How dangerous can be Migraines?

Well, Migraine is not easy to understand, but it's not as complex as rocket science. Well, it is easily stereotyped that a  migraine is a form of a  headache. Actually no, it doesn't work like that headaches might be an effect of any of the migraines but a  migraine is not a type of a headache.


Well if you are not a migrant you can't understand how troubling migraines can be, it's not a walk in the park for sure.

Well let's first discuss the facts relevant to a migraine:


    Migraine is the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world.
    Migraine is the 6th most disabling illness in the world.
    Migraine is an extraordinarily prevalent neurological disease affecting 1 billion worldwide.
     Genetics play an important role in a  migraine, about 90% of migraines is transmitted through genes.
    Well, we might be relying on painkillers, but painkillers don't eliminate a migraine completely.
    Migraines are around 3 times common in woman than in men.
    Well, everyone thinks that stress has a direct link to a migraine but many migraineurs don't find stress to be a factor at all.
    Migraines attacks usually last between 4 and 72 hours.
    Well, a majority of migraineurs are aged between 25 and 55years.

    The previous point holds good but that doesn't deny the fact that a  migraine affects kids too.

Well let's elaborate the facts on migraine affecting children


     A Migraine often is undiagnosed in children.
    Children's who suffer are absent from school twice compared to children's without a  migraine.
    A child who has one parent with a  migraine has a 50% chance of inheriting it and a child who has both parents with a  migraine has 75% chance of inheriting it.

Well there are facts that would leave you disappointed but I have to say you completely so let me say this too:

 

    More than half of all migraineurs are undiagnosed.
    Only 4% of migraine sufferers consult pain and headache specialists.
    Though 25% of sufferers benefit from preventive treatment only 12% of sufferers receive it.

Well speaking about the types there are two main types:


 A Migraine without aura( a common migraine):


Most people having migraine have common migraines. This type of a  migraine causes a severe pain on one side of the head. The pain is moderate to severe and it gets worse with normal physical routines. Well in addition migraineurs also may have nausea and vomiting and may feel worse around light and sound. A headache lasts 4 to 72 hours if not treated. Normally common migraine doesn't begin with an aura.


A Migraine with aura (a classic migraine)

 Some people with migraines get an up to 30 minutes before they have a migraine. Symptoms of the aura include seeing wavy lines, flashing lights, or objects that look unclear. Other symptoms include numbness, dizziness, a feeling of spinning.


Other types of migraine include:


    Menstrual migraine
    Migraine Equivalent.
    Complicated Migraine
    Abdominal Migraine

Well let's speak about how to manage a  Migraine from home


Normally migraine is triggered by a headache and it may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. Most of the individuals feel severe pain on one side of a headache during a migraine.


Some peoples who get migraines get warning signs called an aura before an actual headache starts. An aura is a group of symptoms which includes vision changes, it is nothing but a warning sign that a bad headache is coming.


A sometimes migraine headache can be triggered by certain foods. They are:


      Processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods, and as well as foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG).

    Dairy products, chocolate, nuts, and baked goods.
     Certain Fruits such as avocado, banana, and citrus fruit)
    Meats containing sodium nitrates, such as bacon, hot dogs, salami, and cured meats
    Red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken liver, figs, and certain beans

Stress, alcohol, certain perfumes or odours, loud noises or smoking may also trigger a migraine.
 

 When you get a Migraine

 Initially Try your best to treat your symptoms right away. This may help make a headache less severe. When migraine symptoms begin:

    Drink water to avoid dehydration, especially if you have vomited even consuming oral rehydration salts in a sachet or juice form would work better.
    Rest in a quiet, darkened room
    Place a cool cloth on your head

Over-the-counter(OTC) pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin, are often helpful when you have a mild migraine.

Your health care provider may have prescribed medicines to stop a migraine. These drugs come in different forms. They may come as a nasal spray, rectal suppository, or injection instead of pills. Other medicines can treat nausea and vomiting.

Follow your provider's instructions about how to take all of your medicines.

 Rebound headaches are headaches that keep coming back. They can occur from overuse of pain medicine. If you take pain medicine more than 3 days a week on a regular basis, you can develop rebound headaches.

    

Preventing Migraine Headaches

Well sometimes keep a schedule of the triggers caused due to migraines and plan as per the trigger schedules


A headache diary can help you identify your headache triggers. When you get a headache, write down:

    Day and time the pain began
    What you ate and drank over the past 24 hours
    How much you slept
    What you were doing and where you were right before the pain started
    How long the headache lasted and what made it stop

Review your diary with your provider to identify triggers or a pattern of your headaches. This can help you and your provider create a treatment plan. Knowing your triggers can help you avoid them. Well, this plan can help you prevent triggers from the next time.


Well, we need to bring up a lifestyle change too which is very helpful in treating migraine to a considerable extent.


    Don't be too reliant on Caffeine, try to decrease the amount of caffeine slowly day by day.
    Get a regular sleep and exercise daily.
    Yoga and meditation could be a boon in this case if done properly with proper schedules daily.

Well you must also know when you need to call a doctor

   

Call doctor :

    When you feel you are experiencing "the worst headache of your life."
     When You have speech, vision, or movement problems or loss of balance, especially if you have not had these symptoms with a headache before.
     When a headache starts suddenly.

Schedule an appointment to doctor:

•      When your headache patterns or pain changes.

•     When treatments that once worked no longer help now.

•     When you have side effects from your medicine.

•     When you are pregnant or could become pregnant. Some medicines should not be taken during pregnancy.

•     When you need to take pain medicines more than 3 days a week.

•     When you are taking birth control pills and have migraine headaches.

•      When your headaches are more severe when lying down.

    And it's not a big deal when you deal properly with a migraine, you resist give some hard kicks back to a  migraine and wow you won, believe me, you will.