What is Migraine
Migraine is a chronic disorder characterized by headache; and nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light and sound. Many are unable to differentiate migraine from other headaches.
A typical migraine headache is usually felt on one side of the head and patients describe it as throbbing or pulsating kind of pain.These headaches are ‘episodic headaches’ means they can occur anywhere from once or twice a year to 1-4 times a month but in between, there are prolonged pain free intervals. Migraine is three times more common in women than men.
It generally appears for the first time between 10-45 years of age
What are the Causes of Migraine?
The underlying cause of migraine is still unknown. It is thought to run in families. Certain factors are known to trigger the attack. Migraine attacks are triggered by-
Stress and anxiety Lack of food or sleep
Exposure to bright and flickering lights
Menstruation,
hormonal changes,
use of oral contraceptives (in women) Certain foods like chocolate, cheese, red wine, onions, meat, smoked fish, foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and alcohol can trigger an attack.
Certain odours or perfumes
Changes in the weather Excessive noise
Smoking (active or passive)
What are the Symptoms of Migraine?
A migraine attack can last for few hours or days. There are many forms of migraine headaches. The classic migraine and the common migraine are the two main types. Classic Migraine- Prodrome symptoms or ‘aura’ can be seen in some patients. This warns of an approaching migraine attack. The patient may feel a change in the eyesight. Bright spots or zigzag lines will be seen. The change in eyesight is often followed by numbness and tingling of the lips, face, hands (on one or both sides), weakness of an arm or leg, dizziness, unsteadiness in walking, drowsiness, slight confusion of thinking, and inability to speak or slurred speech. Many patients will not have most of these symptoms. They will have one or two of these symptoms. The symptoms may last for 5 to 15 minutes or more. As these symptoms disappear, a throbbing headache begins on one side of the head.They will also experience nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise.
Common Migraine- This type comes without any warning signs. A throbbing headache begins and the location of the headache varies. The pain may be on both sides of the head, or it may shift from side to side. Nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise usually accompany the headache. Postdrome symptoms or migraine hangover can be seen in some patients.
Symptoms include- Cognitive difficulties Pain in the head and/or neck Increased desire to rest or sleep Mood changes
How is Migraine Treated?
Diagnosis of migraine is usually done by assessing the pattern of development of headache, family history of migraine and the response to analgesics taken to stop the headache. Once diagnosed the most important thing is to avoid the triggering factors of migraine. Women who have migraines just prior to their menstrual period should reduce salt in their diet. This helps to decrease water retention associated with precipitating attacks. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol causes the blood vessels in the body to widen, which contributes to the pain of migraines. If stress triggers the onset of a migraine, relaxing and reducing the stress can be helpful. A regular schedule for sleep is necessary if fatigue leads to attacks.
Regular exercise (e.g., walking and swimming)
and relaxation techniques (e.g., yoga, meditation) can be helpful. Treating a migraine attack- Several medications may be advised to relieve symptoms. The response of migraine to medications is highly variable. Analgesics may reduce pain if they are taken early in the development of the headache. Resting in a darkened room without any noise often reduces the severity of symptoms. If this does not help then the doctor can prescribe triptans (relieves pain and nausea), ergotamines or corticosteroids. Other medications used to treat the symptoms of migraine- Anti-emetics- to reduce nausea and vomiting. Sedatives Narcotic pain killers Preventive Migraine Drugs- Antidepressants- amitriptyline or venlafaxine Blood pressure medicines- beta blockers (propanolol) or calcium channel blockers (verapamil) Seizure medicines- valproic acid, gabapentin and topiramate Alternative Therapies- Acupuncture Physiotherapy Yoga Meditation Herbs like 'Fewerfew'
source:http://pharmradiong..com