Migraines are a recurring type of headache. They cause moderate to severe pain that is throbbing or pulsing. The pain is often on one side of your head. You may also have other symptoms, such as nausea and weakness. You may be sensitive to light and sound.
Migraines are believed to be due to a mixture of environmental and genetic factors. About two-thirds of cases run in families. Changing hormone levels may also play a role, as migraines affect slightly more boys than girls before puberty and two to three times more women than men. The risk of migraines usually decreases during pregnancy. The underlying mechanisms are not fully known. It is, however, believed to involve the nerves and blood vessels of the brain.
Symptoms
Constipation, mood changes, food cravings, neck stiffness, increased thirst and urination as well as frequent yawning are symptoms of migraine. Each of these symptoms usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes and lasts for 20 to 60 minutes. Examples of migraine aura include:
Visual phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots or flashes of light, vision loss, pins and needles sensations in an arm or leg. Other symptoms include weakness or numbness in the face or one side of the body, difficulty speaking, hearing noises or music and uncontrollable jerking or other movements.
Sometimes, a migraine with aura may be associated with limb weakness.
Migraine Attack
A migraine usually lasts from four to 72 hours if untreated. The frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person. Migraines may be rare, or strike several times a month.
During a migraine, you may experience pain on one side or both sides of your head, pain that feels throbbing or pulsing, sensitivity to light, sounds, and sometimes smells and touch. You may also experience nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and lightheadedness, sometimes followed by fainting. After a migraine attack, you may feel drained and washed out, while some people feel elated. For about 24 hours, you may also experience confusion, moodiness, dizziness, weakness and sensitivity to light and sound.
Health implication
Stroke
Women who get migraines with aura are more likely to have a stroke, which happens when part of your brain suddenly gets cut off from a blood supply. Studies show the chance of having a stroke gets worse if you also smoke, have high blood pressure, or take birth control pills.
Heart Disease
You’re more likely to have heart disease, such as chest pain called angina or a heart attack, if you also have migraines, and vice versa. But there are many things you can do to help lower this risk, including a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a good night’s sleep.
High Blood Pressure
Some studies show that people with migraines may be more likely to have high blood pressure. But the research was mostly with white women, so more studies are needed to see if this holds true for others as well.
Heart Abnormalities
People who get migraines are more likely to have problems with the structure of their ticker. One issue in particular is called “patent foramen ovale” (PFO). It’s a small hole between the right and left upper chambers of the heart. About a third of people who get migraines have it.
Epilepsy
You are more likely to have this condition, which causes seizures, if you get migraines and the other way around, too. Both conditions appear to be caused by a similar problem: cells in the brain called neurons that are unusually sensitive. And both disorders may be due to genes you get from your parents.
Insomnia
Sleep problems, including insomnia, are common in people who get migraines. They can also lead to anxiety and depression, which are linked to migraine. Irregular sleep habits are also one of the major triggers for migraine headaches. You may sleep better if you wake up every day at the same time and avoid alcohol and caffeine late in the day.
Anxiety and Depression
About 25% of people with migraine have depression, and up to 50% have anxiety. It’s more typical if your migraines are frequent-headaches on 15 days out of the month. It has something to do with the way your brain sends signals from one neuron to another with a chemical called serotonin.
Tinnitus
It’s a condition that makes it sound as if there’s ringing or hissing in your ear. For some people, the problem may only get really bad when they have a migraine. It’s not clear why this happens, but it could be that neurons send abnormal signals during an attack.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
People who have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, like belly pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, are more likely to get migraines. And new research links them to some of the same genes. More study is needed to figure out what treatments might work together to help these conditions.
Fibromyalgia
When you have this condition, you could have all-over body pain, anxiety, depression, and be oversensitive to light, sound, and even pressure at specific “tender points.” You might also be more likely to get migraines. Preventing migraines with treatment may help keep away fibromyalgia flares, too. Talk to your doctor about the best therapy options for you.
PTSD
It stands for posttraumatic stress disorder. It’s a response to a traumatic event like abuse or a bad car accident. When you have PTSD, you relive it, including the intense emotions. You are more likely to have migraine if you have this problem. In people with both conditions, almost 70% have PTSD symptoms before they get a headache. Your doctor may be able to help you manage your symptoms with therapy and medication.
Low Blood Sugar
When your blood sugar levels are too low, you have a problem called hypoglycemia. This can trigger a migraine in some people. But a headache caused by fasting is not always due to low blood sugar. It could happen for many reasons, such as you didn’t drink enough water, you cut back on your regular amount of caffeine, or your body released stress hormones because you haven’t eaten.