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symptoms and prevention for migraine | 14th June, 2017

A migraine is a severe, painful headache that can be preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.

What are migraine headaches?
The exact cause of migraine headaches is unknown; it is thought to be due to abnormal brain activity causing a temporary alteration in the nerve signals, chemicals and blood flow in the brain.
 
They are more common in women than men, and 3% of people have chronic migraines where they experience symptoms for half the month for six months.
 
What triggers migraine headaches?
Some people who suffer from migraines can clearly identify triggers or factors that cause the headaches, but many cannot. Potential migraine triggers include:
 
  • Allergies and allergic reactions
  • Bright lights, loud noises, flickering lights, smoky rooms, temperature changes, strong smells and certain odors or perfumes
  • Physical or emotional stress, tension, anxiety, depression, excitement
  • Physical triggers such as tiredness, jet lag, exercise
  • Changes in sleep patterns or irregular sleep
  • Smoking or exposure to smoke
  • Skipping meals or fasting causing low blood sugar
  • Dehydration
  • Alcohol
  • Hormonal triggers such as menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control pills, menopause
  • Tension headaches
Foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), or nitrates (like bacon, hot dogs and salami)
Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products and fermented or pickled foods
Medication such as sleeping tablets, the contraceptive pill, hormone replacement therapy.
Triggers do not always cause migraines and avoiding triggers does not always prevent migraines.
 
Symptoms of migraines
Symptoms of migraine can occur a while before the headache, immediately before the headache, during the headache and after the headache. Although not all migraines are the same, typical symptoms include:
 
  • Moderate to severe pain, usually confined to one side of the head during an attack, but can occur on either side of the head
  • The pain is usually a severe, throbbing, pulsing pain
  • Increasing pain during physical activity
  • Inability to perform regular activities due to pain
  • Feeling sick and physically being sick
Increased sensitivity to light and sound, relieved by lying quietly in a darkened room
Some people experience other symptoms such as sweating, temperature changes, tummy ache and diarrhea.
 
Migraines with aura
Many people experience migraines with auras or warning signs just before or during the head pain, but many do not. Auras are perceptual disturbances such as:
 
  • Confusing thoughts or experiences
  • The perception of strange lights, sparkling or flashing lights
  • Zigzag lines in the visual field
  • Blind spots or blank patches in the vision
  • Pins and needles in an arm or leg
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Stiffness in the shoulders, neck or limbs
  • Unpleasant smells.

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Mawuena Workartey/ ghanahospitals.org

     
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