How Do You Know If You Have A Migraine Headache And Precisely What Are Its Symptoms?

One of the commonest migraine symptoms is an acute throbbing pain that is normally situated on only one side of the head close to the area of the temple. Migraine headaches are also frequently accompanied by other symptoms which include sensitivity to noise and light, queasiness and sometimes vomiting.

Migraines are relatively common and affect about 10% of the population of America, or more than 28 million Americans. They are also far more often experienced by women rather than men (about three times more women suffer from migraine headaches) and can also be see sometimes in children.

Despite the fact that migraine headaches are so common and often very painful with an attack lasting anything from a matter of hours to two or three days, only about half of all sufferers ever consult their physician and the rest choose to suffer in silence.

It had long been thought migraine headaches were the result of a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, despite the fact that there is no general consensus, medical opinion seems to be changing in favor of a genetic cause for this condition. Current thinking is that migraines are produced by the interaction of brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. Currently however the truth of the matter is that we are really not sure what cause a migraine headache.

In fact there are two forms of the condition, the first of which is called 'classical migraine', which is characterized by an accompanying 'aura'. Here 'aura' is used to refer to visual light effects that are experienced just prior to the arrival of a headache including things like bright light spots and flashing lights. In a few cases a total loss of vision can be experienced for a few minutes before the arrival of the headache.

The second form of the condition is a migraine without the prior symptoms of an 'aura'.

In exactly the same way that we do not really know what causes a migraine headache, we also have very little idea about exactly what triggers an attack, though there are several factors which do seem likely to trigger an attack in sufferers. For instance, getting too much sleep seems to be one factor, as does skipping meals or eating certain foods like cheese.

Hormones are also thought to influence both the onset and severity of attacks and this is evidenced the higher incidence of migraines among women. This in part is thought to be because estrogen affects the blood vessels and some studies have noted that there is a link between contraceptive pills (containing estrogen) and migraines.

Just to confuse matters however studies have also shown that everyday activities like climbing a flight of stairs can trigger an attack, as can exposure to loud noises, cold and heat, flashing lights and occasionally stress.

Fortunately, there are a variety of migraine treatments available, although no single treatment is really effective in all cases. One thing which we do know though is that over-the-counter medicines are seldom effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraines, then you would be best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding an answer which works for you.