GOT MIGRAINE?

WHAT IS A MIGRAINE?
Migraines are defined as the worst headache a person could have. Actually it is a neurological disorder that manifests itself with very painful headaches that can put a person out of commission for several hours or for several days. These headaches are so severe in some people that their very lives are on hold and often suffer days of lost work or school. Millions of people suffer this disorder around the world and what’s worse is the fact that there is no cure for it. There is no age limit and earliest documented age for having a migraine was observed in a child 18 months old. On the other side of the scale elderly people in their 80’s have had them too. The ages most common for having migraines are between 20 to55 and migraines are frequent in more women than men.
There are four general phases of a migraine. The prodrome, aura, pain and postdrome phases may not all occur at once. The severity, frequency and duration vary from one person to another.

MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS
Migraines start out similar to a tension headache but differ in the length and strength of it. Lasting anywhere from 5 to 72 hours, throbbing and pulsating and generally found towards the back of the head, the migraine then increases and affects the autonomic systems of the body. These are recurrent headaches and can be very debilitating. Some sufferers have them on a daily basis while others get them less frequently.
In addition to the pain, visual anomalies occur which is called an aura. Wavy or squiggly lines with or without color, bright or flashing lights, blind spots, blurred or double vision describes what an aura is all about. People having an aura will soon get a migraine headache and when they do the aura disappears.

Besides aura and pain, other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and a heightened sensitivity to light and sound occur. Diagnosing migraines can be challenging because headaches could be caused by other diseases as well. Because the exact cause of migraines is unknown, this disorder has become complicated and not widely understood.

THE PHASES DEFINED
The prodrome, better known as the warning phase, occurs about 2 hours to 2 days prior to the onset of the painful migraine headache. It is usually characterized by irritability, depression or mood swings, fatigue, gastro-intestinal irregularities, cravings for certain foods and increase sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. It may or may not have an aura with it. About 60% of those with migraines experience this phase.
The aura phase is known as a transient focal neurological phenomenon. It usually occurs approximately 30 to 60 minutes before the headache begins. An array of visionary anomalies takes place and sometimes vision seems limited, like half the picture is seen. About 99% of the people experiencing aura has this symptom. Other varieties of aura are sensory in nature like the feeling of pins and needles felt on the hand and then moving upward to the mouth and nose area on the same side then followed by numbness and a loss of position sense. Other symptoms of the aura phase are speech difficulties coupled with motor problems such as dizziness and weakness. Some auras have no pain accompanying them and are termed a silent aura.
The pain phase is the widely known migraine headache. The pain could be severe or mild and starts out gradually. The intensity of the pain increases with activity, while other symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, sensitivity to lights, sounds and smells develop a little while later. Light-headedness and confusion sometimes accompany this phase and some people seek out a quiet dark place to cope with this migraine.
The postdrome phase occurs when the effects of the migraine along with the migraine pain has subsided. Some people have cognitive difficulties for a few days after and feel “hung over” and weak while others may feel unusually refreshed and euphoric after the attack. Depression and a general feeling of illness can sometimes follow an attack also.

CAUSES OR TRIGGERS
The direct causes of migraines are unknown but thought to be a combination of environmental and genetically related factors. Many people who have a family history of migraines are prone to these attacks and a study of certain triggers could be identified in order to avoid them, thus reducing the frequency of the migraine. Keeping a diary of the foods eaten and when, the places visited and when and the activities engaged in and when, would help in trying to find out some of the triggers bringing on a migraine. Prevention is one way to alleviate these attacks.
Overall, migraines are still being researched. Treatments vary, but the primary quest is to stop the pain. Medications, therapies and support groups are good sources for relief. Be sure to consult your doctor for more ideas on relief and pain management. This could be very encouraging for you.

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