How to get rid of a migraine headache: Sleeping in a darkened room can help an attack | Express.co.uk

How to get rid of a migraine: Sleeping in this kind of room can help an attackA MIGRAINE is a severe headache usually described as a throbbing pain on one side of the head and can have a big

effect on your day-to-day life. Drinking plenty of water and taking paracetamol or ibuprofen can help banish a headache, but how can you get rid of a migraine? By Katrina Turrill 14:09,

Wed, Apr 18, 2018 | UPDATED: 12:23, Thu, Apr 19, 2018 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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Migraines are common and usually begin in early adulthood.

Alongside throbbing pain on one side of the head, people with a migraine can also experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.

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Like with a headache, painkillers are recommended for those who have migraines - paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen can help reduce their symptoms.

But the NHS also recommends another technique when a migraine attack strikes.

The health body states: “Most people find that sleeping or lying in a darkened room is the best thing to do when having a migraine attack.

Related articles Headache symptoms: Common causes of migraines and how to prevent it Migraine warning: Avoid these foods to prevent condition Most people find that sleeping or lying in a

darkened room is the best thing to do when having a migraine attack

Others find that eating something helps, or they start to feel better once they have been sick.

If medication is unsuitable, or it does not help to prevent migraines, and lying in a dark room does not help, you may want to consider acupuncture.

NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) that a course of up to 10 sessions over a five to eight week period may be beneficial.

A new “smart drug” could reduce migraines. The antibody erenumab could cut episodic migraine attacks by more than half. 

In a recent study, the drug was administered with a self-injection device similar to those used by diabetes and taste on 2-6 patients who had failed to respond to up to four other migraine

treatments.

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How to get rid of a migraine: Sleeping in a particular kind of room can help GETTY

The drug works by targeting and blocking a aim-signalling molecule in the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide. 

Pain on the left side of the head could be a sign of overusing some medications, infections or bad lifestyle habits, leading health website Heathline.com claims.

Rebound headaches - often dubbed medication-overuse headaches - are caused by overusing medication designed specifically to treat headaches.

Up to 10 per cent of people who believe they suffer from frequent headaches actually have rebound headaches, according to the NHS.

Taking headache medication more than two or three days a week can lead to rebound headaches. Too much aspirin, ibuprofen, oxycodone and acetaminophen can have this effect.

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Worried about a headache? It is worth noting the vast majority of headaches are not a sign of something serious.

There are several different types of headache – from tension to cluster.

You should see a GP if your headaches are not relieved by over-the-counter treatments.

Advice should also be sought if the headache is so painful or frequent that it affects your daily activities or are causing you to miss work.

Persistent headaches could be a sign of fibromyalgia - a long-term condition that causes extreme pain across the entire body.