Migraine Treatment May Depend on Age, Study Says
Migraines -- often characterized by throbbing and pulsating pain -- affects about 30 million people in this U.S. According to the National Institutes of Health, women are three times more likely than men to be migraine sufferers.
But anyone who has had a migraine knows that relief can't come quickly enough -- and according to new research, your age and where your head hurts may predict how successful migraine treatment will be.
According to research being presented at the American Society for Plastic Surgeons annual conference, surgery was more successful for people who were older when they first developed migraines.
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CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said on "The Early Show" Monday the study looked at about 400 patients who underwent surgery for their migraines. Surgery for migraines is a relatively new procedure, Ashton said, and basically targets the area of where the migraine begins and ends -- those trigger areas being the pain above the brows, temples, behind the eyes and back of the head. The surgery, Ashton explained, consists of cutting nerves in those four target areas.
Surgery for people who developed migraines at 25 was more successful than people who developed them at 20 years old. So, what this tells us, Ashton said, is who may be a better candidate for surgery as a treatment option -- and the headaches trigger sites may dictate whether surgery will be successful.
But are there other migraine treatment options that don't involve going under the knife?
Ashton said you can take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin or Tylenol. She added there are some prescription medications that you can ask your doctor about. And for severe sufferers, preventative medications can be prescribed.
Ashton recommended doing this right away if you feel you're getting a migraine: Go to a quiet and dark room and relax, put a cold compress on your forehead and drink lots of fluid. In some cases, she said, small amounts of caffeine alone can relieve pain -- but be careful because drinking too much can bring another headache on!
Ashton said prevention is key with migraines, so certain triggers should be avoided, if possible. Ashton explained changes in weather, hormonal changes, stress and food choices, such as chocolate, red wine, caffeine, processed meats, aged cheeses and products containing MSG, can all trigger migraine pain.
She said people can have very different triggers, so it's important to know what you're triggers are and avoid them if you can.
Ashton added, "If you are a woman who suffers classic migraines and over age 35 you should not be on hormonal contraception, the pill. Very important to talk to your doctor about."