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About Migraines |
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| More than 26 million Americans suffer from the migraines, according to the American Medical Association. No medical test exists for migraines, so the diagnosis is based on having some or all of the following symptoms: |
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a moderate to severe throbbing pain for four to 72 hours that is frequently on one side of the head (the word migraine comes from the Greek hemicranios, meaning half a head) |
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nausea, with or without vomiting |
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sensitivity to light and sound |
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| About 15 to 20 percent of migraine sufferers experience visual and other disturbances about 15 minutes before the head pain. These symptoms, collectively known as "aura," may include flashing lights, zig-zag lines, bright spots, loss of part of one's field of vision, or numbness or tingling in the hand, tongue, or side of the face. Migraines preceded by an aura are called classic migraines; all others are referred to as common migraines.
Migraines strike some people about two or three times a year and others as frequently as twice a week or more. They appear to have a genetic link. According to the American Council for Headache Education, up to 90 percent of people with migraine have a family history of the condition.
While migraines usually appear in young adulthood, children aren't immune. In children, pain sometimes occurs on both sides of the head. Associated symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. |
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| Professional and Personal Costs |
| Even normal physical activity tends to intensify the pain of migraine. Migraines are unlike tension headaches in that they often interfere with people's activities to the extent of forcing them to stop what they're doing and lie down. |
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| Modern Medicine |
The over-the-counter and prescription medications that are used to treat migraine pain fall into two general categories: those for use during an attack and those that help prevent attacks. A sufferer may need to take different medications to address distinct symptoms. For example, some drugs can help relieve the nausea and vomiting, while others may ease the head pain.
It's important to have as many options as possible for migraine. Different people respond differently to medications, and what works for one patient may not help another. Alternative methods to prevent migraine are recommended for those whose migraines are especially frequent or debilitating.
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| Individual Triggers |
Many scientists think migraine is a vascular disorder caused by a tightening (constriction) and sudden opening (dilation) of the blood vessels in the head, neck or scalp.
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Stress as Aggravator |
The fact that stress can play a role in migraine, experts say, doesn't mean that migraine is a psychological disorder. The role of psychological stress on migraines is like the role of psychological factors on epilepsy, asthma, hypertension, and heart disease.
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