Migraine- Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment in Urgent Care

Migraine is a common ailment among all ages. Migraine patients experience pain that affects their daily life. It is a neurologic condition that is frequently accompanied by a severe headache. The headache comes in waves, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and photosensitivity. 

Around 40 million Americans experience migraine headaches annually. Some attacks are prevented and made less painful with proper migraine medicine. The correct medications with self-help techniques and dietary adjustments can help relieve pain.

Here is the guide to help you understand migraine and make the right choices in time.

What Is a Migraine?

A migraine is a headache that often attacks one side of your head and can be more painful and intense than a normal headache. It is often triggered by light sensitivity and loud music and noises. A migraine episode can persist for hours or even days, and the pain can be so bad that it makes it difficult to go about your everyday activities. Obtaining effective migraine treatment is important for reducing the frequency of attacks and keeping the disorder in check.

Early Symptoms of Migraine

An extreme headache on one side of the head is the primary sign of migraines. The pain is generally moderate to severe. Other common symptoms of migraine are:

• Feeling nauseous
• Enhanced sensitivity to noise and light is why many migraine sufferers prefer to rest in a quiet, dark area.
• Having trouble focusing
• Sweltering or shivering intensely
• Diarrhea

Seek urgent care migraine treatment before the symptoms start worsening.

Stages of a Migraine Headache

A migraine can be difficult, with symptoms that fluctuate over hours. Not all migraine sufferers go through each stage. Four phases are listed below:

1. Prodromal stage

The initial stage of a migraine indicates that a headache will begin shortly. The severity of the episode can be stopped or lessened by taking a timely migraine medicine.  Common signs include:

• Constipation
• Mood swings between joy and despair
• Hunger pangs
• Neck discomfort
• Frequent urination
• Fluid retention
• Frequent yawning

2. Aura

An aura may appear before or during a migraine attack for certain people. Auras are brief nervous system symptoms. Most of them are visual, but they can also involve other disruptions. Each symptom often starts mildly, intensifies over a few minutes, and lasts up to an hour.

Auras associated with migraines include:

• Visual phenomena, including varying forms, bright spots, or light bursts
• Loss of vision
• Sensations of pins and needles in the arm or leg
• Stiffness or numbness on one side of the body
• Speech challenges

3. Attack

If left untreated, a migraine attack often lasts 4 to 72 hours.  Take urgent care migraine treatment to avoid the severity. You can experience the following things during a migraine attack:

• Pain frequently on both sides of your head but typically on one side.
• A throbbing or pulsing pain
• Sensitivity to scent, touch, and often light and sound
• Nausea and diarrhea

4. Post-drome Stage

After a migraine, you may feel drowsy, confused, and tired for up to a day.  Certain movements can reactivate the pain. These post-migraine symptoms could present as:

• Extreme fatigue
• Sluggishness
• Confusion
• Headache that worsens when you slouch or move fast

Causes of Migraine 

Migraine is a disorder that causes headaches and requires migraine treatment. The primary causes are:

• Genetics and changes in your brain 
• Exhaustion, strong lights, or changes in the weather are possible migraine triggers.
• Overactivation of the trigeminal nerve, which supplies sensation to the head.
• Releasing serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP). 
• Enlargement of the brain's blood vessels and increased flow of neurotransmitters. 

Primary Risk Factors of Migraine and Triggers

Here are the major risk factors and triggers that need to be in check:

Hormone Adjustments: Many women experience headaches during their menstruation, pregnancy, or just before ovulation.

Stress: When you're under stress, your brain produces chemicals that may alter your blood vessels and result in migraines.

Foods: Foods like cheese, soft drinks, cheese, alcohol, and food additives are other risk factors.

Skipping Meals: Improper intake of vitamins and nutrients can cause weakness and trigger migraine.

Caffeine: Consuming too much or not confusing enough of it can both trigger migraine.

Sleep changes: Changes in sleep patterns can boost migraine problems.

Physical Activity: Certain physical activities impose risks for people undergoing migraine treatment.

When to Seek Urgent Care for a Migraine Headache?

If your symptoms are severe and you cannot swallow meals or clear liquids, seek urgent care migraine treatment in your area. 

You can consult the doctor if:

• You're having seizures or losing consciousness.
• If your migraine lasts longer than 24 hours and the discomfort is still severe
• You are unable to move a body part.
• Signs of a probable stroke
• Suffering a severe headache

What Does an Urgent Care Doctor do for Your Migraine Headache?

An urgent care physician alleviates the distressing migraine symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe an effective migraine medicine to treat the pain and can even perform certain tests in case of severity. In certain cases, steroid injections successfully reduce migraine symptoms and ease discomfort.

Get the Fast and Affordable Migraine Treatment in Bakersfield at StatMD Urgent Care

It is important to seek the right migraine treatment at the right time to ease your suffering. StatMD Urgent Care offers high-quality, rapid care for all your ailments and injuries. Our physicians serve you with personalized attention and help you take the best from treatment.

Schedule an appointment today to relieve yourself of the intolerable headache!