What About Migraine Headaches?

You’re not alone if you suffer from migraine headaches. About 12 percent of the U.S. population gets them. Most migraines are recurring headache attacks of moderate to severe pain. I say most because there are some migraine headaches that really have no real “pain.” There are called silent migraines. However, with most migraines, the pain is throbbing or pulsing, and is often on one side of the head. During migraines, people are very sensitive to light and sound. They may also become nauseated and vomit. Migraine headache is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision. This symptom is called aura. If you get aura with your migraines, you may have this symptom up to two days before the actual pain arrives.

Stages

Migraines often begin in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Your headache may progress through four stages, including prodrome, aura, headache and postdrome, though you may not experience all the stages.

• Prodrome: One or two days before the headache pain makes its appearance, you will notice subtle signs of its approach like, constipation, depression, food cravings, hyperactivity, irritability, neck stiffness, uncontrollable yawning.
• Aura: Aura may occur before or during an attack. Auras are nervous system symptoms that are usually visual disturbances, such as flashes of light. Sometimes auras can also be touching sensations (sensory), movement (motor) or speech (verbal) disturbances. Most people don’t experience aura with their migraines but if you do, these symptoms usually begin gradually, build up for several minutes, and last between 20 to 60 minutes. Examples of aura are Visual phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots or flashes of light, vision loss, pins and needles sensations in an arm or leg, speech or language problems (aphasia), and limb weakness (hemiplegic migraine).
• Attack: When left untreated, migraines can last from four to 72 hours. The frequency varies from person to person. Your migraines may only come once in a while or several times per month. When you experience a migraine, these are common symptoms.
  • Pain on one side or both sides of your head
  • Pain that has a pulsating, throbbing quality
  • Sensitivity to light, sounds and sometimes smells
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Blurred vision
  • Lightheadedness, sometimes followed by fainting
  • Postdrome: This is the final phase that occurs after the migraine has left. Most people feel drained and washed out. Some may feel slightly euphoric.

Causes

Although much still has to be learned about migraines, genetics and some environmental factors can help bring them about. Additionally, migraines may be caused by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway. Even imbalances in brain chemicals like serotonin, which helps regulate pain in your nervous system, also may be involved. For example, serotonin levels drop during migraine attacks. This may cause the trigeminal system to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to the brain’s outer covering (meninges). The result is headache pain.

Triggers

Certain conditions and other factors may play a part in the onset of migraine headaches. Here are some common migraine triggers.

• Hormonal Changes: Women may suffer from migraines as a result of hormonal changes which occur during the menstrual cycle. Fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger these headaches. Women who experience headaches often report them immediately before or during their periods, when they have a major drop in estrogen. Others report them during pregnancy or menopause.
• Foods: Aged cheeses, salty foods and processed foods can trigger migraines. Also, fasting or skipping meals can cause these headaches.
• Food Additives: The sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate, found in many foods, may trigger migraines. Other additives may play a part but these two are the best reported.
• Drinks: Alcohol, especially wine, and highly caffeinated beverages may trigger migraines. However, some people addicted to caffeine need it the in order not to have a headache. In these cases, you have to learn to listen to your body.
• Stress: Whether at work or home, stress can cause migraines.
• Sensory Stimuli: Bright lights and sun glare can trigger migraines, as can loud sounds. Unusual smells, including perfume, paint thinner, secondhand smoke, and others can trigger migraines in some people.
• Changes in Sleep Pattern: Too little sleep or too much sleep can induce migraines. Jet lag is notorious in bringing them on.
• Physical Factors: Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, may provoke migraines.
• Changes in the Environment: Weather changes or barometric pressure changes can cause a migraine.
• Medications: Oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin, can aggravate migraines.

Migraines are debilitating. They often surprise the victim and come at the most inconvenient times. However, if you can pinpoint the triggers that cause your migraines, or recognize any signs before the pain starts, you will be better able to handle them through medications or even prevent them from interfering with your daily life

Tags: aura, headache, migraine stages, migraine treatment, Migraines, postdrome, prodrome, stages of migraines