Exactly What Is Migraine?

Something over 29,000,000 million Americans are afflicted by migraine headaches and that represents just about 10% of the population. Migraine headaches trouble women approximately three times more often than men and they are not restricted to adults with a large number of children experiencing them as well. A migraine attack lasts anywhere from a few hours to three or four days and with longer attacks sufferers commonly experience secondary effects for far longer. In spite of the fact that migraines are so common close to 50% of all sufferers do not see a doctor about the condition.

A frequent symptom of a migraine is an acute throbbing pain to one side of the head which is usually localized close to the temple. It is also commonly accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to light and noise.

The exact causes of migraines are not known and, although for a long time it was thought they resulted from a dilation of the blood vessels, Current research now favors other explanations. As well, while there is no general consensus of opinion, many researchers consider that the migraine is a genetic disorder which affects how certain brain chemicals like serotonin interact with the nerve cells.

The complexity in explaining the mystery of migraines is increased by the simple fact that migraine headaches come in two different forms.

The first form is known as 'classical migraine' and is coupled with something which the professionals call an 'aura'. The aura has nothing to do with mystic fields around the body but refers to the symptoms experienced by sufferers just before the arrival of a migraine headache. For these migraine sufferers it is normal to experience visual hallucinations like flickering lights and bright spots or even to experience loss of vision immediately before the arrival of a migraine headache.

When there are no visual symptoms sufferers are said to suffer from the second form of migraine headaches.

Trying to pin down precisely what gives rise to migraine headaches is not easy although data collected over the years may point to the final answer. For instance, individuals who get insufficient sleep appear to be at higher risk, as are individuals who experience too much sleep which has been linked to a higher incidence. Migraine attacks are also frequently linked to eating specific food items such as cheese and to missing meals.

It is also consider that various hormonal factors have a bearing on the onset and severity of migraine attacks and one piece of evidence to support this is the much higher incidence of migraines in women than men. In fact, one particular study reported an incidence of 17% in men against just 6% in men. Additionally, studies have also revealed a connection between the contraceptive pill and migraines and it is known that Estrogen, which is a major ingredient in birth control pills, has an effect upon the blood vessels.

However the list of factors which trigger migraines does not end here and many everyday activities like walking up a flight of stairs or more intensive physical activity can trigger an attack, as can stress, exposure to extremes of cold and heat and exposure to loud noises and flickering lights. It has also been noted that migraines occur more often when there is a combination of these trigger factors at work.

Luckily, there are a number of medical treatments available, though none has been shown to be tremendously effective in all cases, and writing a diary of when attacks occur can often identify lifestyle changes which could help in curing migraines. Where changes to your lifestyle on their own do not do work then there are various medicines which your doctor can prescribe to help.