Should I Visit the Emergency Room for a Migraine?

When preventative migraine medication fails, and abortive treatments no longer alleviate migraine-associated pain, how does a migraine sufferer know if and when they should visit their local emergency room for pain relief? Here are some basic things you should consider before visiting the ER for a migraine:

When Going to the Emergency Room is a Bad Idea

An accident victim or a person suffering from breathing problems would not hesitate to go to the hospital for treatment. However, migraine sufferers are, for the most part, better off at home than in the ER. Not only will you be subjected to long waits in a bright and noisy waiting area, there is no guarantee that the admitting doctor will even be able to relieve your pain any better than your regular doctor. Two reasons why seeking out migraine relief from a hospital is not the most helpful route:

1. When you are seeking immediate pain relief. Unfortunately, in the ER's order of priorities, migraine suffers are at the bottom of the ladder. You can expect a longer waiting time than any of the other emergency room patients, since migraines are not viewed as a life threatening condition. It is also an unfortunate fact that many ER doctors, nurses and staff view migraine patients as drug-seekers, and this ultimately results in the ER doctor not being able or willing to administer adequate pain medication.

2. When you do not have adequate health insurance. Often when you go to the hospital, the doctors on duty will want to run some tests to determine if, in fact, what you are experiencing is a migraine and not another undiagnosed medical problem. This is logical, but also costly, since this sometimes can involve expensive tests like CT scans, which are not necessarily covered by your health insurance provider.

When You Should Go to the Emergency Room

While going to the ER for a migraine is not generally recommended, there are situations when it is advisable. For instance, if your ER visit is under the advice from your doctor, or in these instances:

1. If your migraine has not responded to other treatment options. If it has been longer than 72 hours and your migraine pain has not subsided, it is imperative that you seek medical assistance immediately.

2. If you are in more pain than usual. If the degree of your migraine is intense and you can categorize as your "worst migraine ever".

3. If your migraine is accompanied by other unusual symptoms that are not typical for you. This includes: loss of vision, loss of consciousness or uncontrollable vomiting.

4. If your migraine was brought on by a head injury. If you experienced head trauma, it is important that you seek emergency medical treatment.

When You Should See Your Doctor

If you have not been properly diagnosed with a migraine, but believe you have one, you should see your doctor.

If you have a history of migraines, you should speak with your doctor on a regular basis to determine a treatment plan. This should include discussing options such as preventative medication, abortive medication and non-medical alternatives such as diet modifications and biofeedback.

Patients are also strongly encouraged to keep a migraine or headache diary detailing the specifics of their attacks. This can be beneficial for the physician in noting any patterns that might be causing the migraines.