(NAPSA)—Manypeople look forward to leaving the pressures of daily life behind to go on vaca- tion or visit with family and friends, but whether you are flying, driving or taking a train,get- ting there can bestressful. While the stress of traveling can be tough for anyone, it can be more than just an inconvenience for the 29.5 million Americans who suffer from migraines. Some situations can actually trigger a migraine, such as loud noises, bright lights, a change in sleeping schedules or irregular meals. The good news is that with some planning, you can minimize the chance that a migraine will ruin your holiday or vacation. Know Your Triggers “The first step is recognizing your migraine triggers so you can try to avoid them,” says Lawrence Newman, M.D., associate professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and director of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and Beth Israel Medical Center’s Headache Institute. “Migraines can betrig- gered by a number of stimuli while traveling, such as dehydration or air pressure changes.” Dr. Newmansays it’s important to be aware of what you eat while traveling, since caffeine and convenient snacks such as cheese, chocolate or nuts are common migraine triggers. Since there may not be many healthy snack options “on the road,” it’s impor- tant to bring your own snack so you don’t skip a meal, and a bottle of water to stay hydrated. If you’re traveling by air, remember that airlines may not serve food or bev- erages on the plane, even if you are delayed several hours. Be sure to purchase a bottle of water once you are past security and before boarding the plane. Whentraveling by car, bus or train, you can help ensure a com- “A migraine attack can last Recognizing Migraine Symptoms According to the International Headache Society, a headacheis only a migraineif the following symptomsare present and not due fo any other cause. Migraines can last up to 72 hoursin several hours or longer,” says Newman. “However, when taken at the first sign of a migraine, medicines like Imitrex (sumatrip- tan succinate) Tablets can start to relieve the pain within 30 min- adults and mayinclude: utes.” Individual results may vary and patients should discuss treatment options with their health- At least two: Pain on one side of the head care provider. Christopher Elliott notes, “If your migraine medication comes in the form of nasal spray or injec- Moderate fo severe pain Throbbing pain e Worse pain when moving or bending tion, call your airline before your trip to check security guidelines for carrying those types of medications on board the plane.” At least one: e Nausea or vomiting e Sensitivity to light and sound For more information,visit www.imitrex.com. @ fortable trip by taking a few extra precautions. For instance, keep sunglasses with you, because About Imitrex (sumatriptan succinate) Tablets If the diagnosis is migraine, then migraine-specific prescription therapies, like Imitrex, are available for the acute treatment of migraine attacks, with or without aura, in adults. Imitrex was bright sunlight and glare can trigger migraines. Since stress in general can also the first prescription drug in a have a travel plan to reducestress. “Check with your airline on their recommendedairport arrival time for passengers and allowed carryon items,” says travel expert and the acute treatment of migraine in trigger migraines, it also helps to nationally syndicated columnist Christopher Elliott. “Give yourself at least one hour for domestic flights and two hours for international flights to check your luggage and get through security check- points without feeling rushed or stressed.” Whatto Do if a Migraine Strikes While Traveling Because it may be difficult to avoid certain migraine triggers while traveling, Dr. Newman recommends packing a migraine-specific medicine in an easily accessi- ble bag in case you need to useit while traveling or if your luggage is lost or stolen. class of drugs called triptans to receive U.S. Food and Drug Ad- ministration (FDA) approval for adults. Patients should not take Imitrex if they have certain types of heart disease, history of stroke or TIAs, peripheral vascular dis- ease, Raynaud syndrome, or blood pressure that is uncontrolled. Patients with risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dia- betes or smoking, should be evalu- ated by a doctor before taking Imitrex. Very rarely, certain peo- ple, even some without heart dis- ease, have had serious heartrelated problems. Patients who are pregnant, nursing or taking medications should talk to their doctor. For further information, please consult complete Prescrib- ing Information for Imitrex avail- able at www.imitrex.com.
