Migraine

No one is immune to migraine headaches and it would not be surprising if you have quite a few migraine headaches in your life time. Depending on the severity of the headaches you have though, different treatment methods should be considered. There are some very rare cases where the headaches are so painful that the person may even consider suicide to just end the pain but we will just be discussing your average migraine headache in this article.

A migraine is a type of vascular headache which is a result of blood vessels enlarging and the exertion of chemicals within the nerve fibers that then encase the blood vessels. While a migraine headache is occurring, the temporary artery (outside your skull, under your temple’s skin) will get bigger. In combination with everything occurring, the migraine headache will occur.

Statistics show that roughly 28 million Americans fall victim to migraine headaches but it would not be surprising if the number is actually higher as it seems that everyone gets headaches. Also, statistics have shown that women are much more likely to have migraine headaches than men. 17% of women are affected by migraine headaches in America while only 6% of men are affected.

Signs of a Migraine Headache
While the severity of your migraine can vary the signs and symptoms will generally remain the same. The most obvious sign of a headache would obviously be head pains but it is also important to look at the exact location of the pains. Migraine pains usually attack your forehead, the side of your head, near your eyes, or less commonly at the back of your head. It is important to observe where the headaches are occurring though. A headache on the side of your head may not be uncommon but if it always occurs on the same side then you will want to visit your doctor as it may be a sign of a brain tumor.

The pain caused from a migraine headache will dramatically increase while you go through various aggravating activities such as jogging, going up or down stairs, biking, jumping, or doing anything spontaneous, or even anything at all that requires quick movement. You will also likely notice an increase in pain due to the migraine when there is a lot of light or loud sounds around you. Besides the annoying pains caused from a migraine you may also notice other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, cold hands and feet, and nausea.

Treating a Migraine Headache
As previously mentioned, if you have a headache that always occurs on the same side of your head then you will want to visit your doctor. While it may not always be necessary to visit your doctor if you have frequent headaches it would still be a good idea. Most people will just teach headache pills such as Aspirin, Tylenol, or Advil but this may not be the route that you always want to take. There are also various home remedies that can help as well if you wish to go that route.

Without treating the migraine headache it could last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours. By using medication to treat the migraine headache then you could expect it to start to go away within as little as an hour but it may still be noticeable for a few hours. Headache pills may not work for everyone either and you may not be able to use them if you have certain allergy problems or are already taking medication that does not mix safely.

If you find that you are getting regular migraines then it is important to either visit your doctor or at least find a home treatment method for them. You do not want to always have to rely on over the counter medication if you can find a better treatment method that you can do in your own home. There are a lot of natural home remedies that have had great results for many suffering from migraines. Just take a look at your options and treat them accordingly.

Last updated on May 21st, 2011 and filed under Neurological Disorders. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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