What is Migraine?

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* Migraine is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system. In developed countries migraine affects about 10-15% of people.

* A migraine is a type of headache that usually happens in episodes or “attacks”.

* It may feel like it is throbbing or pulsating and may be located on one side of the head.

* The pain may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. It may be so severe that the patient has to lie down in a darkened room and wait for it to pass.

* Some migraine sufferers have a warning ‘aura’, lasting up to 1 hour before the headache starts, which often causes problems with eyesight; for example, flashing lights, zig-zag lines and blank spots when trying to concentrate on something. Such attacks preceded by an aura are called ‘classical’ and account for about only 20% of migraines.

* Migraines without aura are called ‘common’ and account for about 80% of migraine attacks.

* Some people also suffer from other warning symptoms, such as numbness or tingling on one side of the face, around the mouth or down one arm.

* There are also other types of migraine that are less common than the ones described above.

How do you get Migraine?

* Migraine can be triggered by many different things, including stress, exercise, certain foods, bright lights, flickering lights, loud noises, strong smells, lack of sleep or too much sleep.

* In women, attacks may be triggered by hormonal changes, for example during menstruation (periods).

* One theory of how migraine causes headache is that some of the nerves in the head that provide sensation from the face become overactive, causing blood vessels adjacent to the nerves to become slightly leaky and the lining of the brain in the vicinity to become mildly inflamed. As the linings of the brain are pain sensitive, headache occurs. After a while, the inflammation goes away and the headache resolves.

How serious is Migraine?

* The pain of a migraine headache is generally moderate to severe and can disrupt normal activities.

* Many people have pain and other symptoms so severe that they only want to lie down in a dark room and go to sleep, which can be very disruptive to their education and/or employment and to their social lives.

* In many people, migraine attacks become less frequent over time and, in some, disappear altogether.

How long does Migraine last?

* Duration of attacks may last from 4 hours to as long as 72 hours in some cases.

How is Migraine treated?

* Migraine can be treated effectively with a variety of medications depending on the individual, including common painkillers (analgesics) such as paracetamol, aspirin and codeine, and the newer “triptan” medications designed specifically for migraine.

* For people who have very frequent attacks, your doctor might recommend you take a different kind of medicine to try to prevent or reduce the frequency of full-blown migraine attacks (called prophylaxis).

* Sometimes your doctor might recommend you see another doctor specialising in headaches. 

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