Migraine Headaches

Millions of people suffer from migraine headaches each day. And while it would be great if no one ever suffered from another one, it seems that migraine headaches are here to stay. If you’re lucky enough to never have suffered from a migraine, here’s a crash course on the symptoms, what causes them, and what you can do about it if you do ever suffer from a migraine.

Migraine headaches begin, in most people, between the ages of 10 and 46.  They are characterized by pain associated with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. The pain may often be localized on the left side of the head, but this isn’t always the case. Approximately 11 people out of 100 get them, and they may very well be hereditary. While migraines do tend to be more common in women, men can also get them.

Symptoms

Migraine headaches vary in severity. Some people may experience warning sign called an “aura” which may include seeing stars, tunnel vision, or a temporary blind spot in one eye. They can last for 6 to 48 hours and are generally worse on one side.

While symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, someone suffering from a migraine may also have a loss of appetite, fatigue, numbness, tingling, or weakness. Quite often they are hyper-sensitive to sound or light. They may also feel an increased need for sleep, neck pain, or they may feel like they aren’t thinking clearly.

Causes

No one knows the exact cause of migraine headaches, however there are some researchers and doctors that feel they can be triggered by common, and every day things such as stress, environmental changes, or even the foods we eat. Here are some things that may trigger a migraine:

• Alcohol use
• Unusually strong odors or perfumes
• Physical or emotional stress
• Exposure to smoke (cigarette and other)
• Skipping meals
• Tension headaches
• Some foods including those that contain tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish), monosodium glutamate (MSG), or nitrates found in  bacon, hot dogs, and other luncheon meats
• Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana, citrus, onions, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods

Treatment

When it comes to treatment for migraine headaches, there isn’t one sure-fire method that will take care of every one. Some people find that resting in a dark room may stave off a migraine, others will drink fluids to re-hydrate themselves, and still others will use a cool cloth on their forehead. If you can avoid the full-blown migraine, you may not have to take medicines to help alleviate the pain.

Your doctor may prescribe over-the-counter pain relievers, but if you have severe migraines you may be given a prescription for Imitrex, Zomig, or Midrin. Because of the possible side effects of these prescriptions, please take care to use them only if instructed by your doctor to do so, and then follow their dosing recommendations carefully.

If you prefer to use natural methods, you might want to consider feverfew as an alternative. Check with your doctor before using this or any herb to combat migraine headaches. Then be sure to find a trained herbalist to recommend the dosage that would be best for you.

If you experience migraine headaches, you can try to determine what factors trigger them and then avoid those triggers. Then take care to follow your doctor’s instructions on the best way to treat the migraine once you have it. Before long the pain will be gone and you can get back to your life.