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A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or a pulsing sensation in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to days and be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.
Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms (aura), such as flashes of light, blind spots, or tingling in your arm or leg.
Medications can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. If treatment hasn't worked for you in the past, talk to your doctor about trying a different migraine headache medication. The right medicines, combined with self-help remedies and lifestyle changes, may make a big difference.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
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Migraine headaches often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. Migraines may progress through four stages, including prodrome, aura, headache and postdrome, though you may not experience all the stages.
One or two days before a migraine, you may notice subtle changes that signify an oncoming migraine, including:
Aura may occur before or during migraine headaches. Auras are nervous system symptoms that are usually visual disturbances, such as flashes of light. Sometimes auras can also be touching sensations (sensory), movement (motor) or speech (verbal) disturbances. Most people experience migraine headaches without aura. Each of these symptoms usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes, and then commonly lasts for 20 to 60 minutes. Examples of aura include:
Less commonly, an aura may be associated with limb weakness (hemiplegic migraine).
When untreated, a migraine usually lasts from four to 72 hours, but the frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person. You may have migraines several times a month or much less often. During a migraine, you may experience the following symptoms:
The final phase, known as postdrome, occurs after a migraine attack. During this time you may feel drained and washed out, though some people report feeling mildly euphoric.
Migraine headaches are often undiagnosed and untreated. If you regularly experience signs and symptoms of migraine attacks, keep a record of your attacks and how you treated them. Then make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your headaches.
Even if you have a history of headaches, see your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different.
See your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if you have any of the following signs and symptoms, which may indicate other, more serious medical problems:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
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Although much about the cause of migraines isn't understood, genetics and environmental factors appear to play a role.
Migraines may be caused by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway.
Imbalances in brain chemicals — including serotonin, which helps regulate pain in your nervous system — also may be involved. Researchers continue to study the role of serotonin in migraines.
Serotonin levels drop during migraine attacks. This may cause your trigeminal system to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain's outer covering (meninges). The result is headache pain.
Whatever the exact mechanism of the headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
At Mayo Clinic, we take the time to listen, to find answers and to provide you the best care.
Subscribe to our Pain Management Advisor e-newsletter for tips to manage pain.
If you have migraines or a family history of migraine headaches, your doctor trained in treating headaches (neurologist) will likely diagnose the condition on the basis of your medical history, a review of your symptoms, and a physical and neurological examination.
Your doctor may also recommend a variety of tests to rule out other possible causes for your pain if your condition is unusual, complex or suddenly becomes severe.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
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Sometimes your efforts to control your pain cause problems.
Also, some people experience complications from migraines such as:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Subscribe to our Pain Management Advisor e-newsletter for tips to manage pain.
Whether or not you take preventive medications, you may benefit from lifestyle changes that can help reduce the number and severity of migraines. One or more of these suggestions may be helpful for you:
Avoid triggers. If certain foods or odors seem to have triggered your migraines in the past, avoid them.
Your doctor may recommend you reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake and avoid tobacco.
In general, establish a daily routine with regular sleep patterns and regular meals. In addition, try to control stress.
Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise reduces tension and can help prevent migraines. If your doctor agrees, choose any aerobic exercise you enjoy, including walking, swimming and cycling. Warm up slowly, however, because sudden, intense exercise can cause headaches.
Obesity is also thought to be a factor in migraine headaches, and regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight.
Reduce the effects of estrogen. If you're a woman who has migraines and estrogen seems to trigger or make your headaches worse, you may want to avoid or reduce the medications you take that contain estrogen.
These medications include birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. Talk with your doctor about the appropriate alternatives or dosages for you.
Avoid triggers. If certain foods or odors seem to have triggered your migraines in the past, avoid them.
Your doctor may recommend you reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake and avoid tobacco.
In general, establish a daily routine with regular sleep patterns and regular meals. In addition, try to control stress.
Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise reduces tension and can help prevent migraines. If your doctor agrees, choose any aerobic exercise you enjoy, including walking, swimming and cycling. Warm up slowly, however, because sudden, intense exercise can cause headaches.
Obesity is also thought to be a factor in migraine headaches, and regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight.
Reduce the effects of estrogen. If you're a woman who has migraines and estrogen seems to trigger or make your headaches worse, you may want to avoid or reduce the medications you take that contain estrogen.
These medications include birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. Talk with your doctor about the appropriate alternatives or dosages for you.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Subscribe to our Pain Management Advisor e-newsletter for tips to manage pain.
Nontraditional therapies may be helpful if you have chronic migraine pain:
Herbs, vitamins and minerals. There is some evidence that the herb butterbur may prevent migraines or reduce their severity.
Another herb, feverfew, may help prevent migraines, but it has shown mixed results in studies.
A high dose of riboflavin (vitamin B-2) also may prevent migraines or reduce the frequency of headaches.
Coenzyme Q10 supplements may decrease the frequency of migraines, but they have little effect on the severity of the headache.
Due to low magnesium levels in some people with migraines, magnesium supplements have been used to treat migraines, but with mixed results.
Ask your doctor if these treatments are right for you. Don't use feverfew, riboflavin or butterbur if you're pregnant or without first talking with your doctor.
Herbs, vitamins and minerals. There is some evidence that the herb butterbur may prevent migraines or reduce their severity.
Another herb, feverfew, may help prevent migraines, but it has shown mixed results in studies.
A high dose of riboflavin (vitamin B-2) also may prevent migraines or reduce the frequency of headaches.
Coenzyme Q10 supplements may decrease the frequency of migraines, but they have little effect on the severity of the headache.
Due to low magnesium levels in some people with migraines, magnesium supplements have been used to treat migraines, but with mixed results.
Ask your doctor if these treatments are right for you. Don't use feverfew, riboflavin or butterbur if you're pregnant or without first talking with your doctor.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Subscribe to our Pain Management Advisor e-newsletter for tips to manage pain.
Self-care measures can help ease the pain of a migraine headache.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Subscribe to our Pain Management Advisor e-newsletter for tips to manage pain.
Several factors make you more prone to having migraines.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
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