Exactly What Are Migraines?

No fewer than twenty-nine million Americans are afflicted by migraines and that represents about 10 percent of the population. Migraines trouble women nearly three times as much as men and migraines are not confined to adults with a significant number of children experiencing them as well. A migraine attack lasts anywhere from a just few hours to several days and in the case of longer attacks victims commonly experience secondary effects for much longer. Despite the fact that migraine headaches are so common approximately 50 percent of all sufferers do not bother to see a doctor about the condition.

One common symptom of a migraine is an acute throbbing pain on one side of the head which is normally localized in the region of the temple. It is also commonly accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to light and noise.

Just what causes migraine headaches is not known and, in spite of the fact that for a long time it was believed they were the result of a dilation of the blood vessels, modern research now tends to favor other explanations. As well, while there is no general consensus of opinion, many researchers believe that the condition is a genetic disorder which affects the way in which some brain chemicals like serotonin interact with the nerve cells.

The difficulty in explaining the mystery of migraine headaches is increased by the fact that migraine headaches come in two different types.

The first form is referred to as 'classical migraine' and is associated with something which professionals term an 'aura'. This has nothing to do with spiritual fields around the body but refers to the symptoms experienced by sufferers just before the onset of a headache. For these migraine victims it is usual to have visual hallucinations like flickering lights and bright spots or even to experience loss of vision just prior to the arrival of a headache.

When there are no visual symptoms victims suffer from the second class of headaches.

Seeking to pinpoint precisely what causes migraine headaches is not easy although research data collected over many years might point to the final answer. For example, individuals who experience a lack of sleep can be at higher risk, as are individuals who experience too much sleep which has been correlated with a higher incidence. Attacks are also commonly linked to eating specific food items such as cheese and to missing meals.

It is also believed that some hormonal factors affect the start and severity of attacks and one piece of evidence to support this is the far higher incidence of migraine headaches in women than men. Indeed, one study showed an incidence of 17% in men against just 6% in men. Additionally, studies have also shown a connection between contraceptive pills and migraines and we known that Estrogen, which is a major component of contraceptive pills, has an effect upon blood vessels.

However the list of factors which trigger a migraine does not end here and simple everyday activities like walking up stairs or more intensive physical exertion can trigger an attack, as can stress, extremes of cold and heat and flickering lights and loud noises. It has also been reported that migraine headaches appear more often when there is a combination of these trigger factors present.

Fortunately, there are various medical treatments available, although none can really be said to be tremendously effective in all cases, and writing a diary of your attacks can often identify lifestyle changes which could help in curing migraines. If lifestyle changes alone do not do the trick then there are a number of medications which your physician can prescribe to help.

TheMigraineHeadacheCenter.com provides migrane headache information including details of migraine treatments