| The most common symptom of a migraine | | | | and flashing lights. In a few people a |
| headache is an acute throbbing pain which is | | | | complete loss of vision can be experienced |
| normally located on just one side of the head | | | | for a few minutes before the arrival of the |
| near to the area of the temple. Unlike normal | | | | headache. |
| headaches, migraines are also often | | | | |
| accompanied by other symptoms which include | | | | The second form of the condition is simply a |
| sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and | | | | migraine without the prior symptoms of an |
| sometimes vomiting. | | | | 'aura'. |
| | | | |
| Migraines are fairly common and affect about | | | | Just as we do not really know what causes a |
| 10% of the population of the United States, | | | | migraine, so too we have very little idea |
| or in excess of 28 million Americans. They | | | | about just what triggers an attack, although |
| are also far more commonly seen in women than | | | | there are a number of factors which do seem |
| in men (about three times as many women | | | | likely to trigger an attack in sufferers. For |
| suffer from migraine) and can also be found | | | | example, getting too much sleep appears to be |
| occasionally in children. | | | | one factor, as does skipping meals or eating |
| | | | certain types of food like cheese. |
| Although migraines are so common and often | | | | |
| very painful with attacks lasting anywhere | | | | Hormonal factors are also thought to |
| from a few hours to two or three days, only | | | | influence both the onset and severity of |
| about 50% of all sufferers ever consult their | | | | attacks and one piece of evidence for this is |
| physician and the remainder choose to suffer | | | | the higher incidence of migraines among |
| in silence. | | | | women. This in part is thought to be because |
| | | | estrogen affects the blood vessels and it has |
| It had long been thought these headaches were | | | | been noted in some studies that there is a |
| caused by a of dilation of the blood vessels | | | | connection between the contraceptive pill |
| in the head but, although there is no general | | | | (which contains estrogen) and migraine |
| consensus, medical opinion seems to be moving | | | | headaches. |
| away from this theory in favor of a genetic | | | | |
| cause for this condition. Current thinking is | | | | Just to confuse matters however, studies have |
| that the condition results from the | | | | also shown that simple everyday activities |
| interaction of certain brain chemicals, such | | | | like walking up stairs can trigger an attack, |
| as serotonin, with the nerve cells. At this | | | | as can exposure to heat or cold, loud noises, |
| time however the truth is that we really do | | | | flashing lights and even stress. |
| not know what cause migraines. | | | | |
| | | | Happily, there are several medical treatments |
| There are in fact two different forms of the | | | | available today, although no single treatment |
| condition, the first of which is referred to | | | | has proved to be really effective in all |
| as 'classical migraine', which is | | | | cases. Over-the-counter medications are |
| characterized by an associated 'aura'. In | | | | however rarely effective and, if you suffer |
| this case the term 'aura' is used to refer to | | | | from migraines, you are best advised to seek |
| visual light effects which are experienced | | | | the help of your physician in finding a |
| immediately prior to the onset of a headache | | | | solution which works for you. |
| including such things as bright light spots | | | | |