DO YOU REALLY HAVE A MIGRAINE HEADACHE?

COMPARING MIGRAINES WITH REGULAR HEADACHES
Headaches happen to all people at any time anywhere on earth and to all ages. Even while sleeping, one can rudely be awakened by a headache. They come and go without much thought by most people, that is, until a migraine headache is experienced.

There is no headache like a migraine in comparison. These painful neurological disorders cause a lot of disruption in the lives of millions of people worldwide. Migraines are characterized by a throbbing, sharp, continuous pain in the head usually intensifying from some outside stimuli and sometimes preceded by an aura(visual abnormalities). There are so many variables to consider, when having a headache, to be able to identify it as a migraine and then what type it is.

Other symptoms of migraines are sensitivity to light or sound, both of which have been known to accelerate the pain immensely and cause mental weakness to the point the sufferer wants to lay down. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness and visual impairment are linked to migraine attacks, which can happen daily, lasting 24 hours, and sometimes up to several days.

Tension headaches resemble migraines so much that it has been thought these two types were in fact the same kind. Since fatigue and stress can start both a tension or migraine headache, the difference lies with the ability of a migraine being triggered by stimuli ranging from loud music, screaming kids, loud noises, strong smells, certain foods, changes in the weather and hormonal changes (usually in women). On the other hand, a tension headache usually begins when a person endures tense and stressful situations coupled with being under pressure. Tension headaches are far less severe and not disabling.

Sinus headaches sometimes accompany migraines, when in fact the migraine could be located in that part of the brain behind the sinuses. How intense the pain is or if there is any nausea or sensitivity to light involved with the headache, can help in diagnosing a migraine. A true sinus headache is caused by an infection of the sinuses producing excretions of green and yellow. The pain would be eliminated with the treatment of the infection.

SIGNS OF A MIGRAINE HEADACHE

A checklist of a few migraine indicators are listed below:

 The number of headaches per month and the intensity of the pain involved.
 Sensory problems such as tingling or numbness in the hand or face.
 Vomiting, nausea or convulsions accompanying the headache.
 Cognitive problems in thinking or loss of alertness with the headache.
 Having painful areas around the ears or eyes.
 Having vision problems such as blind spots, blurred or double vision or squiggly lines.
 The inability to enjoy family life or any other enjoyable outing or activity due to the annoying disabling pain.
 Any traumatic head injuries or dental problems should also be looked into.
 A family history of migraines.

TESTS FOR MIGRAINE HEADACHE

Keeping a diary of all the times you have a headache can be most helpful when you see your doctor. Below are several questions doctors need to ask:

 How often do these headaches occur?
 How long do they last and where exactly is the pain located?
 Is there a history of migraines in the family?
 Are there any particular times for these headaches to occur?
 Do you experience any nausea, tingling, numbness or visual problems such as double vision, blurred vision, spots or squiggly lines or other optical difficulties?
 What are the medications that you are presently taking? List the doses and any side effects that you encountered.
 What is your health history?
Sometimes a MRI or a CT scan would be scheduled by your physician in order to accurately diagnose what could be the cause of the headaches.

TREATMENTS FOR MIGRAINES
Many types of treatments are available for migraine headaches. Not all of them promise relief and some cause the pain to worsen. Almost a trial and error method is used to find what works best for you. The main goal is to get rid of the pain. Pain-relieving medications, either prescribed or just the average over the counter varieties, are widely used. Depending on the person and what type of migraine diagnosed, these remedies have given help with the pain to thousands of people. It is recommended that you first see your doctor before taking any type of medicine.
Alternative treatments involve a change of lifestyle, which includes light to moderate exercise, watching what you eat, sleeping aids, massages or chiropractic therapies, hot baths or just trying to relax.

Hormone therapy has helped a lot of women who get migraines during their period or at the onset of menopause.
Talking to other sufferers can also lead to all kinds of remedies or ideas to get relief for migraines. It’s a good way to share the pain and help others or yourself to cope with this disease and perhaps make a friend or two. Remember, there is no cure for migraines. Cope with or manage the headaches is the best we could hope for right now. So hang in there.

Tags: constipation, Depression, emotional stress, Fatigue, migraine triggers, strange food cravings, triggers