Everything About Migraine – Do You Have Migraine?

Migraine is the most common cause of episodic headache in world. Majority are at young age. Among them most of them are women. It usually feels as severe throbbing pain or pulsing sensation usually on one side of the head. It often associates with extreme sensitivity to light, sounds or movements and nausea, vomiting.

Symptoms of Migraine

Following are the symptoms,

• Unilateral headache – one side headache
• Throbbing type sensation
• Motion sensitivity – headache worse with movements
• Photophobia – difficult look at light
• Phonophobia – difficult to tolerate sounds
• Nausea and vomiting

Some people may feel a warning sensation called ‘aura‘. Aura usually occurs before or with the headache. There may be visual disturbances such as flashing lights or blind spots. Sometimes other disturbances like tingling sensation over one side of face or body.

Typically migraine lasts from hours to days and severely affects day to day activities of the individuals.

Mechanisms of Migraine

The exact mechanism is unknown. But there are theories which explain the mechanism of migraine.

The pathophysiology is now thought to have a primarily neurogenic rather than vascular basis. Out of that genetic and environmental factors play a major role.

The Trigeminal nerve is the main sensory nerve in head and face. Researchers have found that the changes in brainstem have interactions with this trigeminal nerve. And also there is a role for serotonin and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) in migrain. These are neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitter is responsible for the conduction through a nerve.

There are some triggering factors for migrain. Some food items, sunlight, stress and drugs trigger migrain. So best thing is to avoid them.

Risk factors

Several risk factors are associated with migraines. Actually most of risk factors we cannot change.

Family history – There is a high chance of getting migraines if your family members having it.

Sex – As mentioned before, women have high risk. Actually it is three times more than men.

Age – It can occur at any age. But majority are at young age.

Treatments for Migrain

In modern world you can find multiple treatment options. There are western as well as eastern medicine.

Western medication for pain relief, massaging methods and acupuncture are some methods. But correct diagnosis is important. If you have a disturbing headache better to seek medical advice. Because it ‘might not be migraine’.