A migraine is a headache that can be extremely painful, throbbing, or pulsating, generally on one side of the head. Extreme sensitivity to light and sound is a frequent side effect, along with nausea and vomiting. A migraine episode can persist for hours or even days, and the pain can be so bad that it makes it difficult to go about your everyday activities.
Some people experience an aura, a foreboding sensation, before or concurrently with a headache. Visual disturbances like blind spots or light flashes can be part of an aura, as well as other symptoms including trouble speaking and tingling on one side of the face, arm, or leg.
Symptoms
Prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome are the four stages that migraines, which can afflict children and teens as well as adults, can go through. Not all migraine sufferers go through each level.
Prodrome
You may detect little alterations that signal an impending migraine one or two days beforehand, such as:
Constipation
Depressive to euphoric mood swings
Desire for food
Neck rigidity
Higher urination
Retaining fluid
Regular yawning
Aura
A migraine may start with or continue with an aura for some people. The nervous system can temporarily experience auras. However, they can also contain additional abnormalities outside only vision. Each symptom often develops gradually over a few minutes, intensifies, and lasts for up to 60 minutes.
Causes
Genes and the environment seem to be involved in migraines, despite the fact that the exact reasons are yet unknown.
A significant pain channel, the trigeminal nerve, may be affected by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with it. It’s also possible that chemical imbalances in the brain, such as serotonin, which helps your nervous system control pain, are to blame.
The influence of serotonin on migraines is a topic of research. In addition to dopamine, calcitonin gene-related peptide also contributes to migraine discomfort (CGRP).
Source: Mayoclinic
Also Read: Ways To Deal With Migraine
