Migraine headaches affect about 15 percent of the population. Although men can actually suffer from migraines, it is the women that are more affected. Experts believe that migraine is hereditary as researches have revealed more than 80 percent of people suffering from it have a family history of the problem.



Migraine headaches may not seem so serious but without proper care and proper diagnosis, those headaches may develop into something more. It is recurrent and may be a manifestation of an underlying problem in the brain that can be really dangerous.

Causes of migraine

Migraines are actually caused by the changes in the size of the blood vessels that are found in the brain and in the head area. These changes may be due to some inflammation or constriction that prevents the blood from flowing properly.

Unlike the common type of headache, which only lasts for about a few hours, migraine headaches can last from four hours to as much as three days. It is more severe and more frequent than your ordinary type of headache. Migraine headache however only affect a certain area on the head, often the side area or the temples unlike the common type that encompasses the whole head including the neck.

People suffering from migraine headaches may also experience a hallucination called aura. Auras are visual perceptions that are presented as a zigzagging light or a bight spot. People often see these visual disturbances immediately before their migraine attack.

Tension headaches, as they are more commonly known in medical circles, can begin slowly and may usually occur in the middle of the day. Such headaches can occur either on a regular or occasional basis, depending on the level of stress an individual faces each day.

The tightening of the muscles in the back of the neck and scalp causes the pain that tension headaches bring. This creates a feeling of constant band-like pain that can last for 30 minutes to as long as the whole duration of the day. They can cause other problems such as disturbed concentration, irritability, difficulty in sleeping and fatigue.

Tension headaches are more of the environmental type rather than being an inherited trait. Such headaches may come and go with the amount of stress that one can handle normally.

Treatment for tension headaches can include taking non-prescription pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen although some more serious cases may require the use of prescription medication. Different therapies such as biofeedback and stress management can also help in minimizing tension headaches.

Migraines can also cause an individual to feel constant and painful headaches. Migraines are usually characterized by a dull ache that further develops into a constant and throbbing pain felt mostly at the temples as well as the front and back head areas.

The pain that a migraine headache can bring is also accompanied by a feeling of nausea and vomiting as well as sensitivity to light and sound. Most migraines are brought about by several triggers such as stress, fatigue and insomnia. Several foods such as chocolate, alcohol and caffeine can also be migraine triggers.

Treating migraine can be done in two ways- medication and non-medication therapy. Medications used to treat migraines include analgesics that can help relieve the constant pain brought about by a migraine attack. Migraine therapies that do not make use of any medication for treatment are usually employed to take care of the symptoms as well as prevent or reduce the occurrence of attacks. The use of biofeedback and relaxation techniques has been proven to alleviate and even stopping migraine attacks from occurring.

Treating migraine

Prevention is still the number one treatment for migraine. The best way is to make sure that one avoids the factors that may trigger the attack.

One of those factors is stress. By learning to relax a bit and do some stress management, one can prevent migraine headaches from recurring. Try to spread your workload to a degree, which you can manage. Rest for a while when you feel that you are getting tired.

Another great way is to deal with the attack head on.

Relieve the pain in the head by keeping warm and avoiding extreme temperatures. If the problem is the position of the head when you are sleeping, buy a different pillow. Choose a fluffier one that will cushion your head better. You can also experiment with a different sleeping position.

You can also rub your temples and massage the area that is painful. Try to close your eyes for a while and let it rest especially when you have been staring at the computer screen for a long time.