Migraine (patient information): Difference between revisions
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==Where to find medical care for migraine?== | ==Where to find medical care for migraine?== | ||
Revision as of 19:52, 25 March 2010
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Jinhui Wu, MD
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What is migraine?
How do I know if I have migraine and what are the symptoms of migraine?
Patients may experience the following symptoms after the trigger.
- Headache: Headache caused by migraine is ususally described as moderate to severe, intense, throbbing or pounding pain which may be confined to one side or may affect both sides of the head. Headache of migraine usually is aggravated by regular activities.
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Cold hands and cold feet
Who is at risk for migraine?
The cause of migraine remains unknown. It seems that both genetics and environmental contribute to the cause. The following factors make you more prone to having migraines.
- A family history of migraines
- Younger than 40.
- Female.
- Hormonal changes: For female patients with migraines, the trigger is associated with menstruation cycle. They may also change during pregnancy or menopause.
Many individuals with migraine can identify triggers that cause or aggravate the headache. Avoiding triggers may be helpful to decrease the frequency or severity of migraine. Some triggers include:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Food: Some migraines can be triggered by certain foods, including beer and red wine, aged cheeses, chocolate, aspartame, caffeine, monosodium glutamate, salty foods, and processed foods.
- Changes in the weather
- Lack of sleep or too much sleep
- Sensory stimuli, including bright lights, sun glare, loud sounds, unusual smells such as perfume, paint thinner and secondhand smoke, can also trigger migraines.
- Hormonal changes in women, during menstruation cycle, pregnancy or menopause.
How to know you have migraine?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if symptoms of migraine develop. If you experience either of the following symptoms, seeking urgent medical care as soon as possible. It may suggest a serious problem.
- New headache after 50 years old
- Very severe headache
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizures, double vision, numbness, paralysis or trouble speaking
- Headache after a head injury, especially if the headache gets worse
- A chronic headache that is worse after coughing, exertion, straining or a sudden movement
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
- Brain tumor
- Brain infections such as meningitis, encephalitis
- Brain aneurysm abrupt
- Hemorrhagic stroke
- Hysteria
Where to find medical care for migraine?
Directions to Hospitals Treating migraine
Prevention of migraine
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/migraine.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-headache/DS00120
http://www.medicinenet.com/migraine_headache/article.htm