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What Is Meant By A Migraine Headache And Just What Are Its Signs And Symptoms?

One of the most frequent migraine symptoms is an intense throbbing pain which is generally situated on just one side of the head close to the temple. Migraines, unlike normal headaches, are also frequently accompanied by other symptoms that can include sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and occasionally vomiting.

Migraines are fairly common and affect about one in ten people in the United States, or in excess of 28 million Americans. They are also much more commonly seen in women than in men (about 3 times more women suffer from migraine) and can also be see sometimes in children.

Despite the fact that migraine headaches are so common and normally very painful with an attack lasting anything from a few hours to two or three days, only roughly 50% of all sufferers ever consult their physician and the rest elect to suffer in silence.

Migraines had long been thought to be were caused by a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, even though there is no general consensus, medical opinion seems to be moving away from this theory in favor of a genetic cause for this condition. It is now believed that migraines are produced by the interaction of brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. Right now however the truth of the matter is that we really do not know what cause migraines.

There are in fact two forms of migraine, the first of which is referred to as 'classical migraine'and is characterized by an associated 'aura'. In this case 'aura' refers to visual light effects which are experienced immediately before the start of a headache including such things as flashing lights and bright light spots. In some cases a complete loss of vision may be experienced for a few minutes before the onset of the headache.

The second type of migraine is a migraine with no prior symptoms of an 'aura'.

In exactly the same way that we do not really know what causes a migraine, so too we have little idea about exactly what triggers an attack, although there are a variety of factors which do appear likely to trigger an attack. For example, too much sleep appears to be one factor and so does skipping meals or eating particular types of food like cheese.

Hormonal factors are also believed to influence the onset and severity of attacks and this is evidenced the higher incidence of migraines among women. This in part is thought to be because of the effect of estrogen on the blood vessels and it has been noted in some studies that there is a connection between the contraceptive pill (containing estrogen) and migraines.

Just to confuse matters however studies have also shown that everyday activities like climbing a flight of stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to heat or cold, loud noises, flashing lights and even stress.

Luckily, there are a variety of migraine treatments available, although no single treatment is really effective in all cases. Over-the-counter medications are however seldom effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraines, you would be best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding a solution which works for you.