Migraine: helping clients choose treatment and identify triggers

Migraine is a common complaint causing untold difficulties or aggravation for the sufferer. Clients with migraine can have very real fears of possible pathologies and the nurse is in a strong position to dispel these fears with information and reassurance. This article discusses information and knowledge which nurses can use to enable clients to take control over their migraine: from the range of choices about treatment to the identification of triggers that precipitate migraine or identification of factors to inhibit attacks. Treatments may be broad ranging from non-pharmacological to pharmacological approaches, which may be either symptomatic or prophylactic. Pharmacological treatments are presented in detail indicating the range of types from analgesia to antidepressants.