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What Are Migraine Headaches?
The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and at times disturbed vision. Sensitivity to light is a standard symptom of the two most prevalent types of migraine-caused headache: classic and common. The major difference between the two types is the appearance of neurological symptoms 10 to 30 minutes before a classic migraine attack. These symptoms are called an aura. The person may see flashing lights or zigzag lines, or may temporarily lose vision. Other classic symptoms include speech difficulty, weakness of an arm or leg, tingling of the face or hands, and confusion.
The pain of a classic migraine headache may be described as intense, throbbing, or pounding and is felt in the forehead, temple, ear, jaw, or around the eye. Classic migraine starts on one side of the head but may eventually spread to the other side. An attack lasts 1 to 2 pain-wracked days.
Common migraine - The term "common migraine" reflects the disorder's greater occurrence in the general population. During the headache phase of a common migraine, a person may have diarrhea and increased urination, as well as nausea and vomiting. Common migraine pain can last 3 or 4 days.
Both classic and common migraine can strike as often as several times a week, or as rarely as once every few years. Both types can occur at any time. Some people, however, experience migraines at predictable times - for example, near the days of menstruation or every Saturday morning after a stressful week of work. The migraine process. Research scientists are unclear about the precise cause of migraine headaches. There seems to be general agreement, however, that a key element is blood flow changes in the brain. People who get migraine headaches appear to have blood vessels that overreact to various triggers.
Scientists have devised one theory of migraine which explains these blood flow changes and also certain biochemical changes that may be involved in the headache process. According to this theory, the nervous system responds to a trigger such as stress by causing a spasm of the nerve-rich arteries at the base of the brain. The spasm closes down or constricts several arteries supplying blood to the brain, including the scalp artery and the carotid or neck arteries.
As these arteries constrict, the flow of blood to the brain is reduced. At the same time, blood-clotting particles called platelets clump together-a process which is believed to release a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin acts as a powerful constrictor of arteries, further reducing the blood supply to the brain.
Reduced blood flow decreases the brain's supply of oxygen. Symptoms signaling a headache, such as distorted vision or speech, may then result, similar to symptoms of stroke.
Reacting to the reduced oxygen supply, certain arteries within the brain open wider to meet the brain's energy needs. This widening or dilation spreads, finally affecting the neck and scalp arteries. The dilation of these arteries triggers the release of pain-producing substances called prostaglandins from various tissues and blood cells. Chemicals which cause inflammation and swelling, and substances which increase sensitivity to pain, are also released. The circulation of these chemicals and the dilation of the scalp arteries stimulate the pain-sensitive nociceptors. The result, according to this theory: a throbbing pain in the head.
Women and migraine. Although both males and females seem to be equally affected by migraine, the condition is more common in adult women. Both sexes may develop migraine in infancy, but most often the disorder begins between the ages of 5 and 35.
The relationship between female hormones and migraine is still unclear. Women may have "menstrual migraine" - headaches around the time of their menstrual period - which may disappear during pregnancy. Other women develop migraine for the first time when they are pregnant. Some are first affected after menopause.
The effect of oral contraceptives on headaches is perplexing. Scientists report that some women with migraine who take birth control pills experience more frequent and severe attacks. However, a small percentage of women have fewer and less severe migraine headaches when they take birth control pills. And normal women who do not suffer from headaches may develop migraines as a side effect when they use oral contraceptives. Investigators around the world are studying hormonal changes in women with migraine in the hope of identifying the specific ways these naturally occurring chemicals cause headaches.
FACT: Forty-Five (45) Million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. What they don’t know, and the drug industry won’t tell you, is that your headaches may be caused by a simple problem; and cured with a simple solution.
Is there really a “Cure” for Migranes?
The drug industry would lead you to believe that migranes are cured, when their medication masks your symptoms. Taking medication for the temporary relief of migrane headaches is misguided because drugs are not a permanent solution. Long-term use of drugs can lead to serious side effects and while they may treat the temporary pain, they do not even address the more important underlying cause of the pain.
What is crucial to understand is that a migranes are your body's way of telling you something is wrong. The migrane headache itself is not the problem—it is simply the symptom of a problem. So if you want to cure your headaches, what you really want to do is to fix the problem that is causing your headaches. Before you can fix this underlying problem, you must first identify what is causing your headaches.
>> CLICK HERE TO LEARN WHAT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR MIGRANE HEADACHES.
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