Migraine Information

Migraine are severe headaches that can be distinctly debilitating for the sufferer. A migraine headache can render an individual incapacitated for a period of 3 to 48 hours, and in some cases can result in hospitalization for pain management. Over 28 million Americans suffer from at least occasional migraines, experiencing at least 4 annually. While there is no cure for a migraine headache, advancements in treatment options and medications in just the last five years have dramatically improved the life of a migraine sufferer.

Symptoms of a migraine are unmistakable. Once a patient has experienced a migraine, they will never see a headache the same way. A patient who “thinks they have a migraine,” doesn’t have a migraine. Symptoms include a highly intense pain, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound, pain which increases with physical activity or movement, pain that pulsates, throbs, and radiates, and an inability to open the eyes. Some migraines produce flashes of light, tingling sensations throughout the extremities, alterations in vision, weakness, and language and speech problems.

Many patients receives warning signs from their body, such as an intense craving for chocolate or sweets, a feeling of elation or significant increase in energy, excessive thirst, drowsiness, or irritability and depression prior to the onset of a migraine. Children, whose migraines are intense and debilitating, often experience yawning, sleepiness, listlessness, and food cravings such as cravings for hot dogs, sweet or sugary snacks, chocolate, yogurt, or bananas before experiencing a migraine.

There is no one cause for Migraine. Most migraines headaches are caused by a central nerve that runs through the brain. This nerve is a major pathway of the body’s central nervous system, and when the nerve becomes aggravated, the trigeminal nerve sends pain throughout the head in order to reduce the aggravation and forces the body into a state of relaxation. There is also a possible link to low levels of magnesium being a cause for migraine pain.

Hormonal changes, stress, food allergens, physical exertion including sexual activity, over-stimulated sensory, medications, and changes in the weather and other natural environmental factors can lead to migraines, although it is not clear why these factors increase the likelihood for Migraine.

Risk factors for migraines pain include family history, personal history, and menstruation in women. Patients with one or more parents with migraine pain are likely to experience at least a few migraines a year while women are twice as susceptible to migraines. Women tend to find their migraines lessen during pregnancy but then increase after the birth of their first child.

The diagnosis of migraine pain can usually be done by the symptoms the patient reports. However, there can often be underlying illnesses that cause migraine pain symptoms, and it is not unusual for a physician to order tests such as a head CT or other imaging procedures for the brain to rule out a possible hemorrhage. A spinal tap may be performed if there is a possibility of meningitis or other serious medical condition contributing to the migraine symptoms. Typically testing is only done when the migraine pain is either very severe or occurs very suddenly.

Complications from migraine pain are more likely to arise form efforts to control the pain. It is not uncommon for migraine sufferers to be desperate for pain relief that they chronically overmedicate which can lead to serious health risks.

Treatment options have improved significantly over the past few years, medications have improved in treating migraine pain as well as preventing it. This is a huge development considering that only ten years ago a patient could opt for regular pain relievers which did nothing for the pain, or narcotic pain relievers which required a new prescription in some states for every migraine. Now medications are aimed at preventing migraine pain, or relieving it without the same side effects of analgesics.

Migraine pain can seriously take a toll on a patient’s ability to participate in life and should be treated as effectively as possible. While it may take several different attempts at finding the right medications, most migraine sufferers can find relief if they are willing to find the right medication for their type of migraines.