Migraine Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Andheri East, Mumbai
A migraine is distinct from an ordinary headache. One-sided throbbing pain, persistent nausea, and painful sensitivity to light and sound mark a neurological event, and knowing how it unfolds is often the first step in managing it. CritiCare Asia Hospitals is a neurology hospital in Mumbai where headache evaluation is organised to keep visits purposeful. Patients seeking migraine treatment in Andheri East, Mumbai can expect an assessment that moves quickly from history to a working plan.
Symptoms and the Four Phases of a Migraine Attack
Not everyone has all four phases, and attacks do not always follow the same course. Recognising them turns a migraine from an ambush into something you can anticipate. A migraine doctor in Andheri East can help identify your own pattern.
- Prodrome
appears hours, sometimes days, before the headache. Mood swings, unusual food cravings, neck stiffness and poor concentration are subtle, and many patients notice them only afterwards. - Aura
affects a smaller share of patients and develops gradually over 5 to 20 minutes, resolving within an hour. Visual aura is most frequent, with flashing lights, zigzag patterns, or a spreading blind spot. Sensory aura may bring tingling that begins in one hand and travels up the arm, and some patients have difficulty finding words or following conversation. - Headache
usually one-sided, throbbing and aggravated by movement. Left untreated, it may last 4 to 72 hours, often with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, sound and sometimes smell. - Postdrome
follows as the pain eases, known as the "migraine hangover". Fatigue, brain fog and lingering light sensitivity can persist for a day or two.
What Exactly Is a Migraine
Migraine is classed as a primary headache disorder, not just a severe headache. Pain is the most visible part, but an attack involves a wider cascade of abnormal nerve signals, brain chemicals and blood vessel activity, with effects beyond the head.
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide, plays a central role by triggering inflammation and blood vessel dilation that drive much of the pain. This has clinical weight: it is why CGRP-targeted treatments generally outperform standard painkillers for migraine specifically. A migraine specialist in Andheri East can explain how this shapes treatment choice.
Common Migraine Triggers
Triggers vary, but several categories recur:
- Stress, in the build-up and in the drop afterwards
- Irregular sleep, too little or too much
- Bright or flickering light, strong smells and loud noise
- Alcohol, caffeine withdrawal, and foods such as aged cheese or processed meats
- Hormonal shifts, especially the fall in oestrogen many women experience around menstruation
A short log of attacks, with timing, symptoms and preceding events, often exposes a pattern that is invisible in the moment.
When a Migraine Becomes an Emergency
Most migraines, however severe, are not dangerous, but some symptoms must not be waited out. Seek urgent medical attention from a neurologist if a headache:
- Comes on suddenly and is the worst you have ever had
- Arrives with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or seizures
- Follows a head injury
- Brings new weakness, numbness or speech trouble unlike your usual pattern
These can indicate a condition more serious than migraine.
How Migraine Is Treated
Treatment is not one-size-fits-all. It generally combines two approaches: reducing how often attacks occur, and managing them effectively when they do.
Preventive treatment suits patients with frequent or severe migraines. Daily medication can lower attack frequency over time, with options including certain blood pressure medicines, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and newer CGRP monoclonal antibody injections given monthly or quarterly. Consistent sleep, regular meals, and stress management support medication and do not replace it.
Acute treatment addresses an attack in progress. Over-the-counter NSAIDs, taken early, can control mild attacks. Triptans remain the standard prescription for moderate to severe migraine, narrowing blood vessels and interrupting pain pathways. Gepants, newer CGRP-blocking medicines, provide a targeted alternative where triptans fall short.
The right combination depends on attack frequency, severity, and what the patient has already tried.
Migraine Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Andheri East, Mumbai
Migraine management works best when personalised. One patient's triggers rarely match another's, so treatment begins by identifying that pattern, not by applying a standard protocol. At CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Andheri East, our neurology team evaluates frequency, severity and history, and consultations and follow-up reviews are scheduled to keep the plan moving without repeated back-and-forth. Preventive and acute care are combined where needed. If your migraines are frequent, severe, or changing in pattern, book a consultation with our migraine specialists in Andheri East at CritiCare Asia Hospitals to build a plan around your triggers.