What Are Migraine Headaches?

what are migraine headaches
What Are Migraine Headaches?

All of us will have experienced a headache at some part or the other of our lives, but a migraine headache is nothing like a usual headache, and it is not just a bad headache. A migraine is a complex condition of the nervous system and is usually delineated as a throbbing pain that occurs in a particular part of the head. Migraine attacks can lead to intense and debilitating pain that can remain for hours to days. You may wish to retreat to a quiet and dark place when you are under a migraine attack.

 

Migraine headaches can be usually accompanied by symptoms like vomiting, light sensitivity, nausea, etc. About a third of the people affected by migraines will be able to predict the start of an attack as they will experience sensory warnings. These are also called “aura.” Some of these warning symptoms include flashes of light, vertigo, blurred vision, blind spots, tingling sensations in the extremities, etc.

 

Causes Of Migraines 

The cause of migraines is not yet clear to the scientific world. It is believed that disturbances in brain chemicals and nerve pathways affecting blood vessels near the surface of the brain can result in migraines. The blood vessels can swell, sending pain signals to the stem area of the brain that processes pain signals. Different triggers can lead to recurring migraine attacks. Therefore, it is important to understand and record the various triggers in a headache diary to help prevent migraine attacks in the future.

 

Treating Migraine Headaches 

It is important to understand that there is no indefinite remedy for migraine headaches. There are two ways to approach while treating migraine headaches with medications. The first one is to take medications during an attack to get relief from the symptoms. This is called acute treatment and the second one is to take daily medication to reduce or prevent migraine attacks and reduce the intensity of pain. This treatment is called preventive treatment.

 

Acute treatment involves the use of over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin that you can easily get from any Los Angeles pharmacy. If these medicines are ineffective for you, then your doctor may prescribe stronger analgesic medicines or a drug that can act specifically on the cause of your migraine. These include medicines from the “triptan” class like zolmitriptan, sumatriptan, or almotriptan, or ergot-type medicines like dihydroergotamine nasal spray. The doctor may also prescribe medicines for vomiting and nausea if necessary.