Migraine – Cause, types, symptoms and how to avoid it?

Migraine

Migraine is a neurological condition that can cause multiple symptoms. It’s frequently characterized by intense, debilitating headaches. Migraines often run in families and affect all ages. The extreme pain that migraines cause can last for hours or even days.

Symptoms

Symptoms of migraine can start a while before the headache, immediately before the headache, during the headache, and after the headache. Although not all migraines are the same, typical symptoms include:

·         moderate to severe pain, usually confined to one side of the head but capable of occurring on either side of the head

·         severe, throbbing, or pulsing pain

·         increasing pain during physical activity or when straining

·         inability to perform regular activities due to pain

·         feeling sick and physically vomiting

·         increased sensitivity to light and sound, relieved by lying quietly in a darkened room

·         Some people experience other symptoms such as sweating, temperature changes, stomach ache, and diarrhea.

Fast facts on migraines:

·         Some people who experience migraines can clearly identify triggers or factors that cause the headaches, such as allergies, light, and stress.

·         Some people get a warning symptom before the start of the migraine headache.

·         Many people with migraine can prevent a full-blown attack by recognizing and acting upon the warning signs.

·         Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can eliminate or reduce pain, and specific medications can help some people with migraine.

·         People who have severe attacks can take preventive medicines.

Cause

The specific cause of migraines is not known, but there may be fluctuations in certain neurotransmitters, chemicals that send messages between brain cells. These changes may predispose some people to develop migraine headaches.

Types

Migraine without aura

A migraine without aura is more than just a headache. The pain alone is enough to stop you from carrying on your daily activities. And then there’s the nausea, maybe vomiting, and more.

Migraines with aura

Migraines with aura account for about a quarter of all migraines. Even if you get auras, you may not have one with every migraine. Some children and older adults may get an aura without later pain.

Chronic migraine

Chronic migraine is a distinct and relatively recently defined sub-type of Chronic Daily Headache. The International Headache Society defines chronic migraine as more than fifteen headache days per month over a three month period of which more than eight are migrainous, in the absence of medication over use. Episodic migraine is the other migraine sub-type, which is defined as less than 15 headache days per month.

Menstrual migraines

Menstrual migraines are primarily caused by estrogen, the female sex hormone that specifically regulates the menstrual cycle fluctuations throughout the cycle. When the levels of estrogen and progesterone change, women will be more vulnerable to headaches. Because oral contraceptives influence estrogen levels, women on birth control pills may experience more menstrual migraines.

Hemiplegic migraine

Hemiplegic migraine is a rare and serious type of migraine headache. Many of its symptoms mimic those common to stroke; for example, muscle weakness can be so extreme that it causes a temporary paralysis on one side of your body, which doctors call hemiplegia.

Migraine with brainstem aura

Migraine with brainstem aura (MBA) is a type of migraine headache with aura that is associated with pain at the back of the head on both sides. An aura is a group of symptoms that generally serve as a warning sign that a bad headache is coming. Auras may consist of dizziness and vertigo, slurred speech, ataxia, tinnitus, visual changes, and/or loss ofbalance. Although MBA can occur in men and women of all ages, they are most common in adolescent girls. The exact underlying cause of MBA is poorly understood. Migraines are likely complex disorders that are influenced by multiple genes, in combination with lifestyle and environmental factors.

Abdominal migraine

Abdominal migraine is a form of migraine seen mainly in children. It is most common in children ages five to nine years old, but can occur in adults as well. Abdominal migraine consists primarily of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. It is recognized as an episodic syndrome that may be associated with migraine, as links have been made to other family members having migraines and children who have this disorder often grow into adults with migraine. Most children who experience abdominal migraine grow out of it by their teens and eventually develop migraine headaches.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (US English) or cyclical vomiting syndrome (UK English) (CVS) is a chronic functional condition of unknown cause characterisedby recurring attacks of intense nausea, vomiting, and sometimes abdominal pain, headaches, or migraines. CVS typically develops during childhood, usually between ages 3 and 7; although it often remits during adolescence, it can persist into adult life.

Risk factors

Several factors make you more prone to having migraines, including:

Family history. If you have a family member with migraines, then you have a good chance of developing them too.

Age. Migraines can begin at any age, though the first often occurs during adolescence. Migraines tend to peak during your 30s, and gradually become less severe and less frequent in the following decades.

Sex. Women are three times more likely to have migraines. Headaches tend to affect boys more than girls during childhood, but by the time of puberty and beyond, more girls are affected.

Hormonal changes. If you are a woman who has migraines, you may find that your headaches begin just before or shortly after onset of menstruation. They may also change during pregnancy or menopause. Migraines generally improve after menopause. Some women report that migraine attacks begin during pregnancy, or their attacks worsen. For many, the attacks improved or didn’t occur during later stages in the pregnancy. Migraines often return during the postpartum period.

Migraine tests

Doctors diagnose migraines by listening to your symptoms, taking a thorough medical and family history, and performing a physical exam to rule out other potential causes. Imaging scans, such as a CT scan or MRI, can rule out other causes, including:

·         tumors

·         abnormal brain structures

·         stroke

Treatment

There is currently no single cure for migraines. Treatment is aimed at preventing a full-blown attack, and alleviating the symptoms that occur.

Lifestyle alterations that might help reduce the frequency of migraines include:

·         getting enough sleep

·         reducing stress

·         drinking plenty of water

·         avoiding certain foods

·         regular physical exercise

·         Some people also find that special diets can help, such as gluten-free.

Consider seeking further treatment if the above changes do not relieve the symptoms or frequency of migraines. The treatment of migraine symptoms focuses on avoiding triggers, controlling symptoms, and taking medicine.

Prevention

Until recently, experts recommended avoiding common migraine triggers. Some triggers can’t be avoided, and avoidance isn’t always effective. But some of these lifestyle changes and coping strategies may help you reduce the number and severity of your migraines:

Transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation (t-SNS).This device (Cefaly), similar to a headband with attachedelectrodes, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a preventive therapy for migraines. In research, those that used the device experienced fewer migraines.

Learn to cope. Recent research shows that a strategy called learning to cope (LTC) may help prevent migraines. In this practice, you are gradually exposed to headache triggers to help desensitize you to them. LTC may also be combined with cognitive behavioral therapy. More research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of LTC.

Create a consistent daily schedule. Establish a daily routine with regular sleep patterns and regular meals. In addition, try to control stress.

Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise reduces tension and can help prevent migraines. If your doctor agrees, choose any aerobic exercise you enjoy, including walking, swimming and cycling. Warm up slowly, however, because sudden, intense exercise can cause headaches. Regular exercise can also help you lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight, and obesity is thought to be a factor in migraines.

Reduce the effects of estrogen. If you are a woman who has migraines and estrogen seems to trigger or make your headaches worse, you may want to avoid or reduce the medications you take that contain estrogen.

August 15, 2018 health