You have started to have severe headaches. These headaches last for a few hours and are recurring a couple of times a month. You suspect that it may be migraine headaches but how do you know for sure? This article will give you the signs and symptoms of a migraine. A word or caution. It is not smart to diagnose yourself. If you are having frequent headaches and aren't sure of the cause, see your doctor right away. He may want to do some tests to rule more serious problems.
A migraine is a headache that is so severe it can be disabling and it will sometimes be accompanied by an aura. An aura is a warning sign that a migraine is coming. Auras usually appear anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes before a migraine starts. A migraine can last for two hours or it can last for as long as 72 hours if not treated.
Approximately 11 out of 100 people will get migraines, and women get them more than men. Hormonal changes have been thought to be a huge factor in the development of migraines. Other triggers can be certain foods, environmental changes and stress.
The symptoms of migraine headaches are:
Pain. This can range from moderate to severe. Some people will feel pain on either side of the head, while other people may feel it bilaterally. The pain may be described as throbbing or pulsating.
A true migraine will become worse with physical activity. This is why it interrupts your daily activities. Just walking across the room can cause excruciating pain.
The pain can cause nausea and occasionally vomiting. If the vomiting becomes severe you may need to get your doctor to prescribe an anti-emetic, such as Reglan or Compazine.
Hypersensitivity to sounds or lights is another common symptom of migraines. Most people want to lie down in a dark, quiet room until the pain subsides.
Some people that have migraines will experience auras prior to a headache. These auras may continue for the duration of the migraine. An aura can consist of:
- Bright flashes of light
- Bright zigzagging lines that interrupt your vision field.
- Diffuse blind spots in your field of vision.
- A tingling feeling in a leg or an arm.
Migraines themselves pose no real threat to you. But go to the emergency room immediately if you experience a sudden headache that seems to explode inside your head. If you have a headache with fever, mental confusion or a stiff neck. A headache that continues to get worse after coughing or straining or any other sudden movement. These may all be symptoms of a more serious problem and should not be ignored.
Migraines can be manageable with the right treatment. Talk to your doctor about your best options. There is no reason for you to suffer from the symptoms of a migraine headache.
Symptoms Of A Migraine
Migraine headaches are usually very intense pounding headaches that often involve only one side of the head. Migraine pain is so intense that you know it is no ordinary headache. Even slight movement can worsen the pain. Migraine headache sufferers tend to experience repeated bouts of migraine attacks and can be debilitating.
A migraine headache has many symptoms and they can vary from person to person and from episode to episode. Here are the 8 most commonly reported migraine headache symptoms.
Light sensitivity
Many sufferers experience a high degree of sensitivity to light. This often occurs just prior to the onset of a migraine and may last for the duration of it. The sensitivity may be to regular indoor lighting or natural light that doesn't normally bother you. Light sensitivity may occur an hour or two prior to any headache pain.
Flashing lights
Many migraine sufferers report seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines of light or bright spots prior to the onset of a migraine headache. This may or may not be accompanied by light sensitivity. Most sufferers will feel slightly better if they lay down in a dark, quiet room.
Sensitivity to sound
Just like sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound is a common migraine headache symptom. Suddenly you may become acutely aware of minor noises. They may bother you to the point of complete distraction.
Unilateral headache
The intense throbbing pain of a migraine headache is unlike the pain associated with a regular headache. The pain is most often associated with one side of the head and will regularly change to the other side with the next migraine. If the pain is always concentrated in the same place each time you should alert your doctor as this may signal a more serious problem.
Nausea or vomiting
Often combined with light sensitivity, nausea or vomiting may occur as a result of over stimulation. You may begin to feel hot and woozy. You may have trouble driving or riding in a car. The nausea may also be brought on by the intense pain of the migraine headache itself.
Duration of migraine
The typical migraine episode can last from 4 to 24 hours with residual effects lasting another full day. A regular headache will not last that long and is not accompanied by other symptoms.
No response to pain relief medication
The migraine headache typically doesn't respond to regular over the counter pain medication. While there are several prescription medications that are given for migraine headaches, they often have little effect as well.
Cold hands or feet
You may feel your hands or feet become cold right before or during the onset of a migraine. This may be due to circulation changes that occur because of restricted blood vessels in the head.
If your headache is severe and is accompanied by other symptoms you should see a doctor. Only a physician can determine the cause of your headache and rule out any potential underlying problem.
Most migraine sufferers learn to recognize the symptoms of a migraine starting and are able to take relevant steps to manage it.
Both Jeff Wilson & Alvin Toh are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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