A Guidebook of Information on Migraine
Simply put, migraine is a neurological problem. And symptoms of migraine are mainly a splitting headache, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes sound sensitivity, and lack of appetite. Women are found to be more prone to the problem of migraine than men.
The pain of a migraine headache is a throbbing, pounding type of pain. Migraine pain can either be restricted to just one side of the head or can be on both sides of the head. The intensity of a migraine headache can vary from mild to extremely severe. Its duration can also, likewise, be anything from 4 hours to 3 full days. Other symptoms of migraine that accompany the headache are nausea, vomiting, and aversion to light and sound.
A third of those who suffer from migraine headaches complain of what is known as migraine aura. A migraine aura is the appearance in a person’s line of vision, strange things like zigzag lines, bright lights, or distorted shapes of myriad size and colors. Tunnel vision, a slightly blurred vision, or appearance of dark spots, are also manifestations of migraine aura in relation to vision. Other sensory perceptions that signify a migraine aura are strange smells, hearing of a buzzing sound or strange voices, a feeling of numbness or tingling on face and limbs, and a feeling of being detached from one’s own body. Those who are experiencing migraine aura may also feel unsteady and anxious, and may become unable to comprehend what others are saying. Sweating, drooling, and hot flushes can also be symptoms of migraine aura.
Though there are many symptoms associated with migraine headaches, more cases of migraine attacks are devoid of any form of migraine aura. Besides these two types of migraines, there are other categories of migraines as well. One is known as FHM or familial hemiplegic migraines. This variety of migraines is the result of ion channel mutations. Typical migraine symptoms of those with this type of migraine are weakness of arms and legs of one side, and sight and speech difficulties. Yet another variety is abdominal migraine, which is more common among children. There is no migraine headache here and the pain is abdominal and can last from 1 hour to 72 hours.
In the next type known as acephalgic migraine, the migraine aura is likely to be there, but without a migraine headache. There is yet another one known as menstrual migraine where one type, the PMM or pure menstrual migraine takes place at the time of the monthly menstrual cycle, whereas the other one, MRM or menstrual related migraine can occur at any time, and is marked by pains of varying intensities. There are indeed a wide variety of migraines.
