Migraine Headache Research Paper

* Acupuncture is said to help relieve pain by either diverting or changing the painful sensations that are sent to the brain to then alert you to the pain within the body. (Arthritis Research UK)

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical treatment for multiple issues, and is characterized by needles being strategically inserted into pressure points on the body to relieve symptoms. This is believed to reset you qi or life force within your body. This practice is carried out by acupuncturists all over the world. In western medicine, while we don’t know the exact mechanism of action, it is thought to increase blood flow and raise natural painkiller levels in the body. This rise in natural painkillers and increased blood flow are the major benefits of acupuncture. The risks are very few, there is a very limited chance of organ damage, infection, or soreness after a treatment (Mayo Clinic 2012).

Migraine headaches are the third most prevalent illness in the world, and ranked as the sixth most disabling illness. Statistics show that only about fifty percent of people who suffer from chronic headaches know that they’re suffering from a migraine. 76% of people who suffer from migraines worry that they will suffer for the rest of their lives, and 37% of sufferers worried about their migraines between attacks. Studies found that approximately 12% of Americans suffer from migraines, and 40% of Americans could benefit from preventative therapies. Even though studies show that at least 40% of sufferers could benefit from preventative therapies, only one in five sufferers are currently using preventative therapies. Studies also show that over 25% of people who suffer from migraine attacks miss at least one working day over the past three months, and nine out of ten sufferers say that they cannot “function normally” during those days. At least 98 percent of migraine attack sufferers take medications for temporary headache relief, whether it be over the counter or prescription. Only 12% of sufferers take preventative medications as opposed to the 98% of sufferers taking medications for relief. Severe migraines are ranked in the highest of seven disability classes, along with psychosis, dementia, and quadriplegia, published by the World Health Organization. People who participated in a survey who admitted to a

suffer from Migraines usually experience pain on one side of their head. There are several

Research into migraines is not an easy task. First off, people who experience them in different ways. Some people have migraines daily others maybe once a month, which creates a wide range to work in. On top of this, they seem to be brought on by countless activities like dehydration, alcohol, physical exertion, allergies, and sleep deprivation among others. However, most interesting is that women between 15-55 make up 2/3 of those affected by migraines. Which is a very large amount of total sufferers.

In summary, Miss A came to seek medical attention with the onset of a scale of 8/10 Migraine headache of 2 days. After careful examining her and taking a complete history, Miss A is diagnosed with Migraine headache without aura. The NP is able to establish a treatment plan with Miss A’s involvement. The treatment plan includes: acute Migraine management and prophylaxis management. The acute Migraine management is proven to be effective for her as the evidence of pain relief: her headache was a scale of 2/10 after taking Sumatriptan combined with Naproxen. She also reports the nausea was improved after taking Metochlopromide and was able to consume normal oral intake. The prophylaxis intervention includes therapeutic teaching on healthy diet, effective scheduling on school and work, ensure plenty rest period, and relaxation

Acupuncture is an ancient art of healing that dates back to at least 2,500 years. It has been widely practiced in China and many other Asian countries. Only recently has acupuncture made its way into the western world. Acupuncture accentuates on the natural healing of the body. It involves stimulating acupuncture points by the insertion of very fine, solid, metallic needles.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice, in which tiny filament needles are inserted at strategic points of the body to treat conditions ranging from headaches and neck pain to fibromyalgia. The needles provoke the release of endorphins and other hormones in the body; promoting enhanced circulation and a noticeable reduction in pain and inflammation.

The absorption and efficacy of orally administered drugs may be compromised by the gastric stasis or nausea/vomiting that often accompany a migraine. Pretreatment with antiemetic agents is advised when nausea and vomiting is severe. It is recommended to limit the use of acute migraine therapies to two days per week in order to avoid the development of medication misuse headache. Prophylactic migraine therapies are administered on a daily basis to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of attacks. Preventative therapy should be considered in the setting of recurring migraines that produce significant disability or frequent attacks. Multiple therapies may be needed before successful prophylaxis is achieved. A therapeutic trial of two to three months is necessary to judge the efficacy. After at least three to six months, once severity and frequency of attacks has diminished or there are prolonged headache free intervals, the drug is gradually tapered and discontinued.3

There are many people worldwide who suffer from migraine disorders. Any episodic migraine if not treated properly can lead to chronic Migraine, which is more than 15 migraine headaches per month. To prevent this condition and help patients to manage their migraine headaches, neurologists suggest cognitive behavioral therapy along with pharmaceutical treatments. To assess the efficacy of non-drug behavioral intervention in treatment and prevention of CM, a qualitative study can be established on a focused group of people. Those who have established Migraines diagnosis, who have shown limited benefits from medication or have intolerant side effects to pharmaceutical therapy will be in a semi structured guided interview for this study. The chosen

Other nonpharmacological options that may be beneficial in the prevention of migraine headaches include: biofeedback, other forms of relaxation training, cognitive-behavioral therapies, acupuncture, and transcutaneous electrical

Migraine headaches are often experienced on one side of the head (Tepper, 2004). The pain is associated with the pulsatile sensation that differs from one person to another. Migraine is also characterized by throbbing and pounding headache that can lead to nausea, vomiting, and in some instances photophobia. Presently, about 12 % of Americans experience migraine headaches every day. Research shows that migraine mostly affect people aged 15 to 55 years (Tepper, 2004). Migraine has been said to occur as a result of impaired nervous and circulatory system. In migraine, blood vessels undergo vasodilation. The enlargement of the vessels interferes with the nerve cells that normally surround the vessels making them secrete various chemical mediators. These chemicals include prostaglandins, substance P, interleukins, and cytokines (Schulman, 2010). The chemicals are responsible for inflammation and transmission of pain impulses. The associated feelings of nausea and vomiting are attributed to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic response also leads to slowed motility and gastric emptying that in turn reduces absorptions of gastric contents such as nutrients and drugs. Additionally, the sympathetic system also leads to excessive sound and light sensitivity. Statistics reveals that migraines affect more women than men. The severity of migraine headaches ranges from mild, moderate to severe depending on the individuals affected. In some instances, migraine headache can be a major cause of morbidity due to its debilitating

has shown there is clearly a beneficial effect for a majority of patients using this techniques to

According to Key Facts and Figures about Migraine (2014), migraines are the most common neurological condition in the developed world, even more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. The statistics on migraines are very alarming because of the very little knowledge of the actual cause of the disease. The migraine trust compiled a list of different studies and concluded the following. “Severe migraine attacks are classified as among the most disabling illness, comparable to dementia, quadriplegia, and active psychosis. There are an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks every day. Depression is three times more likely in people with migraines, Migraines remains undiagnosed and undertreated in at least 50% of patients. Over half

Additionally, there is no specific cure for migraine headaches. In addition, the goal in treating migraines is to treat migraines symptoms. Also, migraines can be treated with amitriptyline or venlafaxine. Furthermore, a migraine can be treated with blood pressure medicines such as propanolol. Researchers have also proven that migraines can be treated with seizure medicines such as valproic acid. (http://www.sciencedaily.com/news). In addition, when I read that you can treat a migraine with seizure medications, I thought that research finding was interesting to be aware of. Also, researchers stated that you could treat a