Migraines

What is it?

▪ A severe painful headache with no cure

▪ Accompanied or preceded by sensory warning signs such as

▪ flashes of light

▪ blind spots,

▪ tingling in the arms and legs

▪ nausea

▪ vomiting

▪ increased sensitivity to light and sound

▪ Usually affects one side of the brain

Effects of Migraines According to research the pain is caused by the release of

certain brain chemicals, alterations in blood flow linked

with constriction, dilation of arteries carrying blood to the

brain, and inflammation.

Among the biochemical changes associated

with migraine are abnormal levels of the

neurotransmitter serotonin.

In more than 40% of cases, however, the pain may be

bilateral and neck pain is commonly associated with it.

Bilateral pain is particularly common in those who have

migraines without an aura. Less commonly pain may

occur primarily in the back or top of the head. The pain

usually lasts 4 to 72 hours in adults

13% Canadian have migraines

1,000 Canadians sufferer from migraines ,2/3

women; 1/3 men, aged 18 to 50.

Seven per cent of female migraine sufferers

admit to not being able to care for their

children, 13 per cent of migraine sufferers have

had to take days off work, and 18 per cent

report that they "can't do anything" and had to

stop their daily activities and/or sleep.

No reports of death due to migraines.

Causes

It remains unsure what causes the migraine headache.

Main factors can be categorized into two subgroups.

Passive factors

▪ Genetics – hereditary

Active factors

▪ Stress

▪ Diet

▪ Exercise

▪ Sleep

▪ Barometric Pressure

Prevention

Drugs that may reduce the frequency of attacks

▪ Beta blockers such as propranolol

▪ Heterocyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline

▪ Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil

▪ Anticonvulsants such as valproic acid.

Beta blockers reduce

blood pressure by

blocking out

adrenaline .

heterocyclic antidepressant

inhibits the nerve cells'

ability to reuptake

norepinphrine and

serotonin.

Calcium channel blockers

prevent calcium from

entering cells of the heart

and blood vessel walls,

resulting in lower blood

pressure. Calcium channel

blocker. Anticonvulsants increasie

the amount of a certain

natural substance in the

brain.

Other Ways Of Prevention

Besides medicine migraine can be prevented by changing lifestyles.

▪ Maintain a healthy diet. Take rest. Work out daily. Sleep enough.

▪ Quit smoking, it is one of the main factor to cause headache.

▪ Make a schedule to record when the headache happens, so it is easier to know when to prevent it.

Three Categories of Migraines

Retinal migraine

Chronic migraine

Probable migraine

Migraine headaches

accompanied by visual

disturbances or even

temporary blindness in one

eye

Complication of

migraines, a headache

that fulfills diagnostic

criteria for migraine

headache and occurs for a

greater time interval.

Specifically, greater or

equal to 15 days/month

for longer than 3 months

Probable migraine describes

conditions that have some

characteristics of migraines.

However there is not enough

evidence to diagnose it as a

migraine with certainty

(in the presence of concurrent

medication overuse).

History

An early description consistent with migraines is contained in the Ebers papyrus, written around 1500 BCE in ancient Egypt

In 200 BCE, writings from the Hippocratic school of medicine described the visual aura that can precede the headache and a partial relief occurring through vomiting.

Trepanation, the deliberate drilling of holes into a

skull, was practiced as early as 7,000 BCE. While

sometimes people survived, many would have

died from the procedure due to infection. It was

believed to work via "letting evil spirits escape".

William Harvey recommended trepanation as a

treatment for migraines in the 17th century.

Further Inquiry

Acupuncture is said to remedy migraines that have already begun.

More research should be done to prove or disprove that theory.

Bibliography

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/148373.php

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/basics/causes/con-20026358

Migraine. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia [serial online]. 2015;:1p. 1. Available from: Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 25, 2015.

Duane Hickey, Veteran, Diagnosed with Migranes.