Key Facts About Migraines
Headaches and migraines are a common health problem.
Basic information regarding migraines:
A migraine headache is believed to result from the enlargement of blood vessels. Another explanation for migraine symptoms is that certain chemicals are released into the system from nerves. The headache could result from either of these or a combination of both. Because of the role blood vessels play in a migraine headache, it is often referred to as a ‘vascular headache.’ A migraine headache is such a crushing and excruciating pain that victims often refer to it as a migraine attack.
What leads to migraine symptoms?
Much of the migraine symptoms are believed to be the result of the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Besides the piercing pain, there is generally nausea and vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea. Blurred vision, being oversensitive to sound, paleness of skin, and cold hands and feet are other migraine symptoms.
Statistics of migraine headaches:
About 28 million people are victims of headaches and migraines in America alone. There are more reported cases of migraine headaches among women than men. The severity of migraine headaches is such that sufferers are invariably forced to skip school or office. Prognosis for migraine headaches is not very satisfactory, since only half of the sufferers seek proper migraine treatment.
The crushing pain of migraine:
Migraine headaches generally involve severe pain, and the victim has a pounding feeling in the head which makes it impossible for him to even open the eyes. The pain may sometimes be on one side of the head and sometimes on both sides. And a person, who had pain on one side of the head during one migraine attack, might have pain on the other side when he gets the next migraine headache. However, all migraine attacks may not be accompanied with a headache. Migraine headaches are a chronic condition and diagnosis and treatment will take time to show tangible results.
Warning signals of an impending migraine attack:
Those who are chronic migraine patients can easily sense the symptoms of an approaching migraine attack. Fatigue, irritability, throbbing at the temples, certain types of cravings for food, yawning, or inability to focus, can be warning bells that something is amiss. There is also something known as migraine aura, experienced by some victims of migraine. Migraine aura consists of a sensation of bright lights in the center of the vision which moves outwards. In others migraine aura will be a black hole like feeling in the center of vision. Migraine aura can also be peculiar auditory sensations like tastes and smells.
