Migraine relief?

[Beebo877]

My son has had migraines since entering puberty. He's tried over-the-counter medicines to relieve the pain from the headaches, but they do no good. His doctor will only consider prescription medication as a last resort. Is there anything that he can try to alleviate, or at least lessen, the pain from these headaches?

[Snowinsummer]

Hi,

I've also had migraines since childhood. I've  recently discovered that it was the gluten in my diet causing the migraines.  By eliminating bread, pizza, cookies, pastries, soy sauce etc.  (I.e. any gluten containing product) I've completely eliminated the migraines.   It may be worth a shot to have your son try going gluten-free for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference.   It's an adjustment.... no processed foods...I eat mainly meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, fruit, nuts and seeds.  There are gluten free products available but the taste isn't quite the same as the real thing, and they are expensive.

[lc1967]

Don't have your son take OTC medicines more than 2 or 3 times a week.  If he is getting migraines more often than that, you might want to take him to a neurologist for evaluation.  There are many herbs or vitamins your son can take on a regular basis which might also help him get fewer migraines. You can also try osteopathic treatment.  You can search the web for natural remedies for migraines.  There's also a Facebook group called Living with Migraines that might be useful to you.

[AlisonXochi]

Hi,
I too have had migraines from a very young age. There is a lot of evidence showing that OTC meds can worsen migraine with rebound effects.
I used to take a lot of OTC like Tylenol and Advil to kill the pain. None of these gave me complete relief, and often made my headache worse.
I was amazed when Sumatriptan came out in the 90's, as this is the only medication that really works for me. I take it in the form of Imitrex and Maxalt.
I wish you and your son the best.