Discharge Instructions - Migraine Headache

As discussed in the Emergency Department prior to discharge, you have been diagnosed with a migraine headache.  Migraine headaches or "migraines" are a kind of headache that can happen in adults and children.  They are more common in women than in men.  Migraines often start off mild and then get worse.

Symptoms of migraine can include:

-Headache that gets worse over several hours and is usually throbbing.  It often affects 1 side of the head or is described as being behind one of the eyes.

-Nausea and sometimes vomiting

-Feeling sensitive to light and noise.  Lying down in a quiet, dark room often helps.

-An aura which is a symptom or feeling that happens before or during the migraine headache.  Each person's aura is different, but in most cases the aura affects the vision.  You might see flashing lights, bright spots, or zig-zag lines, or lose part of your vision.  Or you might have numbness and tingling of the lips, lower face, and fingers of one hand.  Some people hear sounds or have ringing in their ears as part of their aura.  The aura usually lasts a few minutes to an hour and then goes away, but most often lasts 15 to 30 minutes.

-Women who get migraines with an aura usually cannot take birth control pills.  That's because they might increase the risk of stroke.

Many people get other symptoms that happen several hours or even a day before the migraine headache.  Doctors call these "premonitory" or "prodromal" symptoms.  They might include yawning, feeling depressed, irritability, food cravings, constipation, or a stiff neck.

Some people find that their migraines are triggered by certain things.  If you can avoid some of these things, you can lower your chances of getting migraines.  You can also keep a "headache calendar."  In the calendar, write down every time you have a migraine and what you ate and did before it started.  That way you can find out if there is anything you should avoid eating or doing.  You can also write down what medicine you took and whether or not it helped.

Common migraine triggers include stress, hormonal changes, skipping meals or not eating enough, changes in the weather, sleeping too much or too little, bright or flashing lights, drinking alcohol, and certain drinks or foods, such as red wine, aged cheese, and hot dogs

If your migraines are frequent or severe, your doctor can suggest others ways to help prevent them. For example, it might help to learn relaxation techniques and ways to manage stress.

There are also medicines that can help.

For mild migraines, your doctor might suggest an over-the-counter medicine such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or Naproxen (Aleve).  There is also a medicine that combines Acetaminophen, Aspirin, and Caffeine (brand name Excedrin).

For more severe migraines, there are prescription medicines that can help.  You may have been prescribed a prescription medication ending with ‘-triptan,’ such as Sumatriptan (brand name Imitrex) or Rizatriptan (Maxalt).  These medications can cause drowsiness, so you should NOT DRIVE WITHIN 8-12 HOURS OF TAKING THEM.  You should also follow up with your primary care provider since these medications should not be taken long term in patient’s with a significant family history of heart disease.

You may alternatively have been prescribed a prescription medication that is a combination of Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine (brand name Fioricet).  This medications can cause drowsiness, so you should NOT DRIVE WITHIN 8 HOURS OF TAKING IT.

If you have severe nausea or vomiting with your migraines, there are medicines that can help with that, too.  If you have been prescribed a medication for nausea, take it as prescribed.

You should follow up with your primary care provider to discuss additional treatment options, including medications that can decrease the frequency of migraines or prevent them, and for consideration of referral to Neurology for further management.

Do not try to treat frequent migraines on your own with non-prescription pain medicines.  Taking non-prescription pain medicines too often can actually cause more headaches later.

Return to the Emergency Department for worsening or persistent headache, vision changes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the face or extremities, fever, inability to tolerate fluids by mouth despite treatment, or any new or concerning symptoms.