migraine
Migraine can’t be cured, but your doctor can help you manage your attacks so you get them less often, and treat symptoms when they occur. Treatment can also help make the attacks you have less severe.
Your treatment plan may include a combination of:
- lifestyle adjustments, including stress management, and identifying and avoiding your migraine triggers
- over the counter or prescription medications, to manage your symptoms
- prescription medications that you take to try and prevent attacks (Including the new CGRP medications)
- prescription migraine medications that you take as soon as a headache starts, to keep it from becoming severe and to ease symptoms (triptans)
- hormone therapy or hormonal contraception if migraine attacks seem to occur in relation to your menstrual cycle (read more on menstrual migraine)
- counselling
You can also try a few things at home that may also help relieve the pain from your migraine attacks:
- Lie down in a quiet, dark, room.
- Place a cold cloth or ice pack over your forehead or behind your neck.
- Sleep
- Drink water, sports drinks, or Coke
Migraine Australia is currently developing a Migraine Management and Action Plan - the MiMAP - to help support patients and doctors to manage migraine better. Read more here.
Connect with others living with migraine in the Chat Group on Facebook for more ideas on simple things you can try. As we are all unique, you can only know what will work for you by trying it.
Useful links:
🔊 Audio Factsheet: Managing Migraine
- Suggestions on lifestyle changes to help manage migraines as well as non-drug options for managing attacks, acute or ‘rescue’ medication and preventative medication.
- Clinically reviewed by: Dr Bronwyn Jenkins (BMed FRACP)
Simplified Chinese
Factsheet: Managing Migraine - Simplified Chinese
🔊 Managing Migraine - Mandarin
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