INTRODUCTION: Migraine is a disease, a headache is only a symptom. These headaches, with nausea and vomiting, routinely begin in childhood and tend to becomes less severe and often with age. They can occur any hour of the day, though they frequently starts in the morning. The pain is produce by vasodilation in the cranial blood vessels (expansion of the blood vessels), while Headache pain is caused by vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels). The disease characteristics can include: Pain usually on one side of the head with a pulsating or throbbing quality, Moderate to intense pain affecting day to day activities, Nausea or vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound.
Attacks normally last from 4 hours to 3 days, sometimes longer and visual disturbances or aura Exertion such as climbing stairs makes the headaches worse. Approximately 20 percent of sufferers experience aura, the warning associated with migraine, before the headache pain. It is often mis-diagnosed as sinus headaches or tension-type headaches and affects up to 15 percent of the population. Migraines can induce a host of serious physical ailments including strokes, aneurysms, permanent visual loss, severe dental problems, coma and even death. Sufferers experience not only excruciating pain, but social ostracism, loss of job, disruption of personal relationships, and prejudices in the workplace. These headaches appear to be caused in part by changes in the level of a body chemical called serotonin and they are not the same in everyone.
SYMPTOMS: May include Modest to severe pain on one or both sides of the head, Pulsating or throbbing pain, Pain that worsens with physical activity, Nausea with or without vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound. Approximately 20 percent of these persons experience what's called an aura prior to the headache pain. Symptoms of an aura include flashes of light, zig zags, or blind spots in your eyesight or tingling in one arm or leg. With a Classic migraine, a patient has these visual symptoms 10 to 30 minutes prior an attack: sees flashing lights or zigzag lines, has blind spots or loses vision for a short period of time. With a common migraine, a person does not have an aura, but does have the other signs, such as nausea and vomiting. Women also tend to report higher levels of pain, longer headache time, and greater number of symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
TREATMENT: Treatment is separated into eliminating particular triggers, control of the specific attack, and long-term prevention. There are two basic ways to treat migraine headaches with medicines: prevent the attacks, or relieve the symptoms during the attacks. A lot of people use both forms of treatment. Other home treatment plans can help, such as doing relaxation techniques and using cold packs. In your headache diary (you should keep one), make a list of home treatment methods that work for you in various situations.
Alternative medical treatments with medications belonging to the class known as the Phenothiazines have proven useful as non-analgesic alternatives for treating severe headaches.
As of today, there is no known cure for the disease, only treatments for the symptoms. Furthermore, such treatments are not yet wholely effective and sufferers may show a diminished tolerance to a variety of drugs, treatments, and pain management regimens. As always, speak with your MD about what sets off your headaches to aid finding the right treatment for you.
CONCLUSION: Migraine is a true neurological condition and frequently becomes worse in the first trimester of pregnancy, but many women are free of headaches later in their pregnancy. This affliction and epileptic seizure disorders are also interrelated. People who suffer from these headaches are often dismissed as neurotic complainers who are unable to handle stress. It is the 2nd most common type of headache syndrome in the US and is most often found in women, with a 3 to 1 female-to-male ratio. They can continue through the 30s and 40s.
Migraines afflict 28 million Americans, with females suffering more frequently (17%) than males (6%). This type of headache is one of the most common problems seen in emergency departments and doctor's offices. Occurrence among females increases sharply up to age 40 years and then declines gradually. Headaches tend to run in families, suggesting that genetic factors contribute to a persons susceptibility to the disease.
The National Headache Foundation suggests you speak to your physician about your headaches IF: you have several per month and each lasts for several hours or days, disrupts your home, work, or school life, you have nausea, vomiting, vision, or other sensory problems. Tests will be carried out to determine if you have migraine or not. Before your appointment, jot down: how often you have headaches, where the pain is located, how long they last, when they happen, such as during your menstrual cycle, other signs, such as nausea or blind spots, any family history of the disease. By simply talking with your physician, you may be able to give enough information to diagnose migraine.
Attacks normally last from 4 hours to 3 days, sometimes longer and visual disturbances or aura Exertion such as climbing stairs makes the headaches worse. Approximately 20 percent of sufferers experience aura, the warning associated with migraine, before the headache pain. It is often mis-diagnosed as sinus headaches or tension-type headaches and affects up to 15 percent of the population. Migraines can induce a host of serious physical ailments including strokes, aneurysms, permanent visual loss, severe dental problems, coma and even death. Sufferers experience not only excruciating pain, but social ostracism, loss of job, disruption of personal relationships, and prejudices in the workplace. These headaches appear to be caused in part by changes in the level of a body chemical called serotonin and they are not the same in everyone.
SYMPTOMS: May include Modest to severe pain on one or both sides of the head, Pulsating or throbbing pain, Pain that worsens with physical activity, Nausea with or without vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound. Approximately 20 percent of these persons experience what's called an aura prior to the headache pain. Symptoms of an aura include flashes of light, zig zags, or blind spots in your eyesight or tingling in one arm or leg. With a Classic migraine, a patient has these visual symptoms 10 to 30 minutes prior an attack: sees flashing lights or zigzag lines, has blind spots or loses vision for a short period of time. With a common migraine, a person does not have an aura, but does have the other signs, such as nausea and vomiting. Women also tend to report higher levels of pain, longer headache time, and greater number of symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
TREATMENT: Treatment is separated into eliminating particular triggers, control of the specific attack, and long-term prevention. There are two basic ways to treat migraine headaches with medicines: prevent the attacks, or relieve the symptoms during the attacks. A lot of people use both forms of treatment. Other home treatment plans can help, such as doing relaxation techniques and using cold packs. In your headache diary (you should keep one), make a list of home treatment methods that work for you in various situations.
Alternative medical treatments with medications belonging to the class known as the Phenothiazines have proven useful as non-analgesic alternatives for treating severe headaches.
As of today, there is no known cure for the disease, only treatments for the symptoms. Furthermore, such treatments are not yet wholely effective and sufferers may show a diminished tolerance to a variety of drugs, treatments, and pain management regimens. As always, speak with your MD about what sets off your headaches to aid finding the right treatment for you.
CONCLUSION: Migraine is a true neurological condition and frequently becomes worse in the first trimester of pregnancy, but many women are free of headaches later in their pregnancy. This affliction and epileptic seizure disorders are also interrelated. People who suffer from these headaches are often dismissed as neurotic complainers who are unable to handle stress. It is the 2nd most common type of headache syndrome in the US and is most often found in women, with a 3 to 1 female-to-male ratio. They can continue through the 30s and 40s.
Migraines afflict 28 million Americans, with females suffering more frequently (17%) than males (6%). This type of headache is one of the most common problems seen in emergency departments and doctor's offices. Occurrence among females increases sharply up to age 40 years and then declines gradually. Headaches tend to run in families, suggesting that genetic factors contribute to a persons susceptibility to the disease.
The National Headache Foundation suggests you speak to your physician about your headaches IF: you have several per month and each lasts for several hours or days, disrupts your home, work, or school life, you have nausea, vomiting, vision, or other sensory problems. Tests will be carried out to determine if you have migraine or not. Before your appointment, jot down: how often you have headaches, where the pain is located, how long they last, when they happen, such as during your menstrual cycle, other signs, such as nausea or blind spots, any family history of the disease. By simply talking with your physician, you may be able to give enough information to diagnose migraine.
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