Migraine is a neurological condition, generally an illness related to the brain. It is followed by an intense headache. A migraine patient experiences severe headaches periodically, which can last for several hours. It can negatively impact both your social and personal life.
What Are the Indicators of Migraine?
It not only includes the headache but also other signs, such as nausea, light, sound, and odor sensitivity, which are migraine symptoms as well. Let’s get more knowledge about these in a detailed note.
- The migraine-person feels intolerant to heavy sounds, striking lights of electronic devices, strong odors, and many more.
- Affected food habits, feeling more hungry, or sometimes a loss of appetite. Most of the time, some foods can trigger migraines, like chocolate.
- The physical draining without doing anything. Moreover, getting up from the bed seems like a daunting task.
- Dehydration can worsen migraine. Due to a lack of consumption of fluids, the blood vessels get affected, hence causing severe pain.
- Migraines can take hold of your mood. You feel irritated, agitated, and sometimes anxious or depressed as well.
- It can cause digestive issues like bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.
- Sleep schedules get disturbed, and one finds it difficult to sleep peacefully.
Are Migraine and Headaches Alike?
Most people associate a normal headache with a migraine, but the less they know that normal headaches are generally not considered a matter of concern if they only last up to 2 to 4 hours, which requires no serious attention. Nevertheless, it lasts for 3 days, and the patient still feels the same pain after medications, and the pain worsens with movement of the head, so it needs to be diagnosed.
Migraine Aura: A Sensory Disturbance
Migraine auras are a kind of abnormality in perceiving sensations in the body. Most of the time, it happens prior to migraine. Studies have shown that these are not dangerous but are pointers to some serious stroke or neurological condition. More often, they can exist for 20 minutes. The causes, such as inconsistent sleep schedule, medications, stress, overthinking, and certain diets, can make migraine auras more dangerous.
What Signals Migraine Auras?
- The person may notice flashing lights, some geometrical shapes like tunnels, zigzags, or wavy lines. Sometimes they also see black spots (a tiny hole of light).
- The tingling sensation can be felt in the arms, legs, and face.
- Speech problems are also a trait. They find it difficult to speak; they just grumble or murmur the words.
- One side of the body experiences paralysis.
What Stimulates Migraine?
Many migraine causes are still unknown. Even so, it has several grounds on which its root cause can be comprehended.
According to the scientific concept, it is related to brain activity. A chemical called Serotonin controls the blood vessels of the brain. When its level starts decreasing, the blood vessels expand, resulting in severe pain.
Based on the concept of psychology, there are no exact points that give birth to migraine; nonetheless, some points definitely provoke migraine. Stress is the main element; if the person experiences excessive stress, then the hormone cortisol is released. As a consequence of this, blood vessels get affected, causing intense pain. Due to depression, the serotonin level gets disturbed, therefore, adding to the reasons for headaches. A pessimistic approach towards life or overthinking can accelerate the pain.
As stated by neurologists, the activation of blood vessels in an abrupt way is related to migraine pain. The sensory nerve of the brain, known as the trigeminal nerve, gets overactive during migraine. Furthermore, it sends signals to the blood vessels, precipitating inflammation and pain. Moreover, Cortical Spreading Depression (CSD) is an electric wave that moves around the surface of the brain; afterwards, some chemical changes take place, activating the migraine aura pain.
What Steps Should Be Taken for Its Treatment?
Since migraine is curable, it requires two treatments, both of which are listed below in brief:-
- ACUTE TREATMENT
It is given to reduce the pain during migraine attacks, painkillers like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Triptans (eg, Sumatriptan, Rizatriptan), anti-nausea medicines (Domperidone, Metoclopramide).
- PREVENTIVE TREATMENT
This is prescribed by doctors if your headache lasts for more than one day. Medications for blood pressure (Beta-Blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers), seizure medicines, and some antidepressants.
Conclusion
Good health plays an integral role in self-development. Above were the major concerns regarding migraine; being aware takes you to the right path. Neurociti Hospital has been dealing with migraine patients with firm determination and professionalism. They have a special team of doctors for orthopedics and pain management. Thus, you can visit us for your treatment.
