How to Treat Migraine Induced Nausea and Vomiting
Take paracetamol., Use anti-emetic drugs., Stay hydrated., Apply a cold compress to your forehead., Use menthol-based balms., Have a snack., Consider switching your birth control pills., Stop smoking.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take paracetamol.
Paracetamol is a very effective and easily available over-the-counter drug that can relieve a migraine.
It mainly acts by blocking certain chemicals in the body that cause the dilation of the blood vessels.
This stops the headache and, in turn, the nausea and vomiting too.
The usual dosage of paracetemol is a 500 mg tablet, taken up to 4 times per day after eating -
Step 2: Use anti-emetic drugs.
Anti-emetic drugs are drugs that are formulated to prevent emesis (which is the medical term for vomiting).
They act mainly by slowing the gastric action which causes regurgitation.
The most commonly used anti-emetic drugs are domperidone and ondensetron.
The dosage of domperidone is one 10 mg tablet which can be taken three times a day just before eating a meal or whenever nausea persists.
Ondensetron dosage is one 8 mg tablet taken twice a day before eating or whenever nausea persists. , Migraine is aggravated by dehydration, so when you experience nausea and vomiting, you might already be dehydrated.
Lack of fluid, specifically cerebral fluid, causes migraines.
Therefore, you should drink plenty of water as soon as you feel a migraine coming on, and make sure to replace lost fluids with a glass or two of water following a vomiting episode.
In order to prevent migraines you should avoid dehydration by drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. , An ice cold towel can be placed over the forehead to help alleviate the pain of the migraine.
It is believed that the cold temperature helps to constrict the dilated blood vessels on the surface of the brain which are causing the headache symptoms.
Once the migraine itself is alleviated, symptoms of nausea and vomiting should subside. , Though they are not backed up by any proper scientific research, menthol-based balms originating from the East (China and India mainly) can be applied over the forehead for relief of headaches.
A commonly available commercial form is “Vicks”.
It is believed that the strong menthol aroma can help constrict blood vessels and give relief.
However, the skeptical scientists believe the strength of the smell itself can “distract” the person from the pain of the headache, hence making the person believe that the headache has gone. , During migraine episodes, nausea and vomiting may also be triggered by hyperacidity.
If your stomach is hyper acidic it may give you the sensation of needing to vomit.
Having a light snack during migraine episodes can prevent the hyperacidity which leads to nausea and vomiting.
The best snacks are soda crackers.
Soda crackers contain sodium.
Sodium in the stomach reduces acidity.
Refrain from eating snacks high in acidity such as citrus fruits, protein containing food like beef, pork and peanuts and fermented and picked fruits foods. , Using birth control pills can cause headaches and migraines, leading to nausea and vomiting.
This type of migraine is caused by the drop in estrogen in a woman’s body.
The monthly pill pack of contraceptive contains placebo pills that are used during the days of menstruation.
However, during the other days of the month, a woman takes estrogen pills.
The shift of estrogen pills to placebo pills causes a drastic decrease in estrogen which causes migraine.
There are few ways to prevent this type of migraine.
When the root cause of the migraine induced nausea and vomiting is addressed, nausea and vomiting is also treated.
You can either: shift to contraceptive pills which contain fewer placebo pills; shift to contraceptive pills will lower dose of estrogen; shift to progesterone only birth control pills. , Studies have shown that smokers and second hand smokers are more prone to headaches and migraines associated with nausea and vomiting.
This is due to the nicotine found in cigarettes and tobaccos.
Nicotine causes the blood vessels in the brain to constrict.
Aside from nicotine, cigarette contains carbon monoxide which provokes a lack of oxygen to the brain, which triggers headache.
Smoking also causes a decrease in monoamine oxidase activity.
A decrease in monoamine oxidase activity is linked to an increase in occurrence of headaches.
Aside from that, studies have also shown that smoking causes hyperacidity which can lead to nausea and vomiting.
Therefore, it's a good idea to quit smoking, or at least cut back on it for a while. -
Step 3: Stay hydrated.
