Migraines
Migraine Headaches
Each year, about 25
million people in the U.S. experience migraine headaches, and about 75% are
women. Migraines are intense and throbbing headaches that are often associated
with nausea and sensitivity to light or noise. They can last from as little as
a few hours to as long as a few days. Many of those who suffer from migraines
experience visual symptoms called an "aura" just prior to an attack
that is often described as seeing flashing lights or that everything takes on a
dream-like appearance.
Migraine sufferers
usually have their first attack before age 30 and they tend to run in families,
supporting the notion that there is a genetic component to them. Some people
have attacks several times a month; others have less than one a year. Most
people find that migraine attacks occur less frequently and become less severe
as they get older.
Migraine headaches are
caused by a constriction of the blood vessels in the brain, followed by a
dilation of blood vessels. During the constriction of the blood vessels there
is a decrease in blood flow, which is what leads to the visual symptoms that
many people experience. Even in people who don't experience the classic migraine
aura, most of them can tell that an attack is immanent. Once the blood vessels
dilate, there is a rapid increase in blood pressure inside the head. It is this
increased pressure that leads to the pounding headache. Each time the heart
beats it sends another shock wave through the carotid arteries in the neck up
into the brain.
There are many
theories about why the blood vessels constrict in the first place, but no one
knows for sure. What we do know is that there are a number of things that can
trigger migraines, such as lack of sleep, stress, flickering lights, strong
odors, changing weather patterns and several foods; especially foods that are
high in an amino acid called 'tyramine.' You can reduce the likelihood of
migraine headaches by making some lifestyle changes.
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