IV therapy for migraines and headaches: How it can help

Image credit: Carolina Heza from Unsplash

The throbbing, pulsating sensation that is felt during a migraine is unbearable. Anyone who suffers with migraines knows this feeling too well, usually felt on one side of the head, it is often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light, sound or movement. Migraines can last for hours to days and the pain can be so intense that it interferes with your daily activities. 

Migraines are extremely different from other types of headaches. For some people, a warning symptom known as an aura occurs before or with the headache. An aura may have visual disturbances (like seeing light spots and “floaters”), light sensitivity, motion sickness, and difficulty speaking. 

Medications can help ease the symptoms of migraines, and in some cases, prevent migraines all-together. Medicating isn’t the end all be all to living with migraines though. The proper medications, with self-help routines, IV therapy, and lifestyle changes, can help obtain relief from migraines.

Debilitating Pain
Headaches are no comparison to migraines. There is nothing worse than feeling an unclenching pain in your mind, causing you to be unable to do even the most basic tasks. Most migraines last about 4 hours. When they are not treated, they can last for days. In fact, The World Health Organization listed them as one of the ten most disabling medical illnesses.

What Triggers Migraines?
There are a lot of different factors that can trigger migraines. These can include a lack of sleep, stress, dehydration, smells, foods, and hormone changes. Sometimes it is easy to pinpoint what caused a migraine, while other times it may take a few years to understand. A random trigger might occur one day and never occur again. There are many options of pain and preventative medication for people, but some people fail to obtain relief.

Learning the Symptoms
Migraines can start as early as childhood and may progress through different stages: prodrome, aura, attack and post-drome. 

1. Prodrome 
One or two days before a migraine, you may notice these symptoms: 

• Prolonged yawning
  
• Rapid mood changes 
  
• Dehydration 
  
• Neck stiffness
  

2. Aura
For some people, aura might occur before or during migraines. 

Symptoms of migraine aura include:

• Eye “Floaters”
  
• Loss of vision
  
• Difficulty speaking 
  
• Jerking movements and spasms
  
• Numbness in face
  
• “Pins and needles” sensation in arm or leg
  

 3. Attack
A migraine usually lasts from 4 to 72 hours if untreated. 

Symptoms that may occur during a migraine: 

• Pain on one side of your head, but sometimes on both sides
  
• Throbbing, pulsating feeling 
  
• Dizziness 
  
• Nausea 
  
• Vomiting 
  
• Sense sensitivity
  

 4. Post-drome
After a migraine attack phase, a person may experience mood changes between exhaustion and confusion, to happiness and euphoria. A dull headache may linger. Eventually, you feel back to normal in a few hours. Not everyone who experiences migraines goes through all of the phases, just like not everyone will experience the same symptoms.

How to Find Migraine Relief
Living with constant migraine fear and symptoms is not something any individual should have to go through. A treatment plan can help manage your symptoms and stop a migraine from happening in the first place. With all the over-the-counter pain and preventative medicines, doctors may also suggest lifestyle changes that can help ease migraine pain. A proactive combination of migraine relief may include include: 

• OTC migraine medications such as NSAIDs
  
• Prescription medications to reduce headaches and prevent migraines 
  
• Stress management 
  
• Avoiding known triggers (foods, smells, light, etc.)
  
• Lavender essential oil diffusion 
  
• IV therapy
  
• Light, regular exercise 
  
• Consistent hydration 
  
• Adding more magnesium to diet 
  
• Regular massage therapy
  

IV Therapy for Migraines: How It Helps
The access to different wellness modalities has increased over the past 10 years. Intravenous therapy is one of those wellness options that has become more accessible for everyday use. IV therapy can help aid in migraine relief in a few different ways. Studies have shown that IV therapy can help with migraines and headaches because of the ingredients, electrolytes, and general hydration used. This treatment is extremely easy and reliable because all the water and nutrients are going directly into the bloodstream. This means faster relief than taking oral medications.

Nutrients such as electrolytes, vitamin B12, and magnesium all pose possible benefits to reducing and preventing migraines. All beneficial to migraines and so many other health issues. 

• Hydration fluids: may help to ease migraines 
  
• Vitamin B12: known to help reduce the length of migraines
  
• Electrolytes: added hydration and nutrients that can relax and soothe migraine triggers
  
• Vitamin C: can reduce the inflammation and painful pressure that is associated with migraines and headaches
  
• Magnesium: can help reduce all general symptoms in aura phase
  
  

Seek Professional Guidance
If you experience migraines, you are probably already seeking guidance from a healthcare provider. OTC medications and lifestyle changes may drastically reduce the occurrence of migraines as well as some other complementary modalities. Please consult your doctor before making any changes, and ask if IV therapy is something you can add to your migraine treatment plan.

This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.