Migraine

A migraine is defined as a recurrent throbbing headache, typically affecting one side of the head and often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision.  The word migraine is of French origin, but comes from the Greek word hemicrania, which means "only half the skull".  More than 28 million Americans suffer from migraines, but three times more women suffer from it than men.  Migraine suffers often refer to it as disabling because it can incapacitate you for hours or even days.  But these migraines sometimes come with warning signs called auras.  These auras can be flashes of light, blind spots, or tingling in the arms or legs.  Once the migraine has set in nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light and sound begin to affect you.  There is no cure for migraines, but there are treatments.  Medications can help reduce the number of migraines you have or stop the pain once it has begun. 

Migraines and the frequency in which they can occur vary from person to person.  The pain can be moderate to severe and you can experience the pain not only on one side of the head, but both.  This pain can be throbbing or pulsating.  The pain can worsen with physical activity and hinder you from your regular daily activities.  Migraines can last from 4 to 72 hours without treatment.  Some migraine sufferers receive warning signs called auras.  Migraines with auras are called common migraines.  Auras can be seen as sparkling flashes of light, dazzling zigzag lines or slowly spreading blind spots in your field of vision.  Tingling like pins and needles sensation in one arm or leg can accompany the aura.  Rarely, weakness or language and speech problems can also occur as warning signs.  Auras can last 15 to 30 minutes before the migraine sets in.  Also, some migraine sufferers also receive sensations of premonition which can last several hours or even days before the migraine attacks.  Symptoms of premonition include feeling of elation or intense energy, craving for sweets, thirst, drowsiness and irritability or depression.  But what if you don't receive these warning signs of an oncoming migraine?  How can you tell if you are having one?  Nausea with or without vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, or odor usually indicate that you are suffering from a migraine.  If you suffer migraines without auras your migraine would be typically called classic migraines.  

But what causes migraines?  Much about migraine today remains a mystery to researchers.  Some researchers believe that changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway and imbalances in brain chemicals i.e. serotonin (regulates pain messages going through the major pain pathway) cause a migraine.  The researchers believe that a drop in serotonin levels force the trigeminal nerve system to release neuropeptides.  These neuropeptides travel to the brain's outer covering causing the blood vessels to dilate and become inflamed.  The result is the migraine.  But this one cause is still being researched and as stated before, much about migraines is unknown.  But what is known is what can trigger a migraine.  One trigger of a migraine can be hormonal changes.  The exact coloration between migraines and hormones are unclear, but what is clear is that when estrogen or progesterone levels fluctuate they trigger a migraine in women.  Women who suffer from migraines state that their migraines worsen before or during their menstruation cycle.  Others states that their migraines worsen during pregnancy or menopause.  Hormonal medications (hormonal replacement therapy or contraceptives) can also worsen migraines.  

Another trigger of a migraine can be food.  Certain foods can trigger migraine in some people.  Such foods include alcohol (beer or red wine), aged cheeses, chocolate, caffeine, seasonings and many canned and processed foods.  Fasting or missing a meal can also trigger a migraine.  Other triggers of migraines can be stress, sensory stimulus, physical factors, changes in the environment and medications. 

There are risk factors involved with migraines.  One risk factor is family history.  If one or both your parents suffer from migraines you have a 50/50 chance of becoming a sufferer yourself.  If you are young and female your chances of having migraines increase.  Now, migraines can affect both boys and girls equally in childhood, but after puberty girls who might suffer from migraine increase. 

Migraines can cause complications.  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin and aspirin can cause side affects.  These side affects can be abdominal pain, bleeding and ulcers if they are taken in larger doses then prescribed.  Over-the-counter drugs (OTC) and certain prescriptions, if taken in large quantities can result in rebound migraines.  Although these drugs can relieve or stop the pain, they can not only stop relieving the pain but they start another migraine.  

As said before, there is no cure for migraines.  But there are treatments or medications.  Treatments are broken down into two categories.  Pain relieving medications which stop the pain once it has begun and preventive medications which reduce or prevent a migraine.  Pain relieving medications can be Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), triptans (Imitrex), ergots (Mirgranal nasal spray) and medications for nausea (Reglan).  It is advised that a migraine sufferer take pain relieving medications as soon as signs or symptoms of a migraine occur.  Preventive medications are cardiovascular drugs or beta blockers, antidepressants (Pamelor), NSAIDs, antiseziure drugs and botox.  Preventive medications don't get rid of the migraine completely, but instead decrease the frequency, severity and length of the migraine.  These medications can increase the effectiveness of pain relieving medications during the migraine attack.  But consult your doctor first about what medications to take for your migraines. 

Migraines are throbbing headaches that typically affect one side of the head and are usually accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision.  Migraines can last 4 to 72 hours or even days, depending on the sufferer.  And although there is no cure for migraines there are medications which can help relieve or stop the pain altogether of migraines.  Not much is known about migraines, but researchers are finding a way to find out what exactly causes migraines and how to remove them from people who suffer from them on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.  But always consult your doctor about your migraines and what medications can be taken to relieve or stop the pain they cause.  Play it safe when it comes to migraines.