Oh, The Pain

The intense and throbbing pain of a migraine headache is due to the enlarging of the blood vessels in the brain. When a migraine begins to develop the blood vessels in the brain begin to enlarge or expand thus creating a painful and throbbing sensation in the head that could last up to three full days. As the blood vessels expand they begin to release harmful chemicals into the brain which in return begin to attack the brains arteries. In hopes of defending itself the brains arteries begin to fight back by releasing a whole slew of miserable migraine symptoms such as:

•An intense throbbing, pounding feeling typically located on one side of the forehead
oPain can also generate in the back of the head
oPain can formulate right above one eye
•The pain is often described as unilateral meaning the pain is typically felt or experienced on one side of the head.
oReports have shown that about one third of most migraine headaches are described as being felt on both sides of the head also referred to as bilateral.
oThe pain felt from the migraine on one side of the head can alternate to the other side of the head during the next migraine attack. If you frequent migraine attacks on the same side of the head please speak with your doctor immediately this could imply something more serious is occurring.
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Diarrhea
•Paleness
•Coldness in the hands and feet
•Sensitivity to light and sound

Though a migraine is a neurological condition it is often mistaken for a headache by those who are unsure as to what the differences are between a migraine and a headache. If chronic head pain is had then it might be advantageous for you the sufferer to seek out some form of medical advice to help you determine what you are feeling or are experiencing.

Hmmm…

Though both a headache and a migraine have some similarities, there are a few distinct characteristics of a headache that sets it apart from a migraine. Pay close attention to the next few bullet points they should explain in more detail what a headache vs. a migraine looks like.

•A headache attacks quickly and with no warning where as a migraine we learned has preemptive warning signs.
•Migraines can last up to three days headaches a few hours.
•A headache though bothersome does not typically result in a loss of productivity and the inability to function.
•Headaches feel more like a pulsing feeling inside your head; migraines on the other hand tend to be felt only on one side of the head.
•A bout of irritability might occur with a headache but typically resides after some over the counter medicine has been taken, sadly those suffering with a migraine do not bounce back as quickly.
•Feelings of nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound are all characters of a migraine and will not be present with a headache.

Most headaches are often short lived with no cause for concern there are times when a headache causes severe tension in the facial muscles putting a strain on the neck, shoulders eyes these headaches are called tension headaches and can be treated with over the counter medication. Some forty million people suffer with headaches throughout a given year making headaches a very common complaint, the concern is not that a headache has occurred but the frequency of the headache as well as the length in which the headache last. If frequent headaches (not migraines) occur and last longer than a few hours, medical attention might be needed in order to insure that the pain being felt is truly a headache and not something more.
Treating Migraine Headaches

There are several different ways one might go about reliving migraine headaches, but the migraine patient must be careful when looking for a migraine treatment. The use of certain migraine medication could have a serious and lasting effect on one’s body inflicting more misery that before use.
For those looking for a safer more natural approach to treating migraine headaches pay close attention to the following bullet points.

•Chiropractic Manipulation
•Physiotherapy
•Massage Therapy
•Acupuncture
•Migraine Support Formula

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