Migraine headaches can cause excruciating pain and can become disabling. The symptoms can become so severe that it makes you want to crawl up into a ball in a dark place. Sometimes the headaches come with flashes of light, blind spots, or tingling in the limbs. Some people experience nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light and sound. In the last decade, many break throughs have been made with regard to available pain medications.
Medicine combined with self help treatments and changes in lifestyle help enormously. You may have been dealing with these headaches on your own, but it may be time to seek professional help if your symptoms worsen or if it prevents you from performing daily tasks. Women are more likely than men to get migraines. Researchers say that these headaches are caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system which acts as the primary pain pathway in the network of nerve cells.
During a headache, serotonin levels drop releasing neuropeptides which cause blood vessels to be dilated and inflamed which results in headache pain. Hormonal changes, foods, skipping meals, fasting, alcohol - especially beer and wine, caffeine, aspartame, stress at work all work followed by periods of relaxation on the weekends, bright lights, physical activity, changes in weather, and altitude can all cause migraines.
Avoid certain foods and aromas that have triggered headaches in the past. If necessary, keep a tab on the foods you eat the day you get the headache. Do exercise regularly, because aerobics, especially walking, biking, and swimming have been proven to relieve tension throughout the entire body. You must warm up slowly because abrupt exercise can trigger headaches. If you are a female, reduce your medications containing estrogen such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. Speak with your doctor about possible treatment alternatives.
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