Not The End Of The World

Migraine headaches can feel like the end of the world. Not only does it cause an intense throbbing pain to the head, but it carries baggage too. Take sensitivity to light as an example those that are in the midst of a migraine attack become overly sensitive to most lighting. Migraines unlike headaches do not develop without out a series of warning signs. Most migraine sufferers feel in the midst of their attack as if there is no way out and that their world is falling apart around them as a result of this miserable migraine however, there are warning signs that alert the migraine patient and several treatments and remedies to calm and soothe the ache.

Sometimes you hear people say while holding their head, “Aw man, I have a really bad migraine”, but do they really? Headaches can hurt, but trust me… If you had a true migraine you would definitely know so it is important that the individual suffering from head pain takes time to learn the differences between a migraine and headache so that the right treatment can be implemented. The most common and most simple way to determine if the pain being felt is indeed migraine or headache related is by knowing the symptoms of each. Headaches generally do not come with many side effects whereas a migraine comes with several side effect such as:

• Sensitivity to light and sounds
•  Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Blurred Vision
• Cognitive Difficulties
• Throbbing / Pounding Head Pain

Causes Of A Migraine

What causes such an intense reaction like a migraine? Medical professionals are still trying to dissect all there is to know about migraine headaches and how they are caused.  Though there is still much about migraines that are a mystery to medical professionals there has been an uncovering of some information regarding them and that information include migraine triggers. Many things can trigger a migraine. These things can include:

-Hormonal changes in women
-Food
-Stress
-Sensory stimuli
-Changes in wake-sleep pattern
-Alcohol
-Changes in the environment
-Medications

once a migraine trigger has been encountered the migraine patient then undergoes a series of changes or migraine stages that create further havoc on their body. Each migraine stage is unique but complicated and it is in the migraine patient’s best interest to learn as much as he or she can about the different migraine stages so he or she can implement a treatment quickly and effectively

Migraine Stages

Although the migraine has four stages, it does not necessarily mean that you will experience every stage each time. The four stages are: Prodrome, Aura, Attack and Postdrome. A few of the early warning signs can be seen in the first two stages.

Prodrome is the very first stage. It develops about one or two days prior to the severity of a migraine attack. You may experience a few of the following symptoms during this first migraine stage: food cravings, diarrhea, hyperactivity, irritability, and neck stiffness.

Aura is the second stage; not many people experience this particular migraine stage but when they do the symptoms can be a little frightening. If you do enter this stage, it mainly involves visual disturbances such as blind spots or flashes of light. Also, it can include a tingly feeling in your arm or leg or having speech problems.

Attack is the third stage of a migraine. You can experience sharp pulsating pains in one area of the head, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, diarrhea, and lightheadedness that is every now and then followed by fainting.

Postdrome is the fourth and final stage. This comes after the attack stage; most feel tired and drained of energy. Sometimes people even describe it as a slight euphoric feeling.

Some tests that a medical professional might have you can take for a positive diagnosis would include the Computerized Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), or Spinal Tap (Lumbar Puncture). Often a journal is kept to help log migraine attacks and migraine history so that the attending physician is better able to treat.

Migraine Treatment

There are two main categories of medications to look at: pain-relieving and preventive. Pain-relieving medications are taken while you have a migraine to lessen the pain. Whereas the preventative medications are taken on a daily basis in order to prevent or lessen the chances of an excruciating migraine attack. The basic pain relievers that are popularly known would be pills such as ibuprofen, Tylenol or Motrin. Preventative treatment would include the use of prescription medications, therapy or supplements like the Migraine Support Formula.

Tags: blurred vision, constipation, migraine attack, migraine headahces, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, nausea, vomiting