Migraine Headache
•Last Updated: October 13, 2024
Migraine headaches are usually one-sided (sometimes bilateral) head pain. They affect women more often than men, and can have a number of triggers, and are more common if you have a family member with migraines. They can be distinguished from other types of headaches (such as tension or cluster headaches) due to additional symptoms of nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening of pain with activity.
Migraine Headache falls under thePaincategory.
Last Updated:October 13, 2024
Migraine headaches are characterized by one-sided throbbing pain and can include symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. They are common and can occur with or without an aura, which affects 25% to 30% of people with migraines.
A migraine is typically diagnosed based on a headache accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and worsening with physical activity. Additionally, a migraine with aura includes reversible neurological symptoms, which may be visual or sensory, such as flashing lights or zig-zag lines.
The main medical treatments for acute migraine include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as triptans such as sumatriptan and rizatriptan. If these are insufficient, preventative treatments may involve antiseizure, blood pressure, and antidepressant medications, which should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
Several supplements have been studied for migraine prevention, and some show potential benefits. Examples include riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium, coenzyme Q10, butterbur, and melatonin.
Certain foods like cheese, chocolate, and wine may trigger migraines in some people, but food elimination diets have shown mixed results in reducing migraine frequency. Various dietary modifications (including the ketogenic, DASH, and low-fat diets) have been studied for migraine prevention, though their effectiveness remains uncertain.
Various nonmedical treatments have been researched for migraine prevention and focus on stress reduction. These include meditation, mindfulness, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, and hypnosis.
Migraines are triggered by various factors that can differ from person to person, and keeping a daily headache journal can help identify these specific triggers. Common triggers include alcohol, caffeine, fatigue, menstruation, certain foods, missed meals, smoke, stress, and weather changes.
Research FeedRead all studies
- ^Gobel1. Migraine
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- Migraine Frequency - Mina Abdolahi, Abbas Tafakhori, Mansoureh Togha, Ali Asghar Okhovat, Feridoun Siassi, Mohammad Reza Eshraghian, Mohsen Sedighiyan, Mona Djalali, Niyaz Mohammadzadeh Honarvar, Mahmoud DjalaliThe synergistic effects of ω-3 fatty acids and nano-curcumin supplementation on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene expression and serum level in migraine patientsImmunogenetics.(2017 Jun)
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