I thought it would be good to include a list of things I've tried over the years to treat my headaches...both treatments and tests. When I tell people I suffer from headaches, everyone seems eager to repeat something to me that they've heard about headaches and their "cure." I try to take their comments graciously, even though honestly, when I've suffered this long, I've tried pretty much everything mentioned. I suppose that sounds snotty but it's the sad truth. So anyway, I'll make a list of my trials, in case it might help someone else figure out a new treatment for themselves. This is in no particular order. (This list may be edited in the future as I remember more things.)Treatments
- Diary--tracking foods, weather, hormones in an attempt to define headache triggers
- Diet changes--reduced or eliminated foods to see if there was any improvement, including caffeine, sugar, wheat, dairy
- Daily "preventative" drugs--anti-epileptics, anti-depressants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, steroids, NSAIDs
- "Rescue" drugs (i.e. triptans)--tried them all, the only one that worked was Zomig
- Herbs--I went to an herbalist who recommended things for the particular needs of my body
- Supplements--potassium, magnesium, lecithin, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, CoQ10, butterbur, fever few, etc., and a few herbal mixes designed specifically for migraine treatment
- Biofeedback
- Chiropractic
- Cervical traction
- Massage
- Acupuncture
- Oxygen therapy
- Physical therapy
- Exercise
- Wisdom teeth removal
- Dental biteguard (NTI--supposedly particularly effective on migraneurs)
- Nerve blocks
Tests
- MRIs--head and neck, on several occasions over the years
- CT Scans
- Discography--one of my MRIs showed a bulging disc in my neck; this was to rule it out as a source of pain
- Blood tests
- Hormone level tests
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