Just What is Migraine?

Something over 29,000,000 million Americans suffer from migraine and that is some 10% of the population. Migraines afflict women roughly 3 times as much as men and migraines are not restricted to adults with a substantial number of children suffering from them as well. Attacks last anything from a few hours to several days and in the case of longer attacks sufferers frequently experience secondary effects for much longer. In spite of the fact that migraines are so common roughly 50 percent of all victims do not bother to see a physician about their condition.

One common symptom of a migraines is an acute throbbing pain to one side of the head which is usually localized in the region of the temple. This pain is also frequently accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to noise and light.

The exact causes of migraines are not known and, in spite of the fact that for many years it was suspected that they were the result of a dilation of the blood vessels, contemporary research now tends to favor alternative explanations. As well, though there is no good consensus of opinion, a lot of researchers consider that the condition is a genetic disorder that affects the manner in which certain chemicals in the brain like serotonin act upon the nerve cells.

The complexity in unraveling the mystery of migraines is amplified by the simple fact that they come in two forms.

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

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

Striving to pinpoint precisely what gives rise to migraines is far from simple although research data collected over the years could point to the eventual answer. For instance, individuals who get too little sleep appear to be at greater risk, as are individuals who get too much sleep which has been linked to a greater incidence. Migraine attacks are also frequently associated with eating certain food items such as cheese and to skipping meals.

Many researchers also consider that certain hormonal factors influence the onset and severity of 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 showed an incidence of 17% in men in comparison to only 6% in men. Furthermore, studies have revealed a connection between the contraceptive pill and migraines and it is known that Estrogen, which is a main ingredient in contraceptive pills, affects the blood vessels.

However the list of factors which trigger migraines does not end here and several everyday activities like walking up stairs or more intensive physical exertion can trigger an attack, as can stress, exposure to extremes of heat and cold and exposure to loud noises and flashing lights. It has also been noted that migraines occur more frequently with a combination of these trigger factors present.

Fortunately, there are various medical treatments available, though none has been shown to be overwhelmingly effective in all cases, and keeping a diary of when attacks occur will often help you to identify lifestyle changes which could help in curing migraines. If changes to your lifestyle alone do not do the trick then there are a variety of medications that your physician can prescribe.

TheMigraineHeadacheCenter.com provides migraine headache information including details of migraine headache treatment