Migraine Pain is a genetically influenced complex disorder characterized by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache, most often unilateral and generally associated with nausea and light and sound sensitivity.
What Types of Migraines?
Can be classified into subtypes according to the headache classification committee of the International Headache Society. These subtypes are
A) Pain without aura: It is a recurrent headache attack of 4 to 72 hours typically unilateral in location pulsating in quality, moderate to severe in intensity , aggravated by physical activity and associated with nausea and light and sound sensitivity (photophobia and phonophobia)
B) Pain with aura : It has recurrent fully reversible attacks lasting minutes typically one or more of these unilateral symptoms: visual, sensory, speech and language, motor, brain stem, and retinal, usually followed by headache and migraine symptoms.
C) Chronic migraine: t is a headache that occurs on 15 or more days in a month for more than three months and has migraine features on at least eight or more days in a month.
What are the Triggers for Migraine? :
Withdrawn or exposure to several factors contribute to the development of migraine headaches.A retrospective study found that 76% of the patients reported triggers.Some are probable contributing factors, while others are only possible or unproven.
- Stress in 80%
- Hormonal changes in 65% during menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy
- Skipped meals 57%
- Weather changes in 53%
- Excessive or insufficient sleep in 50%
- Odors in 40% (perfumes, colognes, petroleum distillates)
- Neck pain in 38%
- Exposure to lights in 38%
- Alcohol ingestion in 38%
- Smoking in 36%
- Late sleeping in 32%
- Heat in 30%
- Food in 27% (aspartame as a possible factor, and tyramine and chocolate as unproven factors)
- Exercise in 22%
- Sexual activity in 5%
What Treatments are on Migraine ?
Treatment options are based on the onset scenarios: acute or chronic.
Acute Treatment : As we all know acute treatment aims to stop the progression of a headache. It has to be treated quickly and with a large single dose. Oral agents can be ineffective in patients with migraine-induced gastric stasis. Therefore, parenteral medication could be the rule for some patients, especially the ones with nausea or vomiting.
Therapy consists of stratified options NSAIDs, Peripheral nerve blocking, Selective serotonin 1F receptor agonist, etc
Alternative Treatment :
- Lifestyle changes; must be a commitment from the patient; however, social support is of great importance to improve mental health to help the patient's involvement.
- Regular exercise
- Yoga
- Relaxation training
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Biofeedback
- Reduction of triggers
- Detoxification
- Butterbur
- Melatonin
Here in CURA ADVANCED PHYSIOTHERAPY we provide proper assessment to diagnose migraines from any other similar condition and provide symptoms related treatment
References:
1. