How Long Does Migraine Last And What Are The Ways To Treat It?

A migraine is a type of headache which can cause serious throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation to a person, mainly on one side of the head. This is generally accompanied by vomiting, nausea and extreme sensitivity to sound and light around. The attacks of migraine can last from an hour to a day, and it’s pain could be so bad that it might interfere with your day to day activities and work. For a lot of people, the warning symptom, also known as aura comes before or with the headache. So medications, combined with self-help home remedies and changes in lifestyle can definitely help to prevent some parts of migraine and to make it less painful for you. And so people who get migraines often have a lot of questions, like How long do migrane last, ways to easily get rid of them etc. Thus, if you also have these in mind, then we got you covered through this article.

As you scroll down, you will find out complete details about migraine, such as how long an episode of migraine can last, what are the different ways to get rid of it and much more. So just keep reading below to check out all the info.

How Long Do Migraine Last?

An attack of migraine is considered to last between 4 to 72 hours, and sometimes longer than that. It can be very difficult or tough to predict how long migraine can last to a person, but charting the whole progress of it might help. The episodes of migraine are usually divided into 4 to 5 different stages. And not all the people who experience or get migraine go through each of these 5 phases every time they get an episode of it. The different phases of migraine can include-

1. Premonitory phase or warning

2. Aura (not all the people who have migraine experience this phase, and those who do might not feel it during each phase).

3. Main attack or migraine headache

4. Period of resolution

5. Postdrome stage or recovery phase (not all the people who have migraine experience this phase, and those who do might not feel it during each phase).

And so as the answer to how long do migrane last is between 4 hours to a day or more, it is important to understand that some of the above mentioned phases of it might only last for less time, whereas some of it might last for a very long time. So you may not feel or experience each of the phases with every migraine episode you get. So keeping a journal of migraine can definitely help you to track all the possible patterns of it, and you can prepare accordingly to whatever is coming next to you. Also, try to keep reading more about each stage, what exactly you can do to get rid of it and when is it time to consult a doctor.

What Are The Ways To Treat Migraine?

When it comes to treating migraine, there is not only one right way to do it. If the episodes of migraine are infrequent and mild, then you might be able to use the OTC or over the counter medications to treat the symptoms of it, as soon as they occur. And in case the symptoms of migraine are severe or chronic, then the OTC treatments might not be very useful. A doctor might be able to prescribe some strong medications which can help to treat the existing symptoms and in preventing any possible future attacks of migraine. And so as you read above about how long do migrane last, below are the details of all the possible ways to treat it-

OTC Medication- The OTC pain relievers can significantly help to get rid of the symptoms of migraine which are infrequent or mild. And so some of the common options includes the following-

1. Naproxen or Aleve

2. Aspirin or Bayer

3. Ibuprofen or Advil

If the symptoms of your migraine are serious or severe, then you might want to try a medication which combines caffeine and a pain reliever, like Excedrin. Caffeine has the ability to both treat as well as trigger the episodes of migraine, and so you might want to avoid using this product, unless you are sure of the fact that caffeine is not a trigger for you. 

Home Remedies- A lot of times, changing the environment might be enough to get relief from most of the symptoms. So if it’s possible for you, try to seek solace in a quiet room which has minimal lighting. 

Try to use the lamps instead of using lights overhead, and then draw the curtains or blinds to block the sunlight. The light that comes from your computer, TV, phone or any other electronic device might exacerbate all the symptoms, and so limiting your screen time might significantly help you. You can try massaging your temples or applying a cold compress to get relief. If you ever feel nauseous, you can level up your intake of water. 

And so after knowing how long do migrane last, you should also know about the common triggers of it, which includes the following-

1. Changes in weather

2. Concussions or other injuries related to head

3. Certain medications

4. Some type of foods

5. Stress or anxiety

6. Not sleeping enough

7. Changes in hormones

8. Skipping the meals

9. Drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol

Medication Prescribed by Doctors-  the options of OTC are not working for you, then you might decide to consult a doctor. They will be able to suggest and prescribe the right, strong and more targeted medication which will help to get rid of the pain. This might include some tripants, such as-

1. Almotriptan

2. Sumatriptan  or Treimet, Imitrex

3. Rizatriptan or Maxalt

4. Zolmitirptan or Zomig

5. Eletriptan or Relpax

And if the episode of migraine becomes chronic, then a doctor might also prescribe medicines, such as Lasmiditan, Ubrogepeant or Rimegepant. 

Thus, these are the complete details on how long do migrane last and what are the best ways, including home remedies and medications to get rid of them!