Migraines

What are Migraines?

AHP106 Medical Terminology Anatomy and Physiology

Migraines are an inherited neurological disorder that has been defined as over-excited areas of the brain, even though there is no clear difference in migraine susceptible brains verses the brain of a non-migraine sufferer. A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or a pulsing sensation in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by aura (seeing shapes, bright spots, or flashes, even vision loss), nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light, sound and smells. These attacks can cause extreme pain for hours to days and affect approximately 36 million Americans. According to statistics found, migraine affects everyday life in multiple ways.

One in four households in America has a member with migraine

Migraines are 3 times more common in women than men

Some migraine sufferers have chronic migraine in which they suffer at least 15 days of headache a month

Migraine costs the United States an estimated 20 billion a year due to medical expense and indirect expense which includes loss of work and loss of productivity.

Migraines are considered disabling. The World Health Organization places migraine as one of the 20 most disabling medical illnesses on the planet.

Those with migraine are more likely to have depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, other pain conditions and fatigue.

People that experience an aura phase have been shown to be at an increased risk for stroke and heart attack.

Currently there is no cure for migraine; doctors are only able to reduce the frequency and stop headaches as they occur. Patients are encouraged to keep a migraine diary in attempt to find their triggers. Triggers can be hormones, food and food additives, drink, stress, changes in wake-sleep patterns, medications, and physical exertion. There are a variety of tests that can be performed to rule out any other reason for the head pain. These tests are...