Cause of Migraines

Missing A Few Pieces – Migraine Headaches

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If you have ever had a migraine you know how it affects your health and well being. It is not just another headache. If you are not sure if you have ever had one, here is a brief rendition of a bad one…

I suffer from migraine headaches. Plagued for many years, I do not know why I get them and the doctors have a wide variety of opinions. Today’s migraine was a doozy.

If you have ever had a migraine you know. If you are not sure if you have had one, here is a brief rendition of a bad one…

I dropped my daughter off at nursery school. I had a few hours to get through my list of errands. First stop was Sears to take care of some billing matter. I was in the store for quite some time and they had floruesant lighting. This is a known culprit for causing a migraine headache. There is something about the flickering pattern of the lights that goes unnoticed by most people. The zigzag patterns and flashes of electric light started echoing in my eyes. No one else can see them except me and other migraine sufferers. When the zigzags start it makes it difficult to see clearly. I was happy to get out of there, but not happy that I had a migraine coming on.

The next stop was Kmart. I only had one item that I needed to buy, but I would have liked to comb through the store and do some shopping. The flickers of electric light intensified in my eye sockets. This reminded me to get what I came for and get out of there as soon as possible.

I was hungry, so I thought that might be aggravating the migraine (another reported cause of migraines – low blood sugar). I stopped to get something to eat. I still had some grocery shopping on my agenda, so I ate lunch quickly. I watched the clock and tried my best to out run the inevitable.

Migraine Triggers synopsis from http://www.NYM.org
A wide range of events and conditions can alter conditions in the brain that bring on nerve excitation and trigger migraines. They include, but are not limited to the following:
– Emotional stress (although the headaches often erupt after the stress has eased).
– Intense physical exertion.
– Abrupt weather changes.
– Bright or flickering lights.
– High altitude.
– Travel motion.
– Changes in sleep patterns.
– Low blood sugar has been known to trigger headaches and fasting can often precipitate migraines.
– Chemicals found in certain foods may trigger headaches in some people. More than 100 foods have the capacity to trigger migraine headache.

At the supermarket, my migraine headache was in full swing. My patience was wearing thin, my list of items was not near complete and the numbness started in my left hand. By the time I got to the check out counter I was nauseous. The numbness had moved from my left hand, across my face and was tingling my right hand. The woman at the counter asked if I was ok as I flexed my right hand trying to regain feeling. I was afraid and unable to talk at that point I just shock my head, no. Once I get to that stage of the migraine my speech is impaired. I am unable to speak in complete sentences, so I did not even try to answer her. I made it to the car in a complete panic.

The supermarket was only a few minutes drive from my house. I pulled in the driveway, dropped my pocketbook at the door and left the groceries in the car. I yelled to my husband to pick up my daughter and get the groceries. I took a few aspirins and went straight to bed. A cold compress and sleep is the only remedy that works for my migraines.

Three hours later, my husband woke me up for dinner – God bless his soul. He knows my migraine routine all too well and took care of the kids while I was on sabbatical.

It took about an hour after waking up to fully recover. The migraine was gone, but I did not have much of an appetite. Your brain also feels like it has voids. Empty spaces that need to come together before you feel normal again. It is an unsettling feeling not being in control of your mind. The aftermath is like trying to do a jigsaw puzzle, but you are missing a few pieces.

About the author:
Suzi Batta aka Mrs. Long Island is the Chief Operating Officer of LongIsland.com, a local guide with free news, weather, maps, classifieds, business, press releases, jobs, real estate, experts, articles, events, restaurants, schools, towns, newsletter, night life, lirr, shopping, malls, info, weddings Long Island New York.

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Natural Ways To Relieve Migraine Headache

Migraine is a throbbing headache that often has other accompanying symptoms. Some of these symptoms include light sensitivity, nausea and extreme pain on one side of the head. A migraine headache can be debilitating. Doctors often prescribe drug medications; however, these may not always work and can have side effects. Many migraine sufferers resort to home remedies and herbal remedies as natural ways to relieve migraine.

Here are some migraine home remedies that you can try.

Most sufferers experience repeated migraine attacks and recognize early signs of one that is starting. When you feel the first signs of a migraine, drink a caffeinated beverage. The caffeine helps open constricted blood vessels and can shorten the duration and severity of a migraine.

A bath or shower may ease the symptoms at the beginning of a migraine. Use aromatherapy bath gels or salts to aid relaxation. Try lavender, peppermint, Melissa, bay, eucalyptus or jasmine oils which all have properties that can minimize migraine symptoms. These essential oils can also be diluted and applied to the skin or inhaled. Mix them with another oil, such as almond or sesame oil before applying to the skin.

Since tension often spurs a migraine, easing muscle tension with a massage can be beneficial. A facial massage can easily be done by you. Apply pressure to your face using your thumbs. Move your thumbs in small circular motions on your forehead and cheeks.

