Migraine: An Extraordinarily Prevalent Neurological Disease

 A migraine is a medical condition that includes recurring headaches or severe throbbing pain in the head, usually on one side of the head. It generally comes with vomiting, nausea, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound, which impact a person’s daily life to a greater extent. The neurological disease generally lasts for 24 to 72 hours and can leave you in bed for days, interfering with your daily activities. 

According to the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD-2015), Migraine stood as the third most common health problem in the world. Moreover, migraine disorder is common among women of all age groups compared to men. 

What are the signs and symptoms of Migraines?

 

The signs and symptoms of migraines vary from person to person. Therefore, it is complex to predict exactly what a person experiences before, during, and after an attack. The following four "signs and symptoms" mentioned below are common among persons but may not necessarily be experienced by all patients:

·         The prodrome, which occurs hours or days before the headache

·         The aura, which immediately precedes the headache

·         The headache phase

·         The postdrome

 The first phase or prodrome

The symptoms of prodromal symptoms generally occur in 40% to 60% of migraine sufferers. These include severe mood changes, irritability, depression or euphoria, fatigue, excessive sleepiness, craving for certain food (like chocolate), and other vegetative indications. These symptoms usually occur several hours or days before the headache phase of the migraine attack and warn the person that the migraine attack is near.

The second phase or the aura

With focal neurological phenomena, the migraine aura is the phase that precedes or accompanies the attack. They gradually appear over 5 to 20 minutes and usually decrease just before the headache begins. The symptoms of migraine aura are usually sensory in nature, including visual and sensory. 

The most common neurological events are the visual aura, in which disturbances of the vision like unformed flashes of white or rarely of multicolored lights can be seen. In such situations, there are chances of formations of dazzling zigzag lines arranged in front of the eyes. Moreover, some people complain of blurred or shimmering or cloudy vision. Plus, a person can also experience a feeling of pins-and-needles or tingling sensations in the arm and nose-mouth area, which is known as a somatosensory aura. 

The third phase or the headache

 

The typical migraine headache is one-sided, throbbing, moderate to severe, and can be serious sometimes. The pain amplifies and then subsides, which usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours in adults and 1 to 48 hours in children. Further, the frequency of attacks highly varies from a few in a lifetime to several times a week. However, a migraine sufferer may go through one to three migraines a month.

Apart from pain, other feature, including anorexia, nausea, and vomiting also accompanies during migraines.  Anorexia is common and nausea occurs in almost 90% of cases, while vomiting occurs in about one-third of patients. Some of the other symptoms like blurred vision, nasal stuffiness, diarrhea, sweating may also be observed during the headache phase. Scalp tenderness, stiffness, and tenderness of the neck, impairment of concentration, lightheadedness, dizziness, etc. are a few more. 

The fourth phase or postdrome phase

It is the phase after the migraine attack where a person may feel tired or washed out, irritated, listless, and may have impaired concentration, mood changes, or scalp tenderness. While some people feel depressed or malaise after an attack, others may feel strangely refreshed or euphoric.

 

What causes migraines?

Migraines occur primarily due to the constriction of blood vessels near the brain. As mentioned above, migraine pain lasts from four to 72 hours. Moreover, it has been found that three times of women have migraines than men. More than 80% of people with migraines (called migraineurs) have other members in the family who have them too. 

A migraine is caused by the enlargement of the temporal artery, which lies on the outside of the skull and under the skin of our forehead. The artery stretches the nerve around when it enlarges and releases certain chemicals. These chemicals are the cause of the pain that is called a migraine. The pain increases due to the enlargement of the artery. Migraines are just a never-ending circle of agony.

Serotonin, a hormone that is produced and found in the pineal gland, blood platelets, the digestive tract, and the brain. Technically called 5-hydroxytryptamine, it acts both as a chemical messenger that transmits nerve signals between nerve cells; and a substance that causes blood vessels to narrow. The change in the serotonin levels in the brain is responsible for mood changes in the person. Based on some studies, serotonin can also cause or trigger migraine headaches.

What medications are used to relieve migraine pain?

According to the experts, the frequency of attacks in over half of migraine sufferers can be reduced by prescription-strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Mefenamic acid (Ponstel) and naproxen (Anaprox) are mostly useful for preventing migraines. Sometimes, beta-blockers (used for blood pressure) are also useful in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks and their severity when they occur. To prevent migraines, propranolol (Inderal) and timolol (Blocadren) have been specifically approved. Plus, other medications, including metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) and nadolol (Corgard) are effective in preventing migraines.

In addition, a person with migraines can try some of the natural remedies such as massage, hot shower, relaxation techniques, or any activity that helps in relieving stress and relaxes the body.

Acupuncture is another non-chemical method to treat migraines as it calms the temporal artery and the sympathetic nervous system. A lot of practitioners of Acupuncture that are licensed can be trusted by patients. 

How to prevent migraines naturally?

There are natural ways to prevent migraine headaches:

·         Lavender or peppermint oil can help as it is a topical solution or inhaler. These can be put in a vaporizer or washcloth. 

·         Calcium and magnesium supplements also help relieve muscle tension.

 Moreover, alternative medicines are available for migraine headaches without the risks or adverse effects of regular pain relief medications. 

 

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Disclaimer: The information depicted here should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for the latest treatment options if you or someone you know suffers from migraines.