Exactly What Is A Migraine Headache?

An estimated twenty-nine million Americans suffer from migraines and that represents just about 10% of the population. Migraines trouble women about three times as much as men and they are not confined to adults with a sizeable number of children experiencing them as well. Attacks last anywhere from a few hours to several days and in the case of longer attacks sufferers frequently have secondary effects for longer periods. In spite of the fact that migraine headaches are so common approximately half of all victims do not see a physician about the condition.

One common symptom of a a migraine headache is a sharp throbbing pain to one side of the head which is generally localized close to the temple. It is also frequently accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and a sensitivity to both noise and light.

The exact causes of migraine headaches are not known and, in spite of the fact that for a long time it was believed that they were the result of a dilation of the blood vessels, modern research now favors alternative explanations. Additionally, while there is no sound consensus of opinion, a lot of researchers think that the condition is a genetic disorder which affects how some brain chemicals such as serotonin act upon the nerve cells.

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

The first type is referred to as 'classical migraine' and is connected with something which the professionals refer to as an 'aura'. The aura has nothing to do with spiritual fields around the body but refers to the symptoms experienced by sufferers prior to the onset of a headache. For these migraine sufferers it is normal to experience visual hallucinations such as flickering lights and bright spots or even to experience loss of vision just prior to the onset of a headache.

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

Attempting to pinpoint just what gives rise to a migraine headache is anything but easy although data collected over many years might point to the eventual answer. For instance, people who get too little sleep appear to be at greater risk, as are people who have too much sleep which has been linked to a greater incidence. Attacks are also often associated with eating specific food items such as cheese and to skipping meals.

Many researchers also consider that certain hormonal factors have an affect on both the onset and severity of attacks and one piece of evidence for this is the much higher incidence of migraine headaches among women than men. In fact, one particular study showed an incidence of 17% in men in comparison to just 6% in men. Furthermore, studies have also shown a connection between the contraceptive pill and migraines and we known that Estrogen, which is a main component of birth control pills, affects the blood vessels.

However the list of factors which trigger migraines does not end here and simple everyday activities such as walking up 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 migraine headaches appear more often with a combination of these triggers at work.

Fortunately, there are various medical treatments available, though none can really be said to be tremendously effective in all cases, and writing a diary of when attacks occur will often help you to identify lifestyle changes that may help in curing your migraines. If lifestyle changes alone do not do work then there are a variety of medications which your doctor can prescribe.

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