Work is essential in order for one to receive a paycheck at the end of each week, but when one is constantly stricken by intense and painful migraine headaches the ability to get up and go to work every day becomes a challenge if not an impossible feat. A migraine headache affects millions of people each year and is quickly becoming the number one reason why individuals miss work. Life is too expensive for one to miss work on a regular basis therefore something must be done in order to prevent a migraine from crippling an individual.
Studies have shown that a migraine attack can last anywhere up to seventy two hours and some chronic migraine sufferers report several attacks per month. Migraines are not to be taken lightly the head pain can become increasingly intense as the migraine strengthens causing the individual to run and seek a dark and quiet place to rest until the throbbing eases. A migraine attack is considered a neurological condition due to the way it develops in the brain. A migraine headache is caused by an enlargement of blood vessels that creates a series of chemicals to be released and attack arteries in the brain. Once the chemicals have been released to wreak their havoc, the enlarging of the arteries begins to send painful symptoms that only magnifies until the arteries have stopped expanding or migraine relief has been found.
What Makes A Migraine So Debilitating?
The symptoms of a migraine is what causes the debilitation one may experience from a migraine headache if he or she has not sought out and implemented a migraine treatment. By recognizing the warning signs or symptoms commonly related to a migraine, an individual is than able to prepare his or herself emotionally and physically for the onset of intense head pain. Awareness can limit the immobilizing affect that a migraine headache can have and steps to finding migraine relief can be taken. Symptoms of a migraine headache can vary from moderate to intense and can affect people differently, however, listed below are the more common symptoms associated with and described by migraine headache sufferers.
- An intense throbbing, pounding feeling typically located on one side of the forehead
- Pain can also generate in the back of the head
- Pain 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.
- Reports 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.
- The 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
One of the frustrating aspects of living with chronic migraines is the lack of facts that exists with this condition. Migraines are still being researched and when it comes to the exact cause of a migraine attack the information is still undergoing research. Migraine experts have unveiled some truths though regarding possible causes such as the effect exercise can have on those that are migraine prone. Other thoughts and theories regarding migraine headaches are thought to be the result of physiological or environmental changes that takes the body by surprise and results in the development of a migraine attack. Other triggers would include:
- Stress
- Sleep – one’s sleep habits have much to do with migraines, whether it be: sleep deprivation, too much sleep or broken up sleep they are all connected to headaches. Studies have shown that when sleep habits are improved migraine headaches are less current and have shorter duration.
- Fasting – caution should always be had when headache prone individuals take to fasting. A lack of nutrients to the body can reduce blood sugar levels setting off a series of stress-related hormones.
- Hormones – for women who experience migraines once a month around the time of their menstrual may be aware of menstrual migraines and how they can affect functionality. Some women during their monthly cycle lose estrogen and the loss of estrogen sets off a chemical imbalance and the result is a migraine.
- Lighting – lighting has been known to enhance mood and is often used as a mood enhancer however, flashing, bright high intensity and visually stimulating light sources can be a factor in developing painful migraine symptoms.
- Smells – cigarette smoke
- Alcohol – Tyramine is a chemical found in wine that has been proven to activate a migraine quicker than if no alcohol was used.
- Foods
- Aged cheese
- Chocolate
- Caffeine – often used to help improve energy levels can have the reverse effect on headache prone people. Caffeine in small doses may have little effect on migraine sufferers but if overindulgence is had one can expect regular migraines.
Tags: migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, migraine triggers, Migraines, natural treatment, symptoms of migraines
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