GOT MIGRAINES?

DESCRIBING MIGRAINES
A migraine headache is a throbbing pain often in the front or on one or both sides of the head. This pain could fluctuate with intensity and can be severe enough to actually incapacitate its victim. It makes you feel like your head is going to explode and can last for several days. They are often misdiagnosed because they are misunderstood and complex and they can be linked to other conditions as well.
There is no definite cure for migraines and the causes are even more perplexing. There are so many factors that can trigger a migraine, that it’s a never ending list and through the studies done on the subject, reveal even more areas not thought of that can initiate one of these awful headaches.
An aura sometimes happens about 30 minutes before an attack. Most people with this symptom automatically know that a migraine is imminent and prepare for it. Auras appear like wavy or squiggly lines or bright lights, blind spots, blurred or double vision. These ocular abnormalities dissipate with the arrival of the migraine.

There are several different types of auras. They can be visual, as described above, sensory or motor in nature and in 99% of the cases with aura, more than one are experienced. Sensory auras are the second most common and characterized by a tingling or numbness feeling beginning in the hand and working up to the face, usually on the same side and followed by a loss of position sense. Having trouble speaking or with language denotes this type of aura also. Difficulty in the way of going about or feeling the world spinning around coupled with weakness describes what motor auras are all about. Another aura is called the silent migraine because it doesn’t produce any pain at all just the ocular anomalies.

SOME CAUSES OF MIGRAINES
There are so many reasons why migraine headaches are so prevalent in today’s world. Our environment is full of things that have proven to bring on these headaches. Loud noises that could trigger a migraine seem to be everywhere, for example: babies screaming, people yelling, balloons popping, loud music or dogs barking.

A family history of migraines proves a genetic connection. The tendency, for people with this genetic factor, is more favorable for migraines with aura than without aura. Stress, hunger or fatigue can also generate a migraine. Stress alone has caused so much disruption in the lives of so many people and is the most likely culprit for some really bad migraines. Exercise or other physical activity sometimes produces a migraine especially if the individual is already tired. Because migraines do wake people up in the middle of the night, a good restful continuous sleep cannot be attained and the pattern of sleeplessness begins, that can trigger a migraine.

Then there are the hormonal changes, mostly felt by women, during menstruation or menopause that can initiate a migraine. Studies show that the female hormones called estrogen and progesterone drop to their lowest levels and sets off a migraine just before or during the menstrual flow. These two hormones play a key role in regulating the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Headaches get better when the estrogen levels are steady, and when the levels drop or change, the headaches get worse. This is why during pregnancy many women get migraines and after the third month the headaches seem to fade away.

MIGRAINE TREATMENTS
Many treatments are available but before you decide which way to go, it is highly advisable to talk with your doctor. Medications, both over the counter varieties and prescribed remedies should be cautiously considered. Side effects and possible reactions to vitamins or other medications, used for other conditions you might suffer with, can have an adverse effect on your health and cause more harm than good.
Alternative treatments are also used in place of the more traditional methods. Acupuncture has been tried by many people and with positive results. Relaxation is crucial here in reducing the pain.

Stress management is not only important in avoiding migraines but also in relieving them. Stress is the number one cause for many of today’s syndromes or conditions. It could even kill you. Migraines happen a lot with stress related jobs. That’s another reason life style changes are so beneficial for the relief of stress. Light exercise, playing games, gardening, crafts of all kinds, and reading can help an individual unload stress. Whatever seems to work for you is worth a try.

Hopefully one day with adequate research for migraines, a cure will be found. Until then keep a diary of your migraines of what, when, where and how they might have been started. This might help in avoiding what may trigger a migraine for you.

Tags: Acupuncture, chiropractic care, Massage Therapy, migraine headaches, Migraine Support Formula, migraine treatment