MIGRAINE HEADACHES

WHAT ARE MIGRAINES?
We all have headaches at one time or another. Migraines are not your ordinary headache. They are a neurological disease and often misdiagnosed. Often very painful, fluctuating in diversity and severity, these headaches can be extremely debilitating to the point of doubting the quality of life with it. Occurring in adults as well as in children, migraines are responsible for absence in school and in the work place, no age is exempt.
Like a moving target, the pain associated with the attack can change or feel like it comes from a different area than its actual origin. Sometimes an aura accompanies the migraine and the sufferer may experience wavy lines, double vision and other ophthalmic phenomenon which disappear once the headache sets in. Vomiting, dehydration, mild to severe nausea and stroke-like neurological symptoms tag along with the migraine and just add to the misery. The pain, so fierce and annoying, will attempt to sap all your strength as it intensifies. Certain migraines cause disability in the way of living a normal life, interrupting family care, social affairs, sporting events and other activities enjoyed my most people. Most everyone resorts to some kind of medication to hopefully relieve it or at the least help cope with the pain so one can resume a normal life.

Many people with a familial history of migraine live with the fear of having one at anytime and anywhere, disrupting all activity. The inability to function normally in work or play is felt by more than 90% of all migraine victims during their attacks, which can be experienced on an almost daily basis but most commonly once or twice a month.

Migraine attacks generally last from 4 to 72 hours. Besides having a terrible throbbing headache from one side of the head, as in 2/3 of all migraines, a combination of numbness or tingling in arms and legs, visual impairment, sensitivity to sound, light or smell, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness producing overall weakness. These are typical migraine symptoms and may vary from one person to another since everybody is unique.
Complicated migraines are often misdiagnosed because there are so many other conditions that mimic the typical symptoms. Classifications of migraines are determined by the grouping of certain outward manifestations observed during the attacks, and because these symptoms originate from the same source, the term “syndrome” could be used in describing migraines. Since they vary widely these headaches are occasionally diagnosed incorrectly.

WHAT CAUSES A MIGRAINE?
Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, in the transitional period known as perimenopausal, or in menopause frequently produce migraines for countless women across the country. With the onset of menopause, migraines worsen in about 45% of women, while 15% notice an improvement and about 40% don’t notice any difference at all. Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy, (hrt), have been known to bring on migraines. In some women, some relief is found in hormone replacement therapy.

Family histories showing genetically inherited inclination towards migraines explain another cause. Stress from home, work or play can also bring one on.

Certain foods or skipping a meal, loud music, shouting, changes in weather, jet lag, too much or not enough sleep, physical exertion, and some medications are other triggers of migraines. Some of the food offenders are chocolate, spicy Asian meals containing monosodium glutamate, too much caffeine, and aspartame, which is a chemical sweetener used in a lot of foods from chewing gum to cakes.

Identification of what begins a migraine can be tricky and confusing for a lot of people and doctors. Even more bewildering is when an attack never occurs even though one or more triggers are present. This might be the result of having a long period of time between attacks thereby making the body less sensitive to the stimuli that produce migraines.

Keeping a detailed diary often helps in identifying the triggers. Information of what day, where you go, what you did, the kinds of foods eaten and when, your moods, how you slept are all important to try to establish a pattern or cause of migraines.
Exercise programs are usually avoided by migraine sufferers because they worry that an attack will be triggered by all the activity involved. When in reality, exercise following common sense guidelines would allow them to improve their quality of life, flexibility and endurance as well as generate an overall feeling of wellness.

Medications under a physician’s care are highly recommended when experiencing a migraine. Many people have tried alternative, traditional and somewhat unorthodox medicine in the hopes of finding relief, sometimes to no avail. Research is continuously being made to help the millions of people suffering from these painful head aches and until then, take care of yourself as best as you can.

Tags: headaches, migraine attacks, migraine treatment, Migraines, side effects, symptoms, treating migraines, vascular headachce