How Can You Recognize A Migraine Headache?
One of the most frequent migraine symptoms is an intense throbbing pain which is usually located on just one side of the head near to the area of the temple. Migraines are also often accompanied by other symptoms that can include sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and occasionally vomiting.
Migraine headaches are relatively common and affect about one in ten people in the United States, or in excess of 28 million Americans. They are also far more often seen in women than in men (about 3 times more women suffer from migraine headaches) and can also be sse sometimes in children.
Although migraines are so common and often very painful with attacks lasting anywhere from a matter of hours to several days, only about 50% of all sufferers ever consult their doctor and the remainder choose to suffer in silence.
It had long been thought these headaches were the result of a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, even though there is no general consensus, medical opinion appears to be changing in favor of a genetic basis for this condition. Current thinking is that the condition are produced by the interaction of certain brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. Currently however the truth of the matter is that we really do not know what cause a migraine headache.
In fact there are two forms of migraine, the first of which is referred to as ‘classical migraine’and is characterized by an associated ‘aura’. Here the term ‘aura’ refers to visual light effects which are experienced just prior to the arrival of a headache including things like bright light spots and flashing lights. In a few cases a complete loss of vision can be experienced for several minutes before the arrival of the headache.
The second form of the condition is simply a migraine without the ‘aura’.
Just as we do not know what causes a migraine, so too we have little idea about just what gives rise to an attack, although there are several factors that do appear likely to trigger an attack in sufferers. For example, getting too much sleep appears to be one factor and so does skipping meals or eating particular foods like cheese.
Hormonal factors are also thought to influence the onset of attacks and their severity and this is evidenced the increased incidence of migraines among women. In part this is thought to be because estrogen affects the blood vessels and some studies have noted that there is a connection between the contraceptive pill (containing estrogen) and migraine headaches.
Just to confuse matters however studies have also shown that simple everyday activities such as walking up stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to loud noises, cold and heat, flashing lights and sometimes stress.
Fortunately, there are a number of migraine treatments available, although no one treatment has proved to be really effective in all cases. One thing which we do know though is that over-the-counter medicines are rarely effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraines, you would be best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding a solution which works for you.