What are Migraine Headaches?
Migraines are chronic headaches that can cause significant pain for hours or even days. Symptoms can be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.

Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms or signs (auras), such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg. A migraine is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

Symptoms

1)Moderate to severe pain, which may be confined to one side of the head or may affect both sides
2)Head pain with a pulsating or throbbing quality
3)Pain that worsens with physical activity
4)Pain that interferes with your regular activities
5)Nausea with or without vomiting
6)Sensitivity to light and sound


When untreated, a migraine typically lasts from 4 to 72 hours, but the frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person. You may have migraines several times a month or much less frequently.

Not all migraines are the same. Most people experience migraines without auras, which were previously called common migraines. Some people have migraines with auras, which were previously called classic migraines. Auras can include changes to your vision, such as seeing flashes of light and feeling pins and needles in an arm or leg.

Whether or not you have auras, you may have one or more sensations of premonition (prodrome) several hours or a day or so before your headache actually strikes, including:

1)Feelings of elation or intense energy
2)Cravings for sweets
3)Thirst
4)Drowsiness
5)Irritability or depression

Causes

Although much about the cause of migraines is not understood, genetics and environmental factors seem to both play a role.

Migraines may be caused by changes in the trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway. Imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin -- which helps regulate pain in your nervous system -- also may be involved.

Serotonin levels drop during migraines. This may trigger your trigeminal system to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain's outer covering (meninges). The result is headache pain.

Whatever the exact mechanism of the headaches, a number of things may trigger them. Common migraine triggers include:

1)Hormonal changes in women
2)Foods
3)Stress
4)Sensory stimuli
5)Changes in wake-sleep pattern
6)Physical factors
7)Changes in the environment
8)Medications

Western Medicine Treatment

A variety of drugs have been specifically designed to treat migraines. In addition, some drugs commonly used to treat other conditions also may help relieve or prevent migraines. Medications used to combat migraines fall into two broad categories:

1)Pain-relieving medications
2)Preventive medications

Choosing a strategy to manage your migraines depends on the frequency and severity of your headaches, the degree of disability your headaches cause, and your other medical conditions.

Pain-relieving medications

For best results, take pain-relieving drugs as soon as you experience signs or symptoms of a migraine. It may help if you rest or sleep in a dark room after taking them:

1)Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
2)Triptans
3)Ergot
4)Anti-nausea medications
5)Butalbital combinations
6)Opiates

Preventive medications

Nearly half of those who get migraines could benefit from preventative medication, yet only about 1 in 10 people take it. You may be a candidate for preventive therapy if you have two or more debilitating attacks a month, if pain-relieving medications are not helping, or if your migraine signs and symptoms include a prolonged aura or numbness and weakness.

Preventive medications can reduce the frequency, severity and length of migraines and may increase the effectiveness of symptom-relieving medicines used during migraine attacks. Your doctor may recommend that you take preventive medications daily, or only when a predictable trigger, such as menstruation, is approaching.

In most cases, preventive medications do not eliminate headaches completely, and some cause serious side effects. If you have had good results from preventative medicine and have been migraine-free for six months to a year, your doctor may recommend tapering off the medication to see if your migraines return without it.

1)Cardiovascular drugs
2)Antidepressants
3)Anti-seizure drugs
4)Cyproheptadine
5)Botulinum toxin type A (Botox)

Adopted from Wei Laboratories, Inc.