Migraines – What They Are, Symptoms, Triggers, And Options For Obtaining Relief

Anybody who has ever experienced a migraine can tell you it is a pain like no other. Even worse, it often comes with a range of other symptoms, from unpleasant (e.g. vomiting) to almost crippling.

Migraines have a significant impact on those who suffer from them, leading to a poor quality of life during each attack.

They can even get so bad at times that the sufferer is unable to carry out their usual daily activities such as getting out of bed, washing, dressing, and going to work.

So just what are migraines, how are they different from ordinary headaches, and what are the best pain relief strategies for dealing with migraines?

Let’s discuss what migraines are first.

What Is A Migraine?

Migraine headaches affect about one in seven Americans each year, or approximately 37 million people.

They are one of the leading causes of visits to the doctor and emergency room, and they appear to affect those between 15 and 55 years of age, especially women, more than anybody else.

The National Headache Foundation estimates that more than 50% of those who suffer from migraines have not been diagnosed, which means they are more than likely suffering needlessly when there are many effective treatments available for migraine pain relief, with new ones becoming available as more research emerges.

Knowledge is power when it comes to most medical conditions, and understanding both the symptoms and causes of migraines can help you find effective pain relief so you can get on with your normal life as far as possible, in spite of the migraine.

So what exactly is a migraine?

A migraine is a severe form of headache that can cause intense pain. Those with migraine often experience other symptoms in addition to the pain in the head, which can include, for example, vision and hearing problems, and often nausea and vomiting.

Nobody is sure why migraines occur, although they are thought to be caused by abnormal brain activity or stimulation in one of the main nerves in the brain.

Migraines might also have a genetic component, so if anybody in your family has migraines, you might be more prone to them.

A third main cause is the environment. Neurologists are learning more each day about the kinds of “triggers” that can cause migraines, and by identifying these triggers, you can spot potential causes of your migraines in your daily life and environment, which could help prevent painful migraines from ever happening in the first place.

The Five Phases Of Migraines

While it is true that migraines vary from person to person and from one migraine episode to the next, most sufferers will experience the following five phases to each of their migraines:

1. Prodrome
2. Aura (some people do not have this)
3. Headache
4. Headache termination
5. Postdrome

Let’s look at each of these five phases in more detail.

• Prodrome – Many migraine sufferers report “warning signs” before their migraines begin. Some report a change in mood, such as feeling “high”, irritable, or down in the dumps. They also report their food tasting strange or think they can sense funny smells. Many people also report tiredness and tension in the muscles. This can often lead doctors to believe they might have a tension headache when in fact they are suffering from migraines.
• Aura – Auras can affect a sufferer’s vision in a number of ways. The most common is an aura, or “halo” or bright light appearing to them, giving everything they look at a strange glow. Some migraine sufferers develop blind spots, which are referred to as scotomas. Geometric patterns, flashing, colourful lights, or loss of vision in one eye have also been reported prior to migraines.
• Headache – When the migraine arrives, it will usually occur on one side of the head only, though it is possible for it to occur on both sides. The pain has been described as both stabbing and throbbing.

  In addition to the pain in the head, visual disturbances can continue, including an extreme sensitivity to light (photophobia). Some sufferers also become sensitive to sound (phonophobia). Many with migraines feel nauseous and might even vomit.

  The migraine can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours, causing extreme disability in many if the steps they take to relieve the headache do not work.

• Headache termination – Migraines can sometimes be treated successfully with medication and lifestyle measures. Even if these fail, the migraine will usually go away by itself at some point, most often if the person goes to sleep. However, even after the migraine is gone, there can be some lingering effects.
• Postdrome – Migraine sufferers have reported a number of symptoms after their migraine has ended, including a loss of appetite, problems with concentration, and extreme tiredness. This migraine hangover can also have a negative effect on your daily life.

Those who have chronic migraines, which is about 3% of the population, suffer these symptoms on average about 50% of each month. This can cause severe disability, diminished quality of life, poor productivity, and lost income if the symptoms are very severe.

Therefore, the more you can do to prevent migraines from happening in the first place, or to treat them effectively when they do occur, the better.

