Know your Migraine

Migraine is a chronic health condition that entails severe, recurring headaches during a time. Before the inception of the symptoms, the body may feel sensory changes known as an aura. Migraine affects people in different ways. Some patients have an episode weekly, while some have them occasionally. These people may feel a diverse range of triggers, symptoms, or frequency, consequently.

Many researchers have found that adults are more prone to chronic migraine than children. Although in some cases, children below the age of 18 may also be subjected to this disease. This disease’s diagnosis is primarily determined through the family’s clinical history, reported history, or other causes. The most common causes of migraine happen without the aura (usually referred to as common migraines) or those with an atmosphere (typically know as classic migraine).

Migraines can be treated. With proper medications and self-help remedies, headaches, pain could be prevented or become less painful.

The four stages of a Migraine

It can start in early childhood. People who have a family history of migraines may go through four stages in their lives: prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome. However, not everyone, during the inception of their disease, may feel these symptoms.

1.Prodrome

Prodrome is the first set of symptoms that you may feel before the onset of your first migraine. You might notice these subtle changes, telling you the signs of an upcoming migraine. These are-:

• Food cravings
• Constipation
• Mood swings
• Neck stiffness
• Increased thirst or urination

2.Aura

Aura is the symptoms that may be felt by the patients before or after the first onset of your migraine. They are visual reversible symptoms of your nervous system. They usually start showing gradually and can last up to 60 minutes. These are-:

• Vision loss
• Difficult hearing
• Sensitive of light 
• Pins and needles sensation
• Hearing sounds

3.Attack 

The following symptoms come in the attack phase. This is when the episodes may occur. Some people might feel a headache in their aura phase. The attack may vary from person to person. This phase can last up to hours to days. Some of the symptoms of this phase are-:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light and sounds
• Pulsing of head
• Pain on either side of your head; left, right, front, back, or temples.

4.Post- drome

After a migraine attack, a person may feel drained, tired, confused for the day. Some patients might feel elated. 

How does migraine pain feel?

Migraine pain can vary from person to person. Patients who have felt migraine pain described it as-: 

• Pulsating
• Throbbing
• Pounding

Migraine pain can be dull as well as severe. In some people, the pain may initially start as mild, but it could become severe without treatment. The pain usually hits your forehead area, on either side of the head or both sides.

Migraine nausea

Nausea is a common symptom found in people who suffer from migraines. Most people also vomit. Usually, nausea starts with the onset of a headache, but in some cases, it may begin one hour before or after the headache starts.

Nausea and vomiting are as tricky as the headache itself. Although sickness alone can be taken care of with proper medications, vomiting can deteriorate your condition even more, as the pills you may swallow may not be absorbed by the body fast enough.

Treatment of nausea and vomiting

If you suffer from nausea, your doctor may suggest some anti-nausea medications known as antiemetic drugs, which may help out nausea. In some cases, acupressure has also been found successful while treating nausea preventing migraine-associated nausea under 4 hours. 

Doctors usually prefer treating both the ailments rather than together. If you are a nausea and vomiting type patient, your doctors might suggest some preventive prophylactic medications.

When should you do a test?

Your migraine can be diagnosed by doing a medical test. Your doctor may suggest a test after checking your symptoms, your family history, or any physical examination to rule out other complications such as

• Tumors
• Stroke
• Abnormal brain structures

Well, one thing you should know is that migraines can’t be cured. But with proper medications and treatments, you may be able to manage and ease down the symptoms. 

Your treatment should depend -:

• Your age
• The type of migraine
• The severity of the migraine
• Their time of occurrence, how much pain do you feel, how often do you feel the pain
• Other symptoms like nausea and vomiting

What causes Migraine

There is no definite cause for migraine. Researchers cannot find the reason behind it, but certain factors are said to trigger the disease. For example, a decrease in the level of serotonin. Some other factors include-:

• Dehydration
• Bright lights
• Loud music or sounds
• Excessive stress
• Hormonal change
• Skipping meals
• Smoking and alcohol

Migraine treatments-:

Treatments may vary from person to person. Some may include 

• Lifestyle adjustments
• Home remedies
• OTC or migraine medications such as NSAIDs or Tylenol.
• Preventive migraine medications to ease out the pain
• Counseling

Some people also go for migraine surgery. There are a couple of procedures used, although not allowed by the U.S food and drug Administration. The American migraine foundation always suggests migraine patients consult a headache specialist. These surgeries are experimental until proven and researchers are doing their best to find out if they work.

Food that might trigger migraine

Certain foods may trigger these headaches more than the others. It is best to avoid these-:

• Alcohol or caffeine
• Tyramine (found in natural substances)
• Monosodium glutamate, nitrates and other food additives

See a doctor

Have around to your doctor if re-occurring headaches start interfering in your life. Explain your symptoms if you have any pain behind the ears and eyes or if you often have headaches. Migraines can be excruciating, and if not treated properly, can become severe.  Preventing your headaches is the best way to manage them.

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