A migraine is a common type of headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light.
In many people, a throbbing pain is felt only on one side of the head.
Some people who get migraines have warning symptoms, called an aura, before the actual headache begins. An aura is a group of symptoms, usually vision disturbances that serve as a warning sign that a bad headache is coming. Most people, however, do not have such warning signs.
Headache — migraine Causes, incidence, and risk factors A lot of people get migraines — about 11 out of 100. The headaches tend to first appear between the ages of 10 and 46.
Occasionally, migraines may occur later in life in a person with no history of such headaches. Migraines occur more often in women than men, and may run in families.
Women may have fewer migraines when they are pregnant. Most women with such headaches have fewer attacks during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.
A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, certain foods, environmental factors, or something else. However, the exact chain of events remains unclear.
Scientists used to believe that migraines were due to changes in blood vessels within the brain. Today, most medical experts believe the attack actually begins in the brain itself, where it involves various nerve pathways and chemicals. The changes affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues.
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Migraine attacks may be triggered by: Alcohol
Allergic reactions
Bright lights
Certain odors or perfumes
Changes in hormone levels (which can occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle or with the use of birth control pills)
Changes in sleep patterns
Exercise
Loud noises
Missed meals
Physical or emotional stress
Smoking or exposure to smoke
Certain foods and preservatives in foods may trigger migraines in some people. Food-related triggers may include:
Any processed, fermented, pickled, or marinated foods
Baked goods
Chocolate
Dairy products
Foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Foods containing tyramine, which includes red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and certain beans
Fruits (avocado, banana, citrus fruit)
Meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats)
Nuts
Onions
Peanut butter
This list may not be all-inclusive.
Complications of migraine
True migraine headaches are not a result of a brain tumor or other serious medical problem. However, only an experienced healthcare provider can determine whether your symptoms are due to a migraine or another condition.
Occasionally, a migraine may last for more than 72 hours and doesn’t go away by itself. This type of migraine is known as status migrainosus. It’s important to see your GP if your migraine lasts longer than 72 hours.
If you get frequent migraines on more than 15 days a month for an average of three months out of the year, this is known as a chronic migraine.
When describing an illness, the term chronic refers to how long a person has it, not to how serious a condition is.
About one in 100 people have chronic migraine. If you have chronic migraine, you may need to take increasing amounts of medication to help control the attacks. Over time, this may lead to further headaches, known as medication-overuse headaches.
If you get frequent migraines, you may be at an increased risk of depression, anxiety, panic disorders and stroke.
Prevention of migraine
It’s important to learn to spot the signs and triggers of your migraine to help prevent them. The easiest way of doing this is by keeping a diary about your migraines.
Keeping active may also prevent you from getting migraines.
The recommended healthy level of physical activity is 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate exercise over a week in bouts of 10 minutes or more.
You can do this by carrying out 30 minutes on at least five days each week. It’s important that you include at least two weekly activities to build up muscle strength, such as exercising with weights. Try to spend as little time as possible being inactive.
Preventive medicines
If you get frequent or severe migraines, your GP may prescribe medicines to help prevent them.