Apply a cool compress or towel to the forehead and sit in a quiet, darkened room. Many migraine sufferers report sensitivity to light and sound, especially during the beginning phase of a migraine. You can also try a warm foot soak. This soothes you and promotes blood circulation throughout the body.

Drink plenty of liquids. The migraine itself may cause you to urinate more than usual. To make up for this liquid loss in the body you should consume more water or juice. Dehydration causes headaches and can actually increase the pain of a migraine so be sure you keep up on your liquid intake for the duration of the migraine.

Stress can be a migraine trigger. Learning to control stress in your life can successfully eliminate this trigger, thus preventing migraine. There are several ways to manage stress and promote relaxation. Meditation uses rhythmic breathing to calm the mind and focuses your mental energy inward. Exercise is an excellent way to relieve built up stress. A regular exercise regime will keep stress at bay. Yoga combines stretching and meditation, and can be practiced almost anywhere. To reduce stress, maintain a regular schedule and don’t try to take on too much.

Natural migraine remedies can be used alone or in combination with other treatments. If you are on prescribed medications, discuss with your doctor before taking any herbal remedies. Chronic headaches may indicate an underlying health problem or illness. It is important to obtain a proper medical diagnosis from your doctor before proceeding with any remedies.

By: Alvin Toh

Migraine is a common cause of suffering in most people, resulting in lost work days. There is no need to live with the pain of a migraine headache. Visit our website for daily update migraine headache resources and natural ways to relieve migraine at www.relievemigraineheadache.com/home

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Migraine Symptoms, Cause And Cures

If you live in Scottsdale, like anywhere else you know almost everyone has had a headache at one point in his or her life. Headaches are of different types. In a migraine, throbbing pain is felt on one side of the head. The most important symptom you will probably have with your migraine headache is pain, and as you know, the pain can be very severe and last many hours.

Migraine attacks can some times be so severe that person may have to abandon his or her routine activities for three or four days at a stretch. The attack lasts couple of hours to several days and has a tendency to relapse. Migraines can do more than ruin your day – they can interfere with your life.

Migraines are easily the most common headache syndrome. Migraines have a strong impact on the quality of a person’s life. It affects our well-being, our productivity and even our social existence. It may sometimes cause extreme nausea, vomiting and altered vision.

What Cause Migraine?

Migraine headache resulted from the expansion (or dilation) of blood vessels in the brain and scalp. There are many different kinds of triggers, and every person has different ones. Migraine triggers are numerous and varied and occur in combinations peculiar to a individual.

The precise cause of migraine is unknown, but it is probably related to chemical changes in the blood vessels supplying the brain and its coverings. Cheese (pizza) is also a triggering factor in some people, while in others it only aggravates an already existing condition. Although the cause of migraine headaches is often undetermined, we do know that they present in different ways, and may involve different areas of the head and/or neck area. Some women have migraines just before, during, or just after menstrual periods. Stress is one of the major factors that can contribute to the onset of a migraine.

Migraine can be triggered in susceptible individuals by tyramine-containing foods, some food additives and sugar substitutes, as well as by skipping meals. Staying up late or drinking too much coffee will bring on a headache every time. What causes migraines is still somewhat of a mystery. People who get migraines are thought to have an inherited abnormality in the regulation of blood vessels.

Possible Remedies For Migraine

There are a lot of things you can do for yourself to help treat each of your migraine headaches. If the migraine attack is coming, try to get to a dark quiet room, since noise and bright lights seem to aggravate the symptoms of migraine. For occasional tension headaches, over the counter pain relievers are often used. Individuals with occasional mild migraine headaches that do not interfere with daily activities usually medicate themselves with over-the-counter (OTC, non-prescription) pain relievers (analgesics). Individuals with mild and infrequent migraine headaches that do not cause disability may require only OTC analgesics.

There are many natural remedies for migraine headaches. These include stress and tension reduction, ice therapy (used at the base of the skull), eliminating food triggers, getting the proper amount of rest, biofeedback, headache pillows or cushions, exercise and many others.

Individuals who experience several moderate or severe migraine headaches per month or whose headaches do not respond readily to medications should avoid triggers and consider modifications of their lifestyle. If early enough in the attack, then many of us try a simple painkiller or analgesic. The most common ones are ASA (aspirin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Besides using medication, preventing the onset of migraine headache is equally important. knowing what triggers attacks is a major step towards preventing them. Herbalists tend to regard the headache as a symptom of some underlying disorder rather than an illness in its own right. If the pain is severe, which it frequently is during a full-blown migraine attack, then you may need medication.

Please remember that a good general practitioner is your best ally when it comes to diagnosing, preventing and treating migraines. Before treating your health problems with drugs it is wise to seek the advice of a health professional. I would encourage you, once again, to learn all you can with regards to migraine and discuss it with your physician or other health professionals. Migraine headaches should be treated at the first sign, not when the pain becomes worse.

By: Kohym

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Cindy Heller is a professional writer. For more information on headache medicine and home remedy for headache, visit frequent headache.

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