Questions and answers

I suffer from migraines: what can I do about them?

Dr. Christian Maté is a general practitioner in Vienna and looks after KroneMED for you.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Copyright Bild Mate: Christoph Hopf Copyright Stock Foto: Tierney)

Around one million people in Germany suffer from this attack-like headache, which recurs at irregular intervals. Dr. Christian Mate, a general practitioner, has all the information and contact points for sufferers here and on KroneMED. 

When treating recurring headache attacks, it sometimes takes a little patience to find the right therapy. As a GP, I see time and again that migraine sufferers really despair of the excruciating pain. Often they have already tried various medications without success. In these cases, however, resignation is not appropriate because there are numerous therapeutic options.

Good to know

Migraine attacks are usually characterized by moderate to severe, usually one-sided and throbbing and/or pulsating pain. For those affected, the symptoms worsen with movement and there is often also sensitivity to light and noise as well as nausea.

The most common triggers of migraines are

• Too little sleep and exercise,
• too much stress, nicotine or alcohol (especially red wine),
• changes in the weather,
• cold and
• hormonal changes.

If a migraine is accompanied by fever, visual disturbances, dizziness or if the painkillers that are usually effective do not help, you should consult a doctor immediately.

How your general practitioner can help
If you have a new headache, have had one for a long time or it is getting worse, you should speak to your GP. They may ask you to keep a headache diary to help with the diagnosis. He or she will also ask you about the nature of your complaints and possibly arrange further examinations. In the case of migraines, the first step will be to recommend painkillers, possibly additional medication and other non-pharmacological measures.

The health hotline 1450 is also available for health questions, even at night and at weekends. You can also find information on common health issues in the GP practice at kronemed.at. The health portal at gesundheit.gv.at also provides you with a comprehensive range of information on the Internet. If the usual painkillers do not work sufficiently for you, your GP will send you to a neurologist.

(Bild: Damir Khabirov - stock.adobe.com)

See a neurologist
They can confirm the diagnosis by ruling out other forms of headache. This may require a computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the head or an X-ray of the cervical spine.In addition to painkillers, there are also specific medications for migraines, known as triptans. A neurologist can prescribe such medication for you for the first time. However, if you take ten or more painkillers a month, the therapy itself can lead to headaches. 

Some neurology specialists focus on the different types of headache. They often have their own special outpatient clinic in the hospital. If your migraine attacks are not sufficiently manageable despite painkillers and attempts to treat them with various triptans, your neurologist or GP can refer you to such a headache outpatient clinic. 

In hospital, headache specialists can carry out an in-depth diagnosis and, under certain circumstances, use special medication to treat or prevent migraine attacks.

Further points of contact for migraines

• Psychologist: Stress is a possible trigger for migraine attacks. A psychologist or psychotherapist can show you how to deal with stress better in everyday life, for example with special relaxation exercises.
• Dietician: This is the specialist when it comes to positively influencing the condition by adjusting your diet. Numerous foods are possible triggers for migraines.
• Pharmacy: Like your doctor, your pharmacy is your point of contact for taking medication. Chronically ill patients should also discuss the use of over-the-counter herbal remedies with their GP in advance

(Bild: ROSSandHELEN photoqraphers)

KroneMED - your new health portal
On KroneMED, you can find everything you need to know about your medical condition and find out directly which contact point is the right one for your complaints. Click through the clear and interactive KroneMED navigation system.