People who get migraines should keep a record of their activities before an attack and avoid caffeine, the Taiwan Headache Society said.
Taipei Veterans General Hospital neurologist Chen Wei-ta (陳韋達), who is also the society’s president, said on Aug. 13 that Taiwan’s migraine prevalence rate is 9.1 percent, meaning that 1.8 million to 1 million people have the condition.
The public is largely uninformed about migraines, and many people are reluctant to go for treatment or be medicated, which has a serious impact on their ability to lead normal lives, he said.
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People who self-medicate could inadvertently increase the frequency and severity of their migraines by using over-the-counter painkillers that contain caffeine, Chen said.
TREATMENT
People can take antimigraine drugs as soon as they feel an episode beginning to stop an attack from happening altogether, he said.
This is advised because each migraine episode increases the chance of migraines recurring and becoming a chronic condition, Chen said.
Should a person’s migraine become resistant to oral medicine, preventive drugs that are administered via injection are an option, he said.
People can manage the condition by detailing their migraine triggers, which involves keeping a detailed record of what transpired before and during an attack, and the medicines they were using at the time, he said.
Such logs can help doctors track the development of the condition, predict when it is likely to occur and tailor treatment plans, Chen said.
SYMPTOMS
People frequently confuse migraines with a severe headache or a symptom of another underlying condition, he said.
Migraines are linked to a person’s genetic makeup, and potential triggers include stress, hormonal changes, diet, medication and the weather, Chen said.
Lin Kao-chang (林高章), a neurologist at Chi Mei Medical Center in Tainan, said that migraine symptoms include headaches that continue for four to 72 hours, pulsating pain, increased pain caused by walking or climbing stairs, nausea and sensitivity to light and noise.
A person who experiences these symptoms five or more times would be diagnosed with migraines, he added.
Migraines are the most common ailment that causes disability and loss of function in people aged 15 to 24, and the second-most common among all age groups, Lin said, citing The Lancet’s “Global Burden of Disease” study.
Migraines are linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia and other health conditions that reduce a person’s life expectancy by four years, he added.
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