For the most part, migraines affect women. Men are more likely to get cluster headaches, where the pain is still very bad, but it doesn’t last as long. Yet all told, almost 40 million people suffer from migraines. A few million people experience migraines regularly, and nearly all have to miss work or school when one strikes. Treatment seems to be limited for many, who simply reply on OTC pain relievers. Despite the severity of the condition, only half get a diagnosis. Furthermore, only a quarter of people turn to a physician for migraine treatment. It seems like this terrible affliction can only be accepted by those struggling. To be fair, lack of treatment is probably most common among those who suffer episodic migraines, not chronic …show more content…
Naturally, chronic migraines occur more frequently - approximately half of all days feature migraine symptoms. More troubling, it’s as though with the variation in migraine symptoms and types, not all kinds of intervention are effective. Why does this happen to people? Why do some get regular migraines, but others don’t? What are its secrets? The thing is, no one really knows. The best answer you can get is that migraines are genetic. But if you ask me, that’s not much of an answer. After all, we don’t know exactly what the family history triggers in terms of an underlying cause. Potentially, migraines are just a symptom of what that genetic predisposition really impacts. However, researchers and doctors have some ideas. The cause of migraines could be a vascular problem in the brain. It could also potentially be a central nervous system problem or chemical imbalance, such as a drop in serotonin. In the end, perhaps no one knows better than the person suffering from migraines. People with personal experience in dealing with the pain have noted some factors that can trigger migraines, such as: Not eating enough or skipping meals Eating salty or processed foods Alcohol
The borders between the different forms are very fluid and the specific conditions are often misdiagnosed as a strong migraine, causing the patients to suffer significant pain before treatment is started. Which directly links to another problem: The treatment. Oxygen treatment seems promising, yet it is not readily available to the patients. Orally administered triptans are usually too weak and nasally administered triptans (e.g. ZOMIG) cannot be used in a sufficient frequency to relieve the pain during the whole day, especially in the case of Paroxysmal Hemicrania where attacks are generally of shorter duration yet of higher intensity. Therefore, patients still need to resort to taking a significant amount of painkillers which is medically problematic since an attack period can last up to several months or even years in the case of chronic conditions which 10-15% of cluster headache patients suffer from.
The exact mechanism of migraine headaches has not yet been elucidated. Gene studies, combined with the high correlation of family history with migraine susceptibility, give considerable evidence for a significant geneti...
Jane did explain that since the history of migraine headache had been going on for years it was going to take a while prior to seen any results but it was going to take some lifestyle changes other than the acupuncture to achieve the goal. The author left the office in a great note. Unable to gauge the results of the treatment yet but with a hopeful outlook for the future.
Lack of sleep and food, alcohol consumption (particularly wine), tobacco smoke, bright lights, strong odors, loud noises, specific foods, certain medications (vasodilators), emotional or physical stress, anxiety, environmental changes and hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycle may trigger a migraine.2 Additionally, Ms. Blum was diagnosed with depression, which has been linked to migraine headaches. Studies have shown that patients suffering from migraines are at an increase risk of developin...
To avoid or eliminate the triggers, it is up to each individual to get help or determine alone the factors that cause these unbearable migraines.
