Migraine : What Are The Symptoms of Migraine Attacks

A migraine is a complaint that is quite often suffered by other family members, all of which have probably been experiencing them from a young age. Most suffers will go to bed as the headache (usually on one side) takes hold and which could last a matter of a few hours but if left without attention, could last for days. To make matters worse, even after the pains have decreased the sufferer is still left weak from the episode and unable to carry on normal tasks for quite a while.

Some sufferers only experience only one attack per year whereas for someone who is liable to frequent attacks, this in the range of one or two every month. Certain symptoms are common for many sufferers including a problem with bright lights, sometimes even dull light, in addition to flu like chills and lightheadedness. Migraine is most prevalent in people between the ages of ten to forty years old; almost no cases are recorded after the age of 50.

Whilst family groups are known to share attacks, so far there has been a problem finding a genetic trait that links certain family members to migraines; even though there may be a link, so far it has eluded medical science. There is a condition that causes an inflammation of blood vessels in the brain and it is possible that people who suffer have sensitivity in this area. More women suffer from attacks and they comprise 75 percent of reported cases; only about eight percent of men will have an attack in their lives so it is very much a condition that affects women.

Before the migraine attack, some people have a distinct warning called an aura which usually precedes the headache from anywhere between ten to thirty minutes. A number of different warning signs have been exhibited as shown below:

*Sickness *Vision is affected *Loss in the sensation of taste *Problems speaking

other symptoms exist but these appear to common with most people. However, the condition that’s most common is a migraine without aura where the pain increases in one area of the head; these victims have no warning, but the symptoms can also be intensified if they move to much.

At the moment the theory that blood vessels leading to the brain become narrower and affect the nerves is the closest science has come to discovering the cause of migraines. It might be that it is the expansion of the blood vessels afterwards that causes the headache; most victims become unable to do anything for some time after the attack. The range of possible triggers that create an attack is huge; the most common are listed below:

*Poor weather conditions *Certain food groups *Altitude *Certain groups of drink *Powerful bright lighting *Not enough food *Anxiety

It is for a person to keep a check to see if they have a pattern by which they can avoid situations that could lead to an attack.

Filed under: Health

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