Support Groups
For additional resources, see migraine support group.
Expectations (prognosis)
Migraine headaches usually do not represent a significant threat to your health. However, in rare circumstances, people with migraine may be at risk of serious complications. A severe migraine may result in a stroke, possibly due to prolonged constriction of blood vessels. Some people may have side effects of medications. A physician should choose the appropriate medications based on symptoms and other conditions.
Experienced physicians can identify patients who may be at increased risk from these complications and can provide treatment that reduces such risk.
The large number of people affected by migraine has led to extensive research into finding effective treatment. In the future, expect that new medications will continue to be developed.
Calling your health care provider
If a person has any of the following, call for an evaluation by a physician immediately:
- Speech, vision, balance, movement, sensation, and other neurological problems, particularly if the person has NOT had these symptoms with previous headaches
- Loss of consciousness
- A change in headache pattern
- The worst headache in one's life
- Headaches that are more severe when lying down
- A headache that starts extremely abruptly
Such headaches may be the result of stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, aneurysm, or other serious condition and require the immediate attention of a physician.
Depending on the history of the headache, a CT scan or MRI may be done to rule out any of the above conditions.
Also contact your healthcare provider if:
- Previously effective treatments are no longer helpful.
- Side effects of medications occur, including irregular heartbeat, changes in skin color (pale or blue), extreme sleepiness, persistent cough, depression, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain or cramps, dry mouth, extreme thirst, among others.
Prevention
People at high risk of migraines should avoid any factors that seemed to trigger a previous migraine.
Most patients with migraine can identify certain foods that are closely associated with their migraine headaches. To find out which foods are responsible, avoid all of the above-mentioned foods and then gradually work each food back into the diet. An accurate headache diary helps determine which foods may be responsible.
Many people with migraine become familiar with their warning symptoms prior to a headache and may be able to take medication to lessen the oncoming headache.
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