Migraine

Headaches are a fact of life, we all get one from time to time.  But when the pain is severe and accompanied by other symptoms, it could be a migraine. 

The migraine headache is a headache that reoccurs and where the pain is usually on one side of the head.  This pain can be severe and may last up to 72 hours.  A chemical change in the blood vessels that connect to the brain is the underlying cause. 

Migraines most commonly first start to occur in childhood and the frequency will become greater in adolescence.  Most people that suffer from migraines will have had their first migraine by the age of 30 and will continue through their 40s.  The frequency and intensity of the migraines will usually decrease as we age.  However, the frequency of migraines can vary from person to person and women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men are. 

Some of the symptoms of migraines are: sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and/or vomiting, a severe, throbbing pain on one side of the head and vision problems, such as blind spots, flashing lights and zigzag patterns. 

Certain types of foods are believed to trigger migraine headaches.  Some of these are alcohol (particularly the darker varieties, such as rum and whisky), dairy products, citrus or dried fruits, avocados, bananas, caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame) and monosodium glutamate (also known as MSG and can be found in Chinese foods). 

Stress can be a major factor that can trigger a migraine headache.  For a lot of women, any kind of hormonal changes (such as a menstrual cycle) can trigger a migraine.  Sleeping for too long or not getting enough sleep can trigger a migraine as well as a change in your sleep pattern.  Other things that can trigger a migraine are smoking cigarettes or ingesting nicotine in any other method, skipping a meal, which causes low blood sugar, a change in the altitude or the weather, traveling in a car or plane and for some women, taking birth control pills. 

Treatments for migraines can be with or without medications.  Probably one of the best treatments for a migraine headache is sleep.  Lying down in a dark, quiet room with a cool cloth or ice pack on your head usually does the trick.  Another non-medication treatment for a migraine is acupuncture.  Most people that only suffer mild pain from migraines use over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen to treat their headaches.  People that suffer from moderate to severe headaches opt for prescription medications that focus on stopping the headache completely rather than just relieving the pain.  

There are a couple of ways to help prevent the occurrence of migraine headaches.  One is to avoid the things that trigger a migraine, such as what you eat and reducing stress.  The other is to take preventive medications prescribed by your doctor.  Although there is no cure for migraine headaches, you can greatly reduce the occurrence of them.