Many people think a migraine attack is a headache, but it’s not true. A neurological condition, migraine symptoms are severe and debilitating without proper treatment. Learn about migraine warning signs and symptoms and how to get relief at PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care.
Migraine Warning Signs
Most people receive some warning before a migraine headache appears. Many migraine episodes begin with the prodrome stage, which can last for hours or days. During this stage, you might feel irritable, depressed, and nauseous. It’s common to have trouble sleeping and experience sensitivity to lights and sounds. Also, concentration problems, fatigue, and food cravings often occur during the prodrome phase.
Use this warning to your advantage by avoiding your migraine triggers. For instance, some people are triggered by certain foods and alcohol and should avoid them during the prodrome stage. You can also use mindfulness techniques to relax to reduce the severity of the episode.
While most people go through the prodrome stage, the aura phase isn’t as common. About a quarter of people with migraine also have auras, and people experience them differently. Visual auras are the most common, but you can also develop sensory or aphasic auras.
Migraine Headache Symptoms
A migraine headache often starts on one side of the head and builds in intensity. It can also travel to the other side of the head, but the pain is typically more severe on one side. The pain is often described as throbbing or pounding and accompanied by sensitivity to light, noise, and odors.
Nausea and vomiting can also occur during a migraine headache. Additionally, you may notice scalp tenderness, loss of appetite, and sleeping issues when dealing with a migraine headache.
Finding Relief at the ER or Urgent Care
It’s hard to handle migraine symptoms for a mere hour, and they can last for days. You can seek treatment at urgent care or the ER if you want fast migraine relief. After ensuring that you have a migraine instead of another condition, your doctor can provide medication to relieve pain, nausea, and other symptoms. Also, you can receive IV fluids if you’ve become dehydrated as a result of your migraine symptoms.
After receiving migraine relief, you can contact your doctor or neurologist for long-term management and care. Migraine treatments can reduce the severity and frequency of attacks. If you have chronic migraine, meaning you experience 15 or more days of migraine symptoms each month, you might benefit from Botox injections or daily medications. Daily medications can also work for those who have less frequent migraine symptoms.
Your provider can also provide medications to take at the onset of a migraine episode. These medications work for both chronic and episodic migraines and stop the attack in its tracks. You need to be careful taking these since they can cause rebound migraine headaches when used frequently, though.
When is a Migraine an Emergency?
A migraine isn’t a medical emergency, even though the pain is intense. However, it’s possible to think you have a migraine when you’re suffering from a stroke, brain aneurysm, or another serious medical emergency.
Don’t hesitate to go to the emergency room if you have these severe symptoms:
- Confusion
- Headache that quickly reaches maximum intensity
- Migraine headache that lasts longer than 72 hours
- Most painful headache of your life
- Stiff neck
- Symptoms that haven’t responded to migraine prescription medications
- Weakness or numbness
- Vision or speech issues that don’t usually occur when you have migraine episodes
Migraine Relief in Albuquerque
Unlike most ERs or urgent care centers in the area, PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care in Albuquerque, patients are only billed for the level of services they need. The ER and urgent care are open 24 hours a day, every day. No appointment is required for in-person visits.
PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care has four convenient locations:
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Paseo/San Pedro is located at 6400 Paseo Del Norte Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, and may be reached at 505-596-2100.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Coors/Western Trail is located at 4515 Coors Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120, and may be reached at 505-596-2200.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Isleta/Rio Bravo is located at 3436 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, and may be reached at 505-596-2300.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Menaul/Pennsylvania is located at 7400 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, and may be reached at 505-596-2400.
