Being alert to early signs of a migraine is the key to preventing it from becoming debilitating and long-lasting, a researcher said Tuesday at the American Neurological Association annual conference here.
A migraine evolves in most patients and becomes a "moving target," says Rami Burstein of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
The process begins when neurons begin to respond to pain in the brain. If left unchecked, it moves to neurons in the spine and the central nervous system. The process spirals out of control within 20 minutes to four hours of the onset of symptoms.
Best hope? Begin treatment within the first 20 minutes, he urges.
"Patients tell us there is not room inside the skull for their brains," he says. In 65%, the pain is unrelenting. "The migraine can get worse. The entire body can get hypersensitive."
Nearly 36 million Americans endure migraines, and three times as many women are affected as men, says the Migraine Research Foundation. While there is no cure, Burstein says, treating early can usually prevent the pain from moving to other parts of the body and stop head pain.
A family of prescription drugs called triptans are the most commonly prescribed medications for migraines, he says, and they work only on receptors in the brain, where the pain begins.
So why do people wait? "People are told to bite their lip and not take medication until they absolutely need it," Burstein says. "By then, it's too late."
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