What Are Migraines?

Migraines are painful headaches that have the potential to be so severe that people cannot function. More common in women than in men, migraines can be accompanied by other symptoms, including extreme sensitivity to bright light and sounds. People can be incapacitated for long periods of time by migraines. There is no cure for migraines, but there are ways to manage the pain associated with them.

Types

• Headaches in general and migraines in particular are not well understood by science. One theory is that a drop in certain chemical levels in the brain can precipitate headaches. There is a known correlation between migraines and different types of triggers. Hormonal changes in women, especially before and after the period or during menopause or pregnancy can cause migraines in those with a history of these headaches. Consuming certain types of foods can bring about a migraine, with alcohol, chocolate, pickled and marinated foods, and aged cheeses on that list. Stress is a migraine inducer and bright lights and glare from the sun also can lead to a migraine. Smells, changes in sleeping habits and physical exertion have all been know to cause a migraine.

Effects

• The signs and symptoms of a migraine are medium to extensive pain that can be on one or both sides of the head. The pain seems to pulsate and throb. It will get worse if you try to exert yourself and it will definitely interfere with any plans for the day. You may become nauseous and possibly vomit with a migrane and you can be sensitive to lights or sounds. In some people, an aura comes with a migraine. With an aura, you may see sparkling flashes of light and bright zigzagging lines in your field of vision. Blind spots may slowly develop in your vision and you may feel tingling sensations in one leg or arm. You can also get a feeling that a migraine is coming on a day before it actually hits.

Time Frame

• Most untreated migraines can last anywhere between 4 hours and 3 days. Migraines can come once or twice within a year's time or a few times every month. Auras can start 15 to 30 minutes before a migraine begins and continue after it has passed. Migraines in most people start when they are children and become less severe and frequent as they age. A child's migraine will normally not last as long as an adult's.

Identification

• If you have migraines, your physician will want to know if there is a history of them in your family. On this data alone, he will often diagnose the headaches as migraines. However, if there is no family history of migraines and they crop up suddenly and severely, then tests will be done. These tests are called for in order to rule out other possible causes for the headaches. CT scans can eliminate tumors and infections as a source of the pain and MRI's can give doctors a better glimpse of the brain for the same purpose. A spinal tap is sometimes used to make sure that meningitis or a hemorrhage is not the culprit.

Prevention/Solution

• There are many pain relieving drugs on the market for migraines and patients often have to experiment to see which are the most effective for them. Other drugs, such as those designed for cardiovascular problems and depression, can be used to try to prevent migraines, but some have powerful side effects. Often a migraine can be avoided altogether if you just stay away from some of the known triggers. Exercising regularly can reduce stress levels and ward off these headaches. Women should limit their estrogen intake in medications if it has been linked to migrane headaches.