by Wendy Brausch
A migraine is a complaint that is quite often suffered by other family members, all of which have probably been experiencing them from a young age. Often these attacks can last for days where the victim must seek bed rest; however, if it is treated, they can end in a matter of hours. These attacks also leave the suffer feeling exhausted and might take them a while to recover fully.
The frequency of attacks between sufferers is not consistent with some only having one episode a year. Certain symptoms are common for many sufferers including a problem with bright lights, sometimes even dull light, in addition to flu like chills and lightheadedness. What isn’t understood is why migraines can start at an age as early as ten but normally stop before someone reaches the age of forty; however, by the time someone reaches fifty, attacks almost never occur.
It is quite common for members of the same family group to suffer with migraine attacks; even though there may be a link, so far it has eluded medical science.
Sufferers may acquire sensitivity to a medical condition that brings about inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves near the brain, resulting to pain. There are three women to each man that suffer with this condition; only one in twelve men will experience an attack in their lives.
Some people with the complaint are able to sense when an attack is imminent; this is called migraine with aura. There are many indications this may happen which will vary between sufferers which can be one or more of the following:
Nausea
Problems with vision
Reduction in the sensations of taste
Reduced sensation in sufferers extremities
Many other symptoms exist but these appear to common with most people. Migraine without aura however, is the most prevalent type and may take place only in one area of the head; this condition can escalate and is made worse by any movement, loud noises and bright lights which can cause the person to vomit.
The reasons we get migraines is far from clear and yet to be discovered but one assumption is that the blood vessels in areas of the brain become narrower which may be the explanation for the aura.
Some suggest that it is the rapid expansion after this narrowing that causes the awful headaches; those who are afflicted say the headache is often so intense that it impedes with regular routinely daily activity and may even keep them awake. The range of possible triggers that create an attack is huge; the most common are listed below:
Bad weather
Certain foods
Altitude
Traveling in a plane
Certain groups of drink
Strong intense sunlight
Not enough food
Stress caused by personal problems
Monitoring and recording the triggers in a diary can help avoid future attacks so it is something that all sufferers must learn to carry out.