Migraine is a kind of very painful headache which often commences in early childhood to teenage years and sometimes runs in families. More often than not it is just one side of the head that experiences miserable pain that lasts from four to 72 hours if not treated and usually requires the sufferer to have bed rest. Not only is the victim in pain but they can be physically exhausted after the attack.
One thing that is still unknown is why some people have much more frequent attacks than others. These headaches go together with light headedness, sensitivity to brightness, and chills which are also symptoms of other common illnesses. Migraine attacks only seem to affect people within a certain age range, just before puberty and stop by the time the person has reached about 40; in almost every instance however, attacks usually diminish or end in later adult life usually once the person is over 50 years old.
It is quite common for members of the same family group to suffer with migraine attacks; too date however, no definitive, confirmed hereditary cause has so far been found. There is a condition that causes an inflammation of blood vessels in the brain and it is possible that people who suffer have sensitivity in this area. Science cannot as yet explain why this condition is more likely to affect women than men but women have a three times greater chance of having the condition than men; only about eight percent of men will have an attack in their lives so it is very much a condition that affects women.
Another symptom that is not consistent is those people that know when they are going to have an attack anything up to 30 minutes before it happens; this sensation is called migraine with aura owing to the type of feeling they experience. A number of different warning signs have been exhibited as shown below:
*Nausea
*Problems with vision
*Sense of smell and taste is affected
*Difficulty with verbal skills
These are the most commonly experienced symptoms. Migraine sufferers who do not have any warning are said to have attack without aura but still suffer extreme pain; this condition can escalate and is made worse by any movement, loud noises and bright lights which can cause the person to vomit.
It is believed that conditions that cause the blood vessels in the brain to contract could be an explanation for migraine but this still hasn’t been proved so the search for cause continues. This narrowing of vessels then leads to an expansion and this pressure change may be the reason for the headache; however, all suffers say the attack knocks them out and they are unable to carry out even the most simple of daily tasks. There are many factors that can trigger an attack ranging from:
*Bad weather
*Food belonging to certain groups
*Being at great height
*Certain groups of drink
*Powerful bright lighting
*Not enough sleep
*Work related stress
Monitoring and recording the triggers in a diary can help avoid future attacks so it is something that all sufferers must learn to carry out.
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