Migraines
Friday 16 January 2009
What is a migraine and why does it occur? n2k investigates.
What are migraines?
A migraine is an extremely painful headache. However, whereas normal headaches come and go within a few hours, a migraine usually lasts between four to 72 hours.
The headaches are usually and pulsating and throbbing. Because of the pain and intensity of a migraine, it often causes nausea, sight problems and increased sensitivity to light, noise and smell.
If you've never had a migraine have some sympathy for those who do suffer - watch the video!
Phases
Symptoms can vary between migraine sufferers, but they usually occur in four stages:-
Pre-headache phase
Mood can change, making the sufferer irritable and tired suddenly. These symptoms can occur a few hours or days before the actual headache.
Aura phase
Only a small percentage of migraine sufferers experience this but those that do usually see strange or multicoloured lights or bright flashes. Sometimes the sufferer can smell something unpleasant or go through confusing thoughts or experiences.
Headache phase
The actual headache also varies. Most sufferers feel a severe throb which can be made worse with movement. The pain can also spread from one side of the head to the other. You might feel hot and cold and can also sweat.
Postdrome phase
It’s common for the sufferer to feel tired and mood changes often continue to this phase. However, some sufferers feel a sense of happiness that the pain has now past.
Who is affected?
Migraines are more common in girls than boys, affecting one in four females compared to one in 12 males.
Doctors believe that migraines affect more females because it is believed that migraines are associated with hormonal balance – many females get migraines around the time of their period, a time when hormones go a bit wild.
The most common time for migraines to take affect is in childhood or teens - they become less likely with age.
Migraines can be triggered by many things e.g. allergic reactions, stress, smoking, skipping meals and alcohol.
Help!
If you are suffering from migraines go to your GP for help. Though there is no cure for migraines, painkillers are often subscribed and bought over-the-counter.
However, a healthy diet improves all aspects of life and it can definitely help with migraines. A few common trigger foods include caffeine, dairy, soya, alcohol and chocolate. Check out more food triggers here.
Writing a food diary often help sufferers to find out what their trigger food is as they note down what they’ve eaten and when a migraine occurs.
Migraines can often have people wanting to lie down in a dark room - go for it! Finding a peaceful place for a rest or nap can help relieve pain.
