A patient with migraine headaches needs to understand what the headaches are as well as what they are not. Migraine can be explained as a genetically transmitted disorder in which a hypersensitive brain, causes its own blood vessels to dilate from time to time therefore producing throbbing headaches and symptoms such as nausea and visual disturbances. 

Migraine is an essentially harmless condition and not a disease, the migraine sufferer should also need to know that the mechanisms of migraine are well understood and that medications are available to specifically counter those mechanisms. 

Most migraine patients know the triggers to their attacks, normally these include stress, skipping or delaying meals, poor sleep habits, dietary factors such as chocolate consumption or alcohol intake and some hormonal medications. These are factors that the patient can modify. Other triggers, such as menstruation or weather fluctuations characterized by rapid changes in barometric pressure are beyond the control of the migraine patient.

Most patients are familiar with the physical measures that can ease their migraine headache, for example, lying down in a quiet, dark room and slightly elevating the head, keeping the head cool by applying an ice pack and keeping the body warm with a blanket. 

If a migraine sufferer is severely nauseated or vomiting, they do not absorb oral-medications, nasal sprays or injections and therefore these are not going to be of any effect to the patient. It is important to note that any medication taken for acute attacks of migraine works better if administered early in the attack. Even a usually effective medication will not work if taken too late.

For mild attacks, an over the counter analgesic will usually be sufficient if taken in an adequate dose, typically 975 mg of acetylsalicylic acid or acetaminophen (eg, Tylenol). In Canada, these analgesics combined with 8 mg of codeine can be purchased without a prescription. However, patients should be discouraged from using these combinations because medication induced headaches could develop if used to often. 

For drug-free, self-treatment alternative, the migraine sufferer may get relief from a cold compress or even ice packs applied to the head. Such compresses help to reduce the over-distension of the arteries that give rise to this type of headache. Repeated cups of strong tea or coffee may also bring relief by a similar effect on the blood vessels due to the action of caffeine. Your migraine headache, however, may be so severe as to compel you to lie down, and all the individual may want to do is “sleep it off.” Under such circumstances it is wise to submit to the body’s demands.