By; Syeda Sundeela Fayyaz
June is designated to be the month of National Migraine Awareness Month. All month long, organizations arrange different programs for the attention associated with this problem. The aim behind conducting such programs and events is to encourage education, research and mainly to introduce new and improved treatments.
History
The National Headache Foundation established National Headache Awareness Month in 1989. In 2021, “purple color” became the official color of the National Migraine Awareness Celebration and the color was first utilized in 2004 in an awareness campaign.
Theme
This year the theme for national migraine awareness month is ‘Your migraine, your way’.
All about migraine
Everyone contains a headache now then, but not everyone suffers from a really painful one which is chronic migraine. Migraines are characterized as recurrent episodes of moderate to severe headaches, commonly in the middle of nausea and sensitivity to light, sounds and smell. The pain is usually pulsating in nature and located to either the left or right side of the top, but rarely both without delay. According to the globe Health Organization (WHO), headache disorders are a number of the most typical disorders of the system nervous and 1 in 7 adults worldwide has migraine. 60% — 70% of migraine sufferers are women. Before the age of puberty, the prevalence of migraines is about 4% then increases, at a later stage, especially among girls up to the age of 40 years. After the age of 40 years, with age, a decrease within the incidence of migraine begins. The very best prevalence among women is between the ages of 25 and 55. Migraines don’t jeopardize the lives of patients, but cause significant damage to the standard and normal course of life, causing loss of working days and material losses.
Types of migraine
Types of migraines Migraine attacks are often classified into two types:
(1) Migraine with aura (also called classical migraines).
(2) Migraine without aura (formerly referred to as common migraines).
It is the foremost common type, even 66% of migraine attacks are with Aura. “Aura” usually involves visual symptoms like seeing shapes, lines, or flashes. Migraines often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood.
Stages of migraine
Migraines may progress through four stages:
Prodrome One or two days before a migraine, you will notice subtle changes that warn you for an upcoming migraine, the signs includes;
• Constipation
• Mood changes (from depression to euphoria)
• Food cravings
• Neck stiffness
Aura
Aura may occur before or during migraines. The public experience migraines without aura. Auras are symptoms of the system. They’re usually visual disturbances, like flashes of sunshine or wavy, zigzag vision.
Attack
A migraine usually lasts from four to 72 hours if untreated. The frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person.
Migraines could also be rare, or strike several times a month.
During a migraine, you will experience: • * Pain on one side or either side of your head •
*Pain that feels throbbing or pulsing • Sensitivity to light, sounds, and sometimes smells and touch •
* Nausea and vomiting •
* Blurred vision Post-drome
Post drome
* The final phase, referred to as post-drome, occurs after a migraine attack. You’ll feel drained and washed out, while some people feel elated. For about 24 hours, you will also experience:
• Confusion •
Moodiness •
Dizziness •
Weakness •
Sensitivity to light and sound
CAUSES:
The exact reason behind migraine isn’t understood . It’s either caused by disturbance within the functioning of the system nervous which can be triggered by environmental factors or changes within the body itself. Migraine tends to run in families which shows that genetics have a job to play within the development of migraine. In many ladies, migraine tends to recur at some point of their menstrual cycles regularly, either before, during or after the menses. This can be called menstrual migraine and it’s associated with the hormonal changes that occur within the body during the oscillation. Menstrual migraines tend to disappear during pregnancy.
Factors that trigger migraine
There are certain common factors which trigger the onset of migraine in many patients.
These are as follows:
• Weather changes
• Hormonal changes before, during and after the menses in women
• Alcohol
• Birth control pills
• Inadequate sleep
• Physical or mental stress
• Irregular meals or skipping a meal
• Strong odors
• Certain food articles
• Environmental changes
• Excess of noise or light Once identified, the patient must modify his lifestyle so on avoid these triggers wherever possible.
Diagnosis of Migraine
Physical neurological examination, and other tests, such as
• blood tests,
• computed tomography (CT),
• resonance imaging (MRI), or
• electroencephalogram (EEG).
• Often, no tests are needed and also the disease are often diagnosed supported the patient’s description and on the premise of a traditional, healthy neurological examination.
Treatment of Migraine
The first step to treating migraines is to avoid triggers for migraines. The treatment of migraines depends on the severity of the attack;
Low-intensity attacks are often treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. If a migraine attack is moderate to severe, it’s treated with other medications and therapeutic types. Migraine treatment consists of several therapeutic types, including: behavioral therapy to forestall attacks. Regular sleep regular diets medium physical activity avoid certain foods that contain caffeine, triamine, flavoring or nitrates.
➩Anti-migraine treatment: This treatment is sometimes prescribed for people with quite 4 migraine attacks per month that exceed 12 hours and more. The main objectives of inhibitor therapy are: reducing the frequency, severity, and duration of attacks. Reducing the progression of the disease from a severe attack to a chronic illness. Increasing the response to treatment during acute attacks. Improving patient performance and reducing disability.
We must attempt to stop the stigma by shedding light on truth impact and causes of migraine and through this month we must always arrange some programs or webinars to coach people about the important symptoms and therefore the possible treatments of this problem which is much beyond just head pain!!
By; SyedaSundeelaFayyaz
(The writer is a masters in microbiology)
