Migraines

Many people today will tell you that they suffer from migraine. Many people however don’t really understand what a migraine is and they really just have a headache.

I was surprised to learn that the headache part of a migraine is a symptom of a disease and that to take traditional headache cures eg paracetamol or aspirin will actually make the migraine worse. It also surprised me to realise that migraine can be life threatening.

Although the benefits of feverfew are still being investigated in regard to migraine prevention and alleviation the findings are looking favourable so far. There is a lot of technical jargon involved but basically it can help with relieving spasms of the blood vessels in the brain and therefore if not prevent then lessen the pain of the attack.

Feverfew also is beneficial in combating nausea and vomiting which are often associated with a migraine attack and can make you feel downright miserable in their own right.

Dizziness can also be helped and feverfew can help you get a more restful sleep. It has few side effects and they appear to be very mild. All in all I think feverfew is worth investigating if you are a migraine sufferer, it might just do the trick.

You need to ensure that what you are experiencing is a migraine so that you can properly treat it. Some people often confuse migraine headaches with cluster headaches or tension headaches. What you will see is that these headache types are quite distinct. Treatment will vary depending on the type of headache.

Migraines are severe, throbbing headaches and may or may not be accompanied by nausea, visual disturbances, or other symptoms. It’s estimated that over 10% of the population in the United States suffers from migraine headaches. More women suffer from migraine headaches than men. Migraines are among the most serious classification of headache.

Research suggests that migraines are vascular headaches caused by excessive dilation or contraction of the brain’s blood vessels. Research also suggests that in women, migraines may be linked to fluctuations in hormone levels. Migraines may occur weekly or only several times a year. There is some evidence that may suggest migraines have a genetic component.

Not all painful headaches are migraines. Migraines have certain distinct features distinguishing them from other types of headaches. Look at the below characteristics to see of you have a true migraine or one of the two types most commonly confused with migraines: tension headaches and cluster headaches.

Migraine headaches can last anywhere from four to 72 hours, can involve one or both sides of the head, usually are quite painful. Migraines are typically accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light, sound or smells.

Cluster Headaches can last anywhere from thirty to 90 minutes, are on one side of the head and very painful (more painful than migraines)

Tension Headaches can last anywhere from two hours to days, occur on both sides of the head and involve a mild or moderate pain.

If you suspect that you are getting a migraine headache, you should make an appointment with your doctor. He or she can then refer you onto a specialist, a neurologist.

It was two weeks ago when I first experienced having this really painful headache which lasted for almost half an hour. I thought it was all because I lacked sleep the night before and I was already stressed with work. I decided to take a pain killer that time and was relieved immediately after an hour. I thought that was the last of it. After two days, I started having that painful headache again so I continued taking pain killers. I told my superior that I had to go home early that day so I can have enough sleep and avoid having those headaches again. To my surprise, however, the headaches keep coming despite my renewed habit of having enough time for sleeping. I thought it was all because of the high level of stress I usually experience at the office which made me decide to take that much deserved one week leave.

Unfortunately, the headaches just would not go away. It was then that I got alarmed by my situation and I immediately went to the hospital for a check-up. The first thing that my doctor asked me was to relate to him the circumstance when I first noticed having the headaches, then to describe the nature or characteristics of my headaches itself. So I told him about my job, how I often lacked sleep, and how the heightened stressfulness in the office must have triggered the pain. I also told him that the headaches just keep coming, especially during midday, the strong and prolonged pain which I feel at the front and back portions of my head. After some more questioning, he sent me to undergo some laboratory tests as well as to have my head scanned for a possible tumor, maybe. However, after the results came out that very same day, my doctor explained to me that my chronic headaches might be what are often known as tension headaches. According to him, the causes of tension headaches are not really known, but some recent studies indicate that this condition has something to do with improper posture and the tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. In the end, I was advised to correct my posture and change some of my positional habits at home and in the office. The doctor also suggested that a massage session will do me some good. Finally, I was prescribed a muscle-relaxant called Butalbital.

Basically, I was prohibited from slouching. I always have to make sure that my posture is right when seated and while standing. I would rather be more mindful of always having a proper posture. It was something easier for me to do, though I sometimes forget, than to frequently be bothered by chronic headaches. I especially liked the part of being “prescribed” to have a massage. Finally, now I have a valid reason to do something I have wanted to do for so long but get postponed frequently. Getting a massage is a matter of life and death for me now, though that would obviously be a bit exaggerating. I have always wanted to drop by the newest spa center across our office. The massage is indeed the best prescription I have received by far, that is aside from the Butalbital that has largely contributed to relieving the pain immediately.

This experience had somehow become a wake-up call for me. I realized that I had been taking my health for granted. It was only after I had suffered the consequences that I learned how fragile my health is. Fortunately, it was not too late for me to change.

A migraine headache can incapacitate its victims, rendering them unable to perform the most simple of activities for hours or even days. Severe migraines affect millions of people every year; their side effects reading like a who’s who of illness – nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, diarrhea, and sensitivity to light, sound, and smell. The repercussions can be disastrous – affecting work and home life as the migraine sufferer loses precious hours to pain and debilitation. It’s no wonder that the quest to find a migraine cure is paramount in the life of a migraine sufferer.

The components of a migraine include the inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain. This inflammation affects the central nervous system and often the digestive system causing the bevy of side effects typical of migraines. Often, the identifying of specific triggers particular to each sufferer can be tantamount to a migraine cure, as the avoidance of the triggers prevents further episodes. But in order to isolate the triggers for each person and discover a migraine cure, it is necessary to understand the most common causes of migraines.

Research has shown that there are a number of common causes of migraine including lack of sleep, excessive caffeine, red wine consumption, exposure to smoke, high levels of stress, hormone fluctuations, and particular foods such as those that contain additives and preservatives. Sometimes the minimizing or avoidance of these triggers acts as a migraine cure.

In other cases, over-the-counter or prescription drugs act as a migraine cure, nipping pain in the bud and allowing the migraine sufferer to move on with their day. However, it is not often that over-the-counter medication can completely alleviate the pain of a migraine. Prescription medication has a better chance of acting as a migraine cure but in order to be effective it must be carefully administered by a doctor.

But for those who wish to find a more natural migraine cure, the implementation of a natural lifestyle may be just as effective as medication. In addition to a natural diet, the avoidance of alcohol and caffeine, a consistent exercise program, and commitment to adequate sleep, many migraine sufferers find relief through the use of such therapies such as chiropractic treatment, therapeutic massage, and acupuncture.