Migraine

Migraines are overwhelmingly common, in fact, it is estimated that there are at least 27 million migraine sufferers in the USA alone. Migraines are caused by a variety of triggers including insomnia, light sensitivity and food sensitivities. Typically, they are experienced as an intense feeling of pain on the side of the face or head, or also behind the eyes or ears.

Types of Migraines

The two common types of migraines are the 'migraine with aura' and the 'migraine without aura.' Migraines with aura will usually occur along with visual symptoms usually ten to thirty minutes prior to an attack. Conversely, migraines without aura will occur with other types of migraine symptoms. Additional migraine types include ophthalmologic migraines, basilar artery migraines and hemiplegic migraines.

Migraine Causes

It is not exactly clear what causes a migraine, however researchers all agree that there is a link to the changes in blood flow within the human brain. Alternative causes could also be a brain chemical imbalance or possibly genetics. Although no one really knows the direct cause of a migraine, it is believed they are often the result of uncontrollable and controllable triggers.

Migraine Symptoms

The most common migraine symptoms can include a medium or severe headache to the side of the body, a decrease of appetite, and light sensitivity. Less typical symptoms include fainting or dizziness, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Usually, a person who experiences an "aura" migraine will also experience speech difficulty and blurred vision for up to thirty minutes prior to their migraine.

Migraine Triggers

It is thought that anxiety, sleep, poor diet and weather conditions, are all potential triggers for a migraine headache. However, of all the possible headache triggers, it is stress that is the main culprit. The daily stress of juggling responsibility and leading a modern lifestyle is probably the most likely cause to bring about a migraine.

Diagnosis of a Migraine

A doctor will usually diagnose a migraine by asking their patient numerous questions. These can include where the patient is feeling the pain and how frequently they suffer from their headaches. A typical diagnosis will also include a physical examination to identify any physical signs that may be causing the headaches. In addition, the doctor may also want to conduct a series of tests including an eyesight and blood test to check for any other possible underlying causes of the headaches.

Migraine Relief

Finding relief from a migraine is of the outmost urgency for many migraine sufferers. There are various methods used to relieve pain and discomfort for light to moderate migraine headaches, as well as various methods for relief from severe migraines. The use of medicines like acetaminophen, triptans and NSAIDs are common. Also, natural remedies such as acupuncture and herbal tonics are proving to be very popular. Migraine medications serve two purposes: firstly to relieve the migraine symptoms during an attack and secondly to prevent the migraine attack occurring altogether. If the migraines are infrequent, then medication can be used when the headache first appears to stop it as soon as possible or reduce the level of pain. For migraines that occur more often than two times per week it is advisable to use ongoing preventative medication. Most migraine sufferers will use both methods to help manage their symptoms. For instant relief they can take medication to remove the pain immediately and restore normal functions, whereas to prevent future migraine attacks, they can take medicine originally designed for depression and epilepsy.