Everything You Want to Know About Migraine

What is Migraine?

A migraine is a primary headache and characterized by recurrent problems that are moderate to severe. There are some primary symptoms of migraine including,

  • Vomiting
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Nausea
  • Tingling or numbness
  • Sensitivity to sound and light, etc.

Migraine is a type of disorder that can run in the whole family and affect peoples of all kinds of ages.

The diagnosis of this disorder is determined as per the clinical history, reported symptoms, and by ruling out other causes. The primary and most common categories of migraine headache are those with aura (anciently known as classic migraine) and those without aura (anciently known as a common migraine).

Migraines Headaches

A migraine headache can start in childhood or may not occur until the beginning of adulthood. There are more reports of migraines in women compared with men. Family history is a significant risk factor for having a migraine.

Symptoms of Migraine –

The symptoms of this disorder may start one to two days before the headache itself, and this is called the prodrome stage. Some signs of migraine during the prodrome stage may include;

  • Cravings of food
  • Loss of energy or fatigue
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Hyperactivity
  • Frequent yawning
  • Neck, stiffness, etc.

In the migraine with aura, patients may have problems with their vision, sensation, movement, and speech. These problems may include the following effects;

  • Feeling tingling or prickling sensation in arms, face, and legs.
  • Getting difficulty in speaking clearly
  • Temporary loss of vision
  • Seeing shapes, light flashes, or bright spots.

The next phase of migraine is known as the attack phase. The attack phase is the most severe or acute phase when the actual migraine pain occurs. In some patients, this phase can overlap or occur during the aura. Symptoms of this stage can vary depending on the individual. Some signs of attack phase;

  • Feeling faint or dizziness
  • Nausea
  • The increased feel of light and sound
  • One-sided pain in the head,
  • Throbbing head pain and pulsing
  • Vomiting, etc.

Patients will feel the postdrome phase after the Attack phase. In this phase, patients feel usually changes in feeling and mood. These changes can range from feeling euphoric and extremely happy to contact very fatigued and apathetic.

The duration and intensity of these phases can occur to different degrees in different types of patients. In some cases, it is possible to happen the next step without showing the previous stage. A migraine attack may occur without having a headache.

Types of Headache –

According to the source of the pain, there are three major categories of headaches, likewise;

  • Primary headaches
  • Secondary headaches
  • Cranial neuralgias, facial pain, and other headaches

Primary headaches include sinus, migraine, tension, and cluster, as well as a variety of other less common types of headaches.

Headache Types

Migraine Pain –

  • Throbbing
  • Perforating
  • Pounding
  • Debilitating
  • Pulsating

The pain may begin out as mild, but without taking treatment, it may become moderate to severe. This pain affects the forehead area most commonly.

The migraine pain usually occurs on one side of the head, but it may shift or occur to both sides.

Migraine Nausea –

Nausea problem has also been seen in more than half of the people who have migraine problems. Nausea symptoms begin at the same time the headache does. Usually, these symptoms start after one hour of headache pain.

Treating Nausea And Preventing Vomiting –

Doctors recommend medication to ease nausea called anti-nausea or antiemetic drugs for persons with nausea without vomiting. In these cases, anti-nausea drugs can help prevent vomiting and improve nausea.

Acupressure will also be helpful in the management of migraine nausea.

Treating Nausea And Vomiting Together –

Most physicians prefer to ease nausea and vomiting symptoms by treating migraines. They do not treat nausea and vomiting separately. So, if you have migraine problems along with nausea and vomiting, you should talk to your doctor for preventing treatment.

Migraine Treatment –

It is hard to cure the migraine, but a doctor can help a patient to manage migraines, and patients get them less often and treat symptoms when they occur.

A treatment plan depends on;

  • Age of individual
  • How often, the patient has migraines
  • Type of migraine
  • Severity of migraine
  • Whether they include nausea and vomiting
  • Other physical, mental, and medical conditions.

A treatment plan may include a combination of these;

  • OTC pain
  • Self-care
  • Lifestyle adjustment (stress management)
  • Migraine medications
  • Prescription medication to help with vomiting and nausea
  • Counseling
  • Extra care, including meditation, biofeedback, acupuncture.

What Causes Migraines?

Researchers have found some contributing factors that can trigger the condition. These factors may include changes in the human brain chemicals, such as a decrease in levels of the brain chemical serotonin.

Some Other Factors:

  • Extremes in weather or severe heat
  • Brightness of light
  • Dehydration
  • Hormonal changes in women
  • Change in barometric pressure
  • Loud sounds
  • Excess stress
  • Skipping meals
  • Intense physical activity
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Unusual smells
  • Use of certain medications
  • Alcohol use
  • Smoking
  • Traveling, etc.

It is not a complete list of factors that may cause migraines or other related pains. You should take sooner medical help to avoid significant problems of migraines.