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Step 4: Apply a cold compress to your forehead.
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Step 5: Use menthol-based balms.
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Step 6: Have a snack.
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Step 7: Consider switching your birth control pills.
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Step 8: Stop smoking.
Detailed Guide
Paracetamol is a very effective and easily available over-the-counter drug that can relieve a migraine.
It mainly acts by blocking certain chemicals in the body that cause the dilation of the blood vessels.
This stops the headache and, in turn, the nausea and vomiting too.
The usual dosage of paracetemol is a 500 mg tablet, taken up to 4 times per day after eating
Anti-emetic drugs are drugs that are formulated to prevent emesis (which is the medical term for vomiting).
They act mainly by slowing the gastric action which causes regurgitation.
The most commonly used anti-emetic drugs are domperidone and ondensetron.
The dosage of domperidone is one 10 mg tablet which can be taken three times a day just before eating a meal or whenever nausea persists.
Ondensetron dosage is one 8 mg tablet taken twice a day before eating or whenever nausea persists. , Migraine is aggravated by dehydration, so when you experience nausea and vomiting, you might already be dehydrated.
Lack of fluid, specifically cerebral fluid, causes migraines.
Therefore, you should drink plenty of water as soon as you feel a migraine coming on, and make sure to replace lost fluids with a glass or two of water following a vomiting episode.
In order to prevent migraines you should avoid dehydration by drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. , An ice cold towel can be placed over the forehead to help alleviate the pain of the migraine.
It is believed that the cold temperature helps to constrict the dilated blood vessels on the surface of the brain which are causing the headache symptoms.
Once the migraine itself is alleviated, symptoms of nausea and vomiting should subside. , Though they are not backed up by any proper scientific research, menthol-based balms originating from the East (China and India mainly) can be applied over the forehead for relief of headaches.
A commonly available commercial form is “Vicks”.
It is believed that the strong menthol aroma can help constrict blood vessels and give relief.
However, the skeptical scientists believe the strength of the smell itself can “distract” the person from the pain of the headache, hence making the person believe that the headache has gone. , During migraine episodes, nausea and vomiting may also be triggered by hyperacidity.
If your stomach is hyper acidic it may give you the sensation of needing to vomit.
Having a light snack during migraine episodes can prevent the hyperacidity which leads to nausea and vomiting.
The best snacks are soda crackers.
Soda crackers contain sodium.
Sodium in the stomach reduces acidity.
Refrain from eating snacks high in acidity such as citrus fruits, protein containing food like beef, pork and peanuts and fermented and picked fruits foods. , Using birth control pills can cause headaches and migraines, leading to nausea and vomiting.
This type of migraine is caused by the drop in estrogen in a woman’s body.
The monthly pill pack of contraceptive contains placebo pills that are used during the days of menstruation.
However, during the other days of the month, a woman takes estrogen pills.
The shift of estrogen pills to placebo pills causes a drastic decrease in estrogen which causes migraine.
There are few ways to prevent this type of migraine.
When the root cause of the migraine induced nausea and vomiting is addressed, nausea and vomiting is also treated.
You can either: shift to contraceptive pills which contain fewer placebo pills; shift to contraceptive pills will lower dose of estrogen; shift to progesterone only birth control pills. , Studies have shown that smokers and second hand smokers are more prone to headaches and migraines associated with nausea and vomiting.
This is due to the nicotine found in cigarettes and tobaccos.
Nicotine causes the blood vessels in the brain to constrict.
Aside from nicotine, cigarette contains carbon monoxide which provokes a lack of oxygen to the brain, which triggers headache.
Smoking also causes a decrease in monoamine oxidase activity.
A decrease in monoamine oxidase activity is linked to an increase in occurrence of headaches.
Aside from that, studies have also shown that smoking causes hyperacidity which can lead to nausea and vomiting.
Therefore, it's a good idea to quit smoking, or at least cut back on it for a while.
About the Author
Debra Nguyen
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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