Migraine Headaches Explained

What is a migraine? It is a headache with throbbing pain that is usually worse on one side of the head. The pain is often severe enough to deter daily activities and may last from four hours to three days if left untreated. More than one in 10 Americans, including one in 6 women, have migraines, but many have been told mistakenly that they have a sinus or tension headache. Foods, stress, and hormones can trigger migraines.

Migraine Symptoms

The classic migraine symptom is throbbing pain occurring on one side near the temples, forehead, and eyes. Migraines can make you very sensitive to light, sound, or mild exertion. Many people have nausea, vomiting, or vision problems. The pain can be disabling, forcing people to miss work or other activities.

About 20% of people who suffer from migraines will have an aura about 20 minutes to an hour before the pain. They may see flashing lights, wavy lines, or dots, or they may have blurry vision or blind spots. These are called “classic migraines.” Some people who experience aura do not experience pain with their migraines. These are called “silent migraines.”

Warning Signs for Migraines

About 1 in 4 people experience a prodrome phase, which can occur as early as 24 hours before any head pain. With some people, it may be a change in mood before a migraine begins. They may become more excitable, irritable, or depressed. Others may detect a sensation, such as a funny smell or taste. They may feel more fatigued, yawn frequently, or experience muscle tension.

Causes

Doctors are still trying to figure out what causes a migraine but the problem is considered to be neurological (related to the nervous system). It is believed that brain chemicals, blood vessels, and nerves of the brain are involved.

Triggers

Migraines may be set off by specific causes, such as flickering lights. This could be a reflection from snow or water or from fluorescent bulbs or television or movie screens. Polarized sunglasses may help with the outside and using daylight spectrum fluorescent bulbs may help on the inside.

Another common trigger is Emotional stress. While it’s impossible to completely avoid stress, relaxation exercises can help you cope. Inhale and exhale slowly, letting the air fill you and then deflate like a balloon. Some people find that thinking of a peaceful scene or listening to favorite music can help. Even a massage can help relax your muscles and reduce stress.

People prone to migraines need to have a regular pattern of meals and sleep. Low blood sugar from skipped meals as well as eating too much sugar can trigger a migraine. Drink water throughout the day to avoid dehydration and sleep at least six to eight hours a night.

For many women, migraines are associated with their menstrual cycle. Some women may benefit from anti-inflammatory medication before their headaches begin, or hormonal birth control such as pills, patches, or rings. However, some women may find no benefit from these or may have worse migraines with hormonal birth control.

Migraine sufferers often report that certain foods trigger their headaches. Common culprits include MSG, red wine, cheese, chocolate, soy sauce, and processed meats. However, this evidence is purely anecdotal and scientific studies haven’t confirmed any particular food as a migraine trigger.

Tyramine, a substance created from the breakdown of the amino acid tyrosine, is found in aged, fermented, and stored foods. Tyramine may cause blood vessels to constrict and then expand, and it may be a trigger for some migraines. Limiting aged and fermented foods may help.

Caffeine can help provide relief from headaches when combined with some pain medications. Those who suffer from migraines can drink a cup or two a day of coffee without any problems. However, too much caffeine can lead to headaches when the stimulating effect wears off.

Tracking Your Triggers

A headache diary will help find out what triggers your migraines. Each time you suffer from a migraine, make a note about the warning signs (the “prodrome”), what you ate or what activity you were doing, and the severity. If you can discover some of your personal triggers, you may be able to avoid future headaches.

Who Gets Migraines

Women are three times more likely to have migraines than men. If you have a close relative with migraines, you are much more likely to have migraines, too. Migraine is also more common among people who have epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and some other neurologic and hereditary disorders. About 5% of the children with headache problems suffer from migraines. Both boys and girls can get migraines, but after puberty they are more common among girls.

Migraines are disabling. They can come on quickly and interfere with daily life. Knowing what triggers your migraines is essential to controlling episodes, thus preserving a good quality of life.

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