An abdominal migraine is a variation of a migraine headache. It rarely affects adults, but 2% of children contract this type of migraine. Girls are more likely to get it than boys. It usually shows up in children who have a family history of migraine headache. Instead of the regular headache, the pain is in the belly near the naval or midline area. Abdominal migraine is a result of a migraine trigger. The symptoms are severe abdominal pain, nausea, cramping, and often vomiting. Children who experience this type of migraine will probably have regular migraine headaches when they are older.
CAUSES OF ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE
The specific cause of abdominal migraine has not yet been discovered but there is a theory developing that may prove to be true. This theory has to do with changes in two chemicals; histamine and serotonin. Experts now believe that stress and anxiety can cause fluctuations in these two chemicals, thus causing migraine headache and abdominal migraine. Furthermore, it is thought that certain foods, Chinese, processed meats, and chocolate have ingredients like nitrites that trigger migraine headache and abdominal migraine. Excessive air swallowing can also cause this condition as well as other gastrointestinal problems. Children often display an interference with eating and bloating.
SYMPTOMS OF ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE
The symptoms of abdominal migraine are as follows:
• Acute, severe midline abdominal pain associated with nausea
• Vomiting
• Paleness
• Inability to eat
The abdominal pain may last from one hour to three days. Unlike migraine headaches that have an aura as a warning sign that the migraine is coming, abdominal migraines come very suddenly with no warning at all. Because of their suddenness and severity, they can give anxiety to the person experiencing them.
DIAGNOSING ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE
Abdominal migraine is difficult to diagnose. Children often cannot tell the difference between this condition and a regular stomach ache. Reviewing a family medical history is important for a doctor to diagnose this condition properly. The first step is to eliminate any other possibilities for the pain. Then the doctor can use symptoms of migraine headache to further diagnose the problem. Here are some of the symptoms of abdominal migraine:
• Moderate to severe midline pain lasting from one hour to 72 hours
• Nausea, vomiting
• Anorexia (an inability to eat)
• Yawning, listlessness, drowsiness
• Headache
• Pallor (paleness of the skin)
• Dark shadows under the eyes
• Flushing
TREATMENTS FOR ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE
There are no real treatments for this type migraine except the same drugs that treat regular migraine headache. Since many of these medicines are not approved for children, other solutions must be taken. Adults and children who are informed as to the nature of this condition will be able to better cope with the migraine symptoms than those who do not understand what is happening in their bodies. Also, if the triggers for abdominal migraine can be discovered, then avoiding these will help prevent the migraine from coming. A daily diary for these children is a primary key to treatment. Parents need to take the time to document what their children eat each day and each occurrence of abdominal migraine. With these factors, the triggers for this type migraine can be managed, allowing children to grow and enjoy their childhood without the debilitating effects of abdominal migraine.
Tags: migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, migraine triggers, Migraines, natural treatment, symptoms of migraines
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