For those who are not sure whether they have migraines or not, let’s look next at how migraines are different from other types of headaches.

How Is A Migraine Different From Other Kinds Of Headaches?

There are a number of different kinds of headaches in addition to migraines, with the four main ones being:

1. Cluster headaches
2. Sinus headaches
3. Rebound headaches
4. Tension headaches

Let’s look at each one of these in a bit more detail to see the similarities and differences:

• Cluster headaches – Cluster headaches are different from tension headaches in a number of ways. They usually affect only one eye, and the pain can come and go several times during an attack rather than remain steady. These multiple headaches are referred to as a cluster. Most people who report experiencing these kinds of headaches are men.
• Rebound headaches – Rebound headaches can be triggered by taking too much headache relief medication. Experts are not sure why this might be the case, but they have two theories. The first is that medicines such as Tylenol can make the brain more excited, triggering more pain. The second theory is that the brain starts to suffer from withdrawal symptoms once the level of medication in the body starts to go down, and the headache returns or a new one forms.
• Sinus headaches – Sinus headaches can attack anybody at any age. The sinuses are cavities or pockets within the bones of the skull that give it strength and stability and also filter the air we breathe. The sinuses are located above and below our eyes on both sides of the nose. Sinus headaches are caused by a build-up of pressure in one of more of the sinuses, leading to aching or throbbing in the face or whole head.
• Tension headaches – Most headaches are tension headaches, triggered by stressors at some points in our daily lives. They usually affect the entire head and the pain is consistent throughout the duration of the headache until it finally goes away.

We have already discussed what migraines are, but how do they differ from an ordinary headache?

Migraines are different from ordinary headaches in a number of ways:

• Headaches usually come on only occasionally, not regularly.
• Headaches involve some sort of pressure or throbbing in our heads, or perhaps the base of the skull, but do not usually affect other parts of the body such as our eyes or hearing.
• The pain usually comes on slowly but can often go away by itself as well within a short period of time.

When we have a normal headache, most of us can still function.

If our headache is severe enough, we might take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin or Tylenol (or a natural supplement such as white willow bark, which is what I use because I’m allergic to most OTC pain medications), and will usually start to feel better shortly afterwards.

Most of us do not have to lie down in bed because we are unable to function due to the pain.

Migraines, on the other hand:

• can be particularly painful in one of the eyes, or next to one of the eyes around the temple
• can last for many hours or even days
• can often affect other parts of the body, such as vision and hearing, making even the smallest amount of light or the slightest sound almost unbearable
• can result in every movement seeming like agony
• can trigger severe nausea and even vomiting
• have been described as a stabbing and throbbing pain
• might feel painful on only one side of the head, or both
• often come regularly, such as each week or every month

With such excruciating symptoms, most migraine sufferers have little choice but to take to their beds in a dark room and stay as quiet as possible until the migraine subsides, because sleep is often the only thing that provides real relief.

The crippling nature of migraines can lead to a poor quality of life and loss of productivity and earnings, and it can even damage home life and relationships.

As bad as migraines are, there is hope – the more people who are diagnosed and report their symptoms, the more we are learning all the time about migraine headaches and what causes them.

And knowing the signs and symptoms of migraines and what could be leading up to them are your first steps towards getting effective pain relief.

The best option, as for most medical conditions, is to try to prevent migraines from ever happening in the first place.

How is this possible?

In the case of migraines, it is by learning more about the most common reasons for migraine to determine if any of these known “triggers” might be causing your headaches.

Let’s look at some of the most common migraine triggers in the next section.

What Are The Known Triggers That Cause Migraines?

Experts have tracked down a number of potential triggers for migraines, and while every person is different, anybody suffering from migraines should consider whether or not any of these known triggers might be causing their headaches.

The 17 most common migraine triggers are:

Sorry - The Rest Of This Article Is Only For Self Help Nirvana Members

JOIN FREE FOR 7 DAYS

Self Help Nirvana is an online community for everybody whose goal is personal improvement and development. Become a Self Help Nirvana member today and get access to everything here at SelfHelpNirvana.com!

Already a member? Sign in.