Migraine Online Treatment & Help

Migraines are a common medical condition defined as a headache. Migraines usually involve moderate to severe headaches. They may be followed by other symptoms including sickness and nausea.

Migraine affects approximately 1 in 7 people. The condition is more common in women. It may occur at any age but usually manifests between the ages of 25 and 55. There are several types of migraines, but the most common one is migraine without aura.

Some people experience migraines with an aura, which is a condition such as pins and needles that occurs prior to a migraine attack.

Chronic migraines are diagnosed in patients who experience a headache at least 15 days a month.

Although the condition affects a lot of people, there is still a lot we don’t know about migraines. It is often linked to a change in brain activity which temporarily affects the blood vessels, nerve signals and chemical messengers.

Migraines can be caused by a number of factors and triggers including:

• Head trauma
• Lack of sleep
• Hormonal changes
• Stress
• Emotional triggers
• Certain treatments
• Missing meals
• Alcohol abuse
• Caffeine
• Certain foods
• Dehydration

The main symptom often associated with migraines is an intense headache, moderate to severe pain. The pain usually occurs on one side of the head and can cause a throbbing or pulsing sensation. It may get worse with movement and prevent you from going about your everyday tasks. The headache usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours.

Sometimes, these headaches may be followed by other symptoms such as:

• Sickness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Light and sound sensitivity
• Diarrhoea
• Sweating
• Trouble concentrating

Migraines With Aura involve symptoms that occur right before a headache onset. These symptoms act as a warning. They develop over a short period, usually less than half an hour before a headache. These symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Pins and needles
• Trouble speaking
• Numbness and tingling
• Visual issues (seeing stars, blind spots, flashing lights or temporary blindness)

There is no effective way to diagnose whether someone has a migraine. Your doctor will make a diagnose based on the severity of your headaches as well as the associated symptoms and how you respond to migraine treatments. Diagnosis can take some time depending on the frequency and severity of the symptoms associated with migraines.

If you suspect you are suffering from migraines, you can keep a log to make diagnosis easier for your GP. This log should include:

• Time and date of your migraine attacks
• Your activity at the time
• Any apparent or suspected trigger factors
• The stages of migraine you experienced
• The symptoms you experienced
• What medication you took and did it help

Based on what you write down in your migraine diary, the symptoms and your response to therapy, your doctor will be able to make a diagnosis.

Migraines usually last between 4 and 72 hours. If someone is experiencing migraine with aura, the early symptoms usually last between 5 minutes up to an hour.

Migraine affects people differently. Some find it lying in a dark room helps prevent further aggravation of the symptoms. The main treatments used during an attack are sickness medicines and painkillers or triptans.

The most effective way to prevent a migraine is to identify and avoid the triggers. Keeping a diary of your migraine attacks will help you identify what triggers an attack and can help you learn how to avoid it.

Here are some of the most common migraine triggers:

• Emotional triggers such as anxiety, stress, tension, depression and excitement.
• Physical triggers such as working different shifts, tiredness, shoulder tension, jet lag, excessive exercise.
• Dietary triggers such as poor diet, irregular eating habits, alcohol abuse, caffeine, specific foods and others.
• Environmental triggers such as flickering or bright lights, smoke, loud noises, strong smells…
• Medical triggers such as oral contraceptives, sleeping pills, hormone replacement therapy…
• Hormonal triggers such as periods, menopause, going through puberty…

If you experience migraines for more than 5 days a month, you might want to ask your GP for preventive treatment. There are a lot of migraine treatments available, which may be beneficial if you experience frequent or severe migraines.

If you fall into this group, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss available migraine treatments.

Usually, migraines are more intense than headaches. They usually affect only one side of the head and cause a pulsing or throbbing sensation. Sometimes, the headache is followed by other symptoms including vomiting, nausea, light sensitivity and trouble focusing.

Some people experience migraines in stages. These stages include:

• Pre-headache symptoms such as mood swings, energy level drops, appetite changes.
• Aura – Temporary symptoms such as pins and needles and visual disturbances
• Headache onset
• Resolution, often followed by fatigue but without any other symptoms.