One of the most frequent migraine headache symptoms is an acute throbbing pain that is normally located on only one side of the head close to the area of the temple. Unlike normal headaches, migraines are also frequently accompanied by other symptoms that can include sensitivity to noise and light, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Migraines are relatively common and affect about 10% of the population of America, or more than 28 million Americans. They are also far more often seen in women than in men (about three times more women suffer from migraine headaches) and can also be sse sometimes in children.
Although migraines are so common and usually very painful with an attack lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days, only roughly half of all sufferers consult their physician and the remainder choose to suffer in silence.
It had long been thought migraines resulted from a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, in spite of the fact that there is no general consensus, medical opinion seems to be moving away from this theory in favor of a genetic cause for this problem. It is now believed that the condition results from the interaction of brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. At present however the truth of the matter is that we really do not know what cause migraines.
There are in fact two forms of the condition, the first of which is called ‘classical migraine’, which is characterized by an associated ‘aura’. In this case ‘aura’ refers to visual light effects which are experienced just prior to the start of a headache including such things as bright light spots and flashing lights. In some cases a complete loss of vision may be experienced for a few minutes before the onset of the headache.
The second form of the condition is a migraine with no ‘aura’.
Just as we do not know what causes a migraine headache, so too we have very little idea about exactly what triggers an attack, although there are some factors which do seem likely to trigger an attack in sufferers. For instance, getting too much sleep seems to be one factor and so does missing meals or eating particular types of food such as cheese.
Hormonal factors are also believed to influence both the onset of attacks and their severity and this is evidenced the higher incidence of migraines in women. This in part is thought to be because estrogen affects the blood vessels and it has been noted in some studies that there is a link between the contraceptive pill (containing estrogen) and migraine headaches.
Just to confuse matters however studies have also shown that everyday activities like climbing stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to loud noises, cold and heat, flashing lights and occasionally stress.
Fortunately, there are several migraine medicines available, though no single treatment has proved to be really effective in all cases. One thing which we do know though is that over-the-counter medicines are rarely effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraine headaches, you would be best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding a solution that works for you.
