If you have migraines, you may have sometimes had to go to the ER for treatment. The pain can be that severe, and it may seem immune to any treatment you’ve tried. So the ER seems reasonable.
Why Avoid the ER with a Migraine.
The ER can actually be a bad place to go with a migraine.
When you get there, the triage nurse may decide you’re low priority, so you can end up spending your migraine time in the waiting room in agony. Your migraine treatment may also be ineffective. It might be directly simply at stopping the current headache, but won’t help for future headaches. Finally, ER visits are expensive, so if you can cut down on them, so much the better.
Tips for Avoiding Migraine-Related ER Trips
Fortunately, you may be able to avoid migraine treatment at the ER.
Learn your triggers. Migraine triggers come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important to identify your personal migraine triggers so you can avoid them and reduce your migraine attacks. Also, learn the typical progression of your migraines so you can read the warning signs and take steps sooner to diminish the severity of migraines.
Get preventive or abortive medications. Not all migraine medications are designed to combat the pain. Some medications can help prevent migraines from occurring, and others can stop migraines as they are developing.
Try new treatments. If you’re currently trying preventive or abortive medications, but they’re not working, consider other approaches to migraine care. TMJ treatment can significantly reduce the frequency of migraines as well as their severity, so you won’t have to go to the ER.
Let yourself recover. Many people respond to a migraine by trying to push through and cope. But trying to work through a migraine can just make it worse. When your migraines begin, allow yourself to stop working and retreat to a dark, quiet place for rest. This can help diminish your migraines so you can avoid the ER.
When to Go to the ER
Of course, there are times when you should visit the ER for your migraines. If your headache is much more severe than others in the past, and isn’t responding to medications the way previous headaches did, you should consider a visit to the ER.
You should also go to the ER if the migraine is accompanied by symptoms such as an inability to walk or talk that you haven’t experienced before.
Finally, if your migraine is accompanied by chronic nausea and vomiting, you may need to see a doctor to get IV medications and avoid critical dehydration.
Have You Tried TMJ Treatment?
If you are tired of the number and severity of your migraines but other treatments aren’t working, it may be time to try TMJ treatment, a drug-free alternative that can reduce the severity and frequency of your migraines.
To learn more about TMJ treatment in Savannah, GA, please call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with a TMJ dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
