Migraine Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment
Most people believe that migraines are like any other ordinary headache. The truth is, however, on the contrary. Migraines can be more than just a “really bad headache.” Before jumping to causes and symptoms, let’s first look at what migraines are.
Migraines- An overview
It’s a neurological condition that can cause severe throbbing or pulsing sensations, generally on one side of the head. Migraines are accompanied by extreme sensitivity to sound and light, vomiting, and nausea. These headaches are extremely painful and can interrupt your day-to-day activities. Migraines often run in families. It can affect people of all ages; however, women are more likely to be diagnosed with migraines at birth. The diagnosis for migraines is based on reported symptoms, clinical history, and eliminating any other related causes. There are categories for migraines as well. They are generally differentiated by determining if they’re chronic or episodic and presented with or without an aura.
Symptoms of Migraine
The symptoms of migraines are different for everyone. In most people, they come in stages. These stages may include:
Prodrome
Some days or hours before a headache, about 60% of the people notice symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
- Sensitivity to light, smell, and sound
- Severe thirst
- Bloating
- Food cravings or loss of appetite
- Diarrhea or constipation
Aura
Getting an “aura” involves symptoms that stem from the nervous system. Auras start 15 to 20 minutes before the headache hits and last about an hour. A person might feel sensations of:
- Ringing in their ears
- A heavy feeling in their limbs
- Tunnel vision
- Changes in taste, touch, and smell
- Numbness or tingling on the affected side of the body
- Difficulty in seeing at all
- Light flashes, black dots, wavy lines, or things that aren’t there
Attack
Migraines usually start with a dull pain that grows into a continuous throbbing sensation. The pain can start from one end of the body and move all over, especially the entire head. Some people experience nausea with the pain, while most of them vomit. Some people feel clammy or faint as well. Depending on its intensity, the attack can last up to four hours or several days.
Postdrome
The last stage of a migraine can extend up to a day. The symptoms include:
- Feeling cranky, tired, or wiped out
- Muscle pain
- Loss of appetite or food cravings
Causes of Migraine
The exact cause of migraines hasn’t been identified yet. However, most doctors hold that migraines can occur as a result of abnormal activity in the brain that affects the blood vessels, nerve signaling, and chemicals. The known triggers for migraines include:
- Dehydration
- Loud sounds
- Unusual smells
- Skipping meals
- Extreme weather
- Bright lights
- Excess stress
- Sleep patterns
- Hormonal changes
- Intense physical activities
- Traveling
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Certain foods
- Certain medicines
Most primary doctors ask people with migraines to keep a journal to identify what triggers their pain.
Migraine Treatment
- OTC drugs prescribed by licensed online doctors for the pain
- Preventive medicines for nausea and vomiting
- Hormone therapy
- Lifestyle adjustments
- Counseling
- Meditation
- Acupressure or acupuncture
- Aromatherapy
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