Migraine

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Central nervous system	CT scan of the brain	Migraine cause	Migraine headache
Vascular headaches

Headache - migraine

• Avoid smoking, caffeine, and alcohol
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep each night
• Learn to relax and reduce stress -- try progressive muscle relaxation (contracting and releasing muscles throughout your body), meditation, biofeedback, or joining a support group

If you get at least three headaches per month, your doctor may prescribe medication for you to prevent recurrent migraines.

Such prescription drugs may include:

• Beta-blockers such as propranolol (Inderal)
• Anti-depressants, including tricyclics like amitriptyline (Elavil) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft)
• Anti-convulsants such as valproic acid (Depacon, Depakene), divalproex sodium (Depakote), or topiramate (Topamax)
• Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil

Morantz C. Practice Guideline Briefs. Am Fam Physician. Mar 2005; 71(5); 1019-899.

Schroeder BM . AAFP/ACP-ASIM release guidelines on the management and prevention of migraines.  Am Fam Physician. Mar 2003; 67(6): 1392, 1395-7.

Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2001.

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2002.

Goetz CG, Pappert EJ. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2003.

Review Date: 11/21/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.