Cause of Migraines

Migraine – Headache From Hell

Migraine means "half cranium" in French. This malady is so named because it is a severe headache that usually affects only one side of the head. It often begins in puberty and disappears after 50. The condition runs in families and affects more women than men.

Changes in the blood vessels of the neck are believed to cause an attack. So will high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), an allergic reaction to certain drugs or foods, glandular abnormalities and emotional stress and anxiety.

‘Although much about headaches still isn’t understood, some researchers think migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway in your nervous system, and by imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin, which plays a regulatory role for pain messages going through this pathway,’ explained the Mayo Clinic.

‘During a headache, serotonin levels drop. Researchers believe this causes the trigeminal nerve to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain’s outer covering (meninges). There they cause blood vessels to become dilated and inflamed. The result is headache pain,’ it added.

Some patients experience sensory warning signs or auras prior or during an attack. These include flashes of light in the center of the field of vision or a flickering sensation in one eye. The patient may experience feelings of apprehension, irritability and restlessness before the headache begins. Others signs and symptoms are nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

Extremes in temperature, cigarette smoke, perfume, glaring lights and hormones may trigger an attack. If there is one trait migraine sufferers share, it is their being neurotic perfectionists. To remedy this, plan your activities so you won’t be overworked and learn to relax once in a while.

‘Certain foods appear to trigger headaches in some people. Common offenders include alcohol, especially beer and red wine; aged cheeses; chocolate; fermented, pickled or marinated foods; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate – a key ingredient in some Asian foods; certain seasonings; and many canned and processed foods. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger migraines,’ revealed the Mayo Clinic.

A migraine attack may occur daily, once a month or once a year. Untreated, it may last from four to 72 hours. While there’s no cure for migraine, medications can reduce the frequency of migraine and stop the pain.

‘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. You may be a candidate for preventive therapy if you have two or more debilitating attacks a month, if you use pain-relieving medications more than twice a week, if pain-relieving medications aren’t helping, or if your migraine signs and symptoms include a prolonged aura or numbness and impaired movement on one side of your body,’ concluded the Mayo Clinic.

To help you rest during an attack, take Sedamine – the supplement that will help you sleep naturally.

By: Sharon Bell

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine www.HealthLinesNews.com. Visit sedamine.com/ for details on Sedamine.

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Common Causes And Side Effects Of Migraine Headaches

With so many types of headache, it becomes essential to determine what particular type of headache you are suffering from. The duration of the pain is one means of identifying the headache type. Migraines often last four hours or more, and have been known to last days at a time. Often, migraine headaches also have triggers, or set circumstances that cause them, such as stress, fatigue, hormonal changes, changes in the weather, food allergies or sensitivities, and even other medical conditions. The severity of the pain may vary from moderate to severe; more severe pain is notorious for causing harsh side effects of migraine headaches.

Side Effects of Migraine Headaches

Every person experiences individual side effects of migraine headaches; some people only get the pain, and others have new and unusual side effects. Some of the most common side effects are nausea, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, body aches, and fatigue. Many sufferers combat these symptoms with over-the-counter pain relievers, while others prefer herbal and other natural remedies. Before starting any migraine headache treatment, it’s good to seek a doctor’s advice.

Among migraine side effects, nausea is thought to be caused by sensitivity to smell and physical stomach pain. A person should seek comfort in a place free of food or other smells in order to relieve the side effect. Sometimes, in severe cases the nausea can be accompanied by vomiting. Since it also can be due to another medical condition such as a virus, a doctor should be consulted.

Environmental sensitivities are also common side effects of migraines. The sufferers often experience light or sound sensitivity, and the best remedy for most of them is a long rest in a dark room. Light and sound are often more aggravating to a person suffering one of these headaches, because the head is already throbbing with pain. Light or sound seem to further agitate the situation.

Dietary Triggers

Some foods that you eat can also trigger migraine headaches. Among them there are such common items as chocolate or red wine. Sometimes, a migraine headache is just a first step to complex allergies or sensitivities. If you notice sensitivity to any particular food, you should avoid it for a while, then start getting back to this type of food in small amounts until the sensitivity is gone. However, the results are very individual, so it would be best to consult a doctor to be certain of what is right for you.

Other dietary factors can include caffeine consumption and the number of meals a day; even skipping meals can give a person a migraine headache. The drop in blood sugar from missing a proper meal causes all kinds of problems within the body, and it isn’t surprising that this can also trigger a migraine headache. Having too much caffeine or withdrawal from caffeine can also trigger a migraine headache. If you know what triggers your headache, you can try and avoid it.

Existing Medical Conditions

Many existing medical conditions can contribute to migraine headaches, some examples of these are asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and sleeping disorders. Such headaches can also be hereditary, with many migraine sufferers having a family history of the condition. For example, if one parent has a history of migraine headaches, each child has a 50% chance of having migraines themselves; if both parents have a history the children’s chances jump to 75%.

Educating yourself about signs, symptoms, individual triggers, and how these factors react with existing medical conditions can help you successfully cope with migraine headaches. Various medications as well as natural treatments are available to relieve the pain of migraine headaches. However, individual treatment that would be most effective can be prescribed by a doctor only, and that is after evaluating all the factors and the present state of health.

By: joseph_s

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Migraine headache is what migraine headache does! It is difficult to describe it and most difficult to endure. To be frank for the duration of the headache, you lose interest in life. You feel as if you will never be able to recover from your pitiable condition.

Natural cure is better than popping pills forever.

The attack of migraine destabilizes you. It shakes your bones and muscles. You experience extreme pain and pressure on one side of the head or over one eye. You experience nausea, feel like switching off all the lights, windows and door and remain in darkness. You wish to get relief from this headache somehow!

Over the counter medications for migraine may or may not give you relief. But even with the relief they are never the permanent solution to this malady. Sometimes these medications may increase your problem. But if you go for the natural treatment they are more effective. They are certainly harmless without any fear of side effects.

So migraine is a special type of disease that requires special attention. One of the very popular methods of natural treatment is Chiropractic adjustments or manipulation. This is reportedly a century-old practice that has shown good results. Over 80% of people who have tried Chiropractic practices have got relief from migraine headache. The treatment is safe and cost-effective.

The second form of treatment is Biofeedback. This is again a safe method. It is a sort of training program for self treatment to control nervous system. This technique provides you the ability to control blood pressure, skin temperature and own heart rate. The pressure in the tense muscles is thus reduced.

Dietary control is another important tool to control the migraine headache. Food allergies and sensitivities are one of the reasons for this peculiar type of headache. Foods that cause migraine headaches are basically the triggers of headache. You might experience the pain after taking certain food items such as alcohol, nuts, chocolate or cheese. So you need to be your own diet-master and evolve a personal foot chart. Eliminate those items consuming which you get problems.

One major reason for migraine headache is pure stress. So you need to think about other pleasant ideas, do physical and breathing exercises or go for a brisk walk and ease your tension. Following the above discussed measures, you will soon find yourself migraine free.

By: Javier Fuller

To get more info on headache, migraine headache and headache relief visit www.headacheupdates.com/migraine/

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