| Introduction | | | | levels of pain, longer headache time, and more |
| Migraine is a disease, a headache is only a symptom. | | | | symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. |
| These headaches, with nausea and vomiting, usually | | | | Treatments |
| begin in childhood and tend to becomes less severe | | | | Treatment is divided into eliminating particular triggers, |
| and frequent with age. They can occur any time of | | | | management of the specific attack, and long-term |
| the day, though it often starts in the morning. | | | | prevention. There are two basic ways to treat |
| Migraine pain is caused by vasodilation in the cranial | | | | migraine headaches with drugs: prevent the attacks, |
| blood vessels (expansion of the blood vessels), while | | | | or relieve the symptoms during the attacks. Many |
| Headache pain is caused by vasoconstriction | | | | people use both forms of treatment. Other home |
| (narrowing of the blood vessels). The disease | | | | treatment methods can help, such as doing relaxation |
| characteristics can include: Pain typically on one side | | | | techniques and using cold packs. In your headache |
| of the head with a pulsating or throbbing quality, | | | | diary (you should keep one), make a list of home |
| Moderate to intense pain affecting daily activities, | | | | treatment methods that work for you in different |
| Nausea or vomiting, Sensitivity to light or sound. | | | | situations. Alternative medical treatments with |
| Attacks usually last from four hours to 3 days, | | | | medications belonging to the group known as the |
| sometimes longer and visual disturbances or aura | | | | Phenothiazines have proven useful as non-analgesic |
| Exertion such as climbing stairs makes headaches | | | | options for treating severe headaches. At present, |
| worse. Approximately 20% of sufferers experience | | | | there is no known cure for the disease, only |
| aura, the warning associated with migraine, prior to | | | | treatments for the symptoms. Furthermore, such |
| the headache pain. It is often mis-diagnosed as sinus | | | | treatments are not yet totally effective and |
| headaches or tension-type headaches and affects up | | | | sufferers may show a diminished tolerance to a |
| to 15% of the population. Migraines can induce a host | | | | variety of medications, treatments, and pain |
| of serious physical conditions including strokes, | | | | management regimens. As always, talk with your |
| aneurysms, permanent visual loss, severe dental | | | | doctor about what sets off your headaches and to |
| problems, coma and even death. Sufferers | | | | help find the right treatment for you. |
| experience not only excruciating pain, but social | | | | Conclusion |
| ostracism, job loss, disruption of personal | | | | Migraine is a true neurological disease and often |
| relationships, and prejudices in the workplace. These | | | | becomes worse in the first trimester of pregnancy, |
| headaches seem to be caused in part by changes in | | | | but many women are headache-free later in their |
| the level of a body chemical called serotonin and they | | | | pregnancy. This disease and epileptic seizure disorders |
| are not the same in all people. | | | | are also interrelated. People who suffer from these |
| Symptoms | | | | headaches are frequently dismissed as neurotic |
| Symptoms of a migraine may include: Moderate to | | | | complainers who are unable to handle stress. It is the |
| severe pain on one or both sides of the head, | | | | second most common type of headache syndrome |
| Pulsating or throbbing pain, Pain worse with physical | | | | in the United States and is most commonly found in |
| activity, Nausea with or without vomiting, Sensitivity | | | | women, with a 3 to 1 female-to-male ratio. They can |
| to light or sound. Approximately 20 percent of these | | | | continue through the 30s and 40s. |
| people experience what's called an aura prior to the | | | | Migraines afflict 28 million Americans, with females |
| headache pain. Symptoms of an aura include flashes | | | | suffering more frequently (17%) than males (6%). |
| of light, zig zags, or blind spots in your vision or | | | | This type of headache is one of the most common |
| tingling in one arm or leg. With a Classic migraine, a | | | | problems seen in emergency departments and |
| person has these visual symptoms 10 to 30 minutes | | | | doctors' offices. Occurrence among females increases |
| before an attack: sees flashing lights or zigzag lines, | | | | sharply up to age 40 years and then declines |
| has blind spots or loses vision for a short time. With a | | | | gradually. Headaches tend to run in families, |
| Common migraine, a person does not have an aura, | | | | suggesting that genetic factors contribute to a |
| but does have the other symptoms, such as nausea | | | | persons susceptibility to the disease. |
| and vomiting. Women also tend to report higher | | | | |