THE WORLD OF MIGRAINES

ABOUT MIGRAINES
Migraine headaches have been around for centuries. Although they weren’t documented on paper archaeological findings have shown that primitive surgeries of the head occurred very early in time. Making holes in the skulls, called trephination, were a common practice in the hope to cure seizures, migraine headaches, and perhaps other mental diseases. Many skulls found show new growth of bone on the inside of the perimeter of the hole indicating the patient lived after the surgery. This is very interesting because migraines have been labeled as a product of our environment when in reality; they’ve been around for ages. Migraines have come a long way since then and a lot of research and technology have eased the suffering of millions of people worldwide.

Classified as a really bad headache, migraines are actually a neurological or neurovascular headache that can be mild to absolutely debilitating. Each individual is different in the way the symptoms occur and in the development of the headache, the type of migraine suffered, and the methods of relief that prove beneficial. Beside the awful pain in the head, other symptoms tag along and add to the misery. For many people migraines are the worst experience in their lives and causes depression, lethargy, loss of work or school and sometimes can lead up to the questioning of the quality of life itself.

SYMPTOMS OF MIGRAINES
Some migraines are preceded by warning signs or symptoms that can help prepare the person for the attack. This is known as the prodrome phase. This occurs a few hours or a couple of days before the arrival of the pain. The person involved might display irritability or mood changes, depression, fatigue, a stiffness in the neck area, a craving for certain foods, diarrhea and a heightened sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises.
The migraine itself is characterized by a throbbing or pulsating painful headache located most of the time at the back of the head or on one side of the head. Additional symptoms occurring with the pain of the migraine are vomiting, nausea, gastro-intestinal irregularities, fatigue, cognitive problems and visual abnormalities often referred to as an aura.

MIGRAINE AURA
This is another phase in the migraine disorder and is manifested by seeing wavy or squiggly lines, rays of color, blind spots, blurred and double vision. Auras generally come about 30 minutes before the pain and disappear with the onset of the migraine headache. There are auras that have no pain following it which are called a silent aura.

Auras are a little mysterious in the fact that they might affect other senses as well. Temporary facial muscle weakness, a tingling or numbness of the fingers lips and tongue, and changes in speech are all linked to aura symptoms and could be quite frightening because it mimics a stroke in a sense. The symptoms of an aura are felt by about 60% of people who have migraines and last about 20 minutes on average, however, auras involving muscular symptoms may last a while longer.

MIGRAINE TYPES
Migraines come in many varieties. Some are common and some are quite rare. A few are listed below:
1. The common migraine is a painful throbbing headache that doesn’t have an aura associated with it. Your head feels like it wants to explode and is aggravated by lights and sound as well as motion or simple activity. People suffering this type want to lie down in a quiet dark place and be left alone for a while.
2. Classic migraine is most commonly felt and is accompanied by an aura. This migraine is thought to be hereditary since familial histories of this particular type have been documented.
3. The basilar migraine is another variety considered to be caused by spasms of the basilar artery in the brainstem. The brainstem related symptoms are a little different in that they mimic a stroke. Ringing of the ears, vertigo, and difficulty in speech with fainting as an aura defines this type of migraine.
4. Children get migraines too. One type is the abdominal migraine which is typified by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Periodic attacks of vertigo (dizziness) also go along with the other symptoms.
5. Menstrual migraines occur in the beginning of the women’s period. No aura comes with it but this type is usually more severe and lasts a little longer than other migraines. This variety is also more resistant to treatment and believed to be caused by fluctuations in the estrogen levels. Some women claim the migraines subside when the hormone levels get stabilized.
These are just a few interesting facts about migraines. A lot of research is being done on this subject because migraines are not just a disorder by themselves but often are associated with other diseases. Because there are no cures for it, managing and coping with the pain as best you can is all you can do for now.

Tags: aura, headache, migraine stages, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, postdrome, prodrome