Migraine Phases, Symptoms, and Treatment

If you suffer from migraine attacks, you know the pain is nothing like a standard headache. People who've never had a migraine don't realize that the pain and other symptoms make it impossible to do anything and makes you want to stay in bed, away from lights, noise, and other triggers. You might think that you have to suffer through it, but migraine treatments are available at Baptist Emergency Room & Urgent Care.

These treatments provide fast migraine relief so you can return to enjoying life. Learn more about migraine attacks and when to get treatment for the condition.

Migraine Phases and Symptoms

Migraine attacks consist of four stages: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. Not everyone experiences all four stages, but most go through at least three of them during most migraine episodes.

Most migraine attacks start with the prodrome stage. It lasts for several hours or days and causes increased irritability, depression, and sensitivity to light. Also, fatigue, sleeping difficulties, food cravings, and an increased need to urinate are common during this stage.

Approximately 25% of migraine sufferers experience an aura during episodes. Auras can last for up to an hour and usually consist of visual changes. Some people with auras deal with motor or sensory disturbances or verbal and language issues.

The actual headache is the third stage and lasts for 4-72 hours. Migraine headaches are usually on one side of the head but can travel to the other side and become a full-head headache. Some of the migraine symptoms include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to sound and light
• Severe throbbing headache that worsens during movement

The postdrome stage begins once the headache subsides and lasts for one to two days. Some people refer to this as a "migraine hangover" because of the symptoms. If you go through the postdrome phase during a migraine attack, you can expect symptoms like concentration issues, fatigue, and a lack of comprehension. It's like your brain stops working as it should, but the symptoms go away without treatment.

Urgent Care for Migraine Relief

Many people try to treat migraine headaches at home, but sometimes, the symptoms persist, even when taking prescription medications. Others have yet to see a doctor for their migraines, and they're trying to suffer through the attacks alone. Fortunately, urgent care facilities offer migraine treatments, such as "migraine cocktails." These cocktails are formulated based on your symptoms and often provide medications for pain and nausea relief.

An urgent care provider can get your current migraine attack under control, but you'll need to visit your primary care provider or specialist for long-term migraine management. You might need to take a daily medication, such as Topamax, to reduce the frequency of attacks.

Also, your provider can prescribe a triptan or another medication for you to take when a migraine attack starts. Triptans are effective at blocking migraine headaches so that you can avoid severe symptoms. If you're on Triptans and they don't block the attack, you can visit urgent care or the ER for more help.

When to Go to the Emergency Room for a Migraine

Sometimes, migraine symptoms are a sign that something serious is going on that requires immediate attention. For instance, you might have a brain hemorrhage or a stroke that presents as a migraine. Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have any of the following symptoms:

• A painful, intense headache that comes on at once
• Confusion
• Difficulty speaking or vision changes unless you usually have these symptoms
• Fever
• Migraine that starts after head trauma
• Stiff neck
• The most painful headache ever
• Weakness or numbness

Fast Migraine Relief at Baptist Emergency Room & Urgent Care

Baptist Emergency Room & Urgent Care's emergency room is open 24/7, and urgent care is available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Appointments are unnecessary - walk in, and our healthcare professionals are ready to help at both of our locations. 

Navarre - 8888 Navarre Pkwy., Navarre, FL 32566. Call the center at 850-750-5698.

Nine Mile - 9400 University Parkway Suite 101A Pensacola, FL 32514. Call the center at 448-227-4600.

Baptist Emergency Room & Urgent Care is comprised of board-certified ER-trained physicians and professionally trained ER nurses who deliver quality medical care. Our urgent care and emergency room can effectively treat various medical conditions. From fever to fractures, allergies to abdominal pain, and colds to concussions, we have you covered with on-site labs, CT, X-rays, and ultrasound.