My mom became a victim to this illness after she had my youngest sibling. She has now lived with primary migraines for about seven years and the cause of her condition is unknown. The possible factors that can lead to migraines include, hormones, caffeine, stress, anxiety, and many others. Similarly, the journal “Providing Care for Patients with Chronic Migraine: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management”, by Stephen D. Silberstein states, “Other comorbid factors should be addressed, including sleep disorders, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and obesity” (Silberstein). My mother has gone through many things in her life which relate to many of these factors. Therefore, doctors have not been able to determine the cause of her
Aura symptoms need to be documented in the history as with all other documentation of diagnosing headaches. Migraines are more frequent in the early morning, although the attack may occur any time throughout a day. Migraines cause throbbing head pain, nausea, changes in the appetite, discomfort to be in lighted area, and discomfort with sounds. The pain can be debilitating or moderate in pain depending on the severity, duration, states, current medication use and triggers. MOH are more common cause with migraines, although triggers are unique and vary from smells, sleep changes, medications, stress, anxiety, depression, hormonal factors, to unknown etiology, furthermore each patient treatment should be
Patients who endured moderate to severe migraines were interviewed a physician and had to complete a migraine diary for one month and a migraine headache information form. Patients who met the criteria were then offered to participate in the study followed by completing several questionnaires. Before undergoing the surgery, the patients were then injected botulinum toxin type A in the area where they felt the most pain from their migraine. Depending on where the patients
Researchers monitored patients in both inpatient and outpatient surgeries, and looked at how many had stokes then how many were readmitted to a hospital over 30 days. Within the 30 day period, results showed patients with migraines were more likely to have a stoke compared to patients without migraines. The patients who did have migraines with aura were at higher risk to those with regular migraines. The readmission rates was 1.3
Headaches occur when the trigeminal nerve that originates on the bottom of the brain that reaches the face, ears, and eyes. It has pain receptors called nociceptors that carry the signals of pain to the thalamus which then can be triggered by hunger, curtain foods, odors, and stress. The thalamus then sends a message to the brain that initiates the pain, and now the individual feels that they have a headache (Pray, 2014). The vast array of headache types are believed to be a whopping one-hundred fifty different types, but the NINDS has categorized them into four different classifications that have specific traits. Such as vascular headaches, tension headaches, traction headaches, and inflammatory headaches (Pray,
I have suffered from migraines since I was four.Just a little child at the time who couldn’t understand or express the screaming going on in my head. Pounding, pulsing, pressure as if something was trying to claw its way out. Lights dancing before my eyes and nasua rolling in my stomach. Today I have those words but even though I can express them few people understand.
Other triggers can be anything from eye strain, dry eyes, alcohol, fatigue, smoking, a simple cold or flu, sinus infection, caffeine, poor posture (which is a problem for many, myself included), and emotional stress. A dull head pain, pressure around the forehead, and tenderness around the forehead and scalp will start to develop after a while. These types of headaches are very easy to manage because a simple pain killer or over the counter drug can be taken to alleviate the pain within 30 to 45 minutes. The Most Important
1. The types of specialists that can help with a migraine diagnosis are doctors who focus on treating people with migraines. These doctors can be internal medicine doctors, family practice doctors, neurologists, or other specialists who see many patients with headache disorders. Most migraine & headache specialists have completed additional training and have additional certification in treating headaches. They may also work in a clinic dedicated to treating headaches. In addition, a neurologist is a doctor trained in diagnosing and treating disorders and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. Neurologists examine and treat the nerves in the head and neck as well as diagnose problems with memory, balance, speech, thinking and
Migraines are not as common as many believe, actually, only about 12 percent of the U.S population gets migraines (Reinald Shyti, Boukje de Vries, Arn van den Maagdenberg, 2011). The recurring headache can range anywhere from moderate to severe. There are four stages of symptoms starting with Prodrome symptoms which occur one to two days before a migraine attack. Prodrome symptoms include constipation, mood changes, food cravings, neck stiffness, increased thirst and urination, and frequent yawning. The second stage is Aura which lasts for about 20 to 60 minutes and may occur before or during a migraine. Symptoms of the Aura stage include flashes of light, vision loss, pins and needles sensation in arm or leg, numbness or weakness on face or one side of the body, speech difficulty, hearing noise or music, and uncontrollable jerking. The third stage is the Attack stage that can lasts 72 hours if not treated. Symptoms of the attack stage include pain on one side or both sides of the head, pain that feels throbbing or pulsing, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and lightheadedness sometimes followed by fainting. The last stage is Post-dromed symptoms which occur after a migraine.
Have you ever experienced a migraine or headache when you were stressed or upset? You often experience these migraines or headaches and repeated dose of medication does seem to help the problem permanently. If this case, you are suffering from a psychosomatic disease or disorder. A psychosomatic disease is a disease or disorder that involves the mind and body. Psychosomatic means mind (psyche) and body (soma). An example of a psychosomatic disease that involves the mind and body are migraine headaches. A migraine is a headache that has many symptoms. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and the sensitivity to light. People who suffer from this, they can experience a throbbing pain that is felt on one side of the head. The pain is generally made worse by physical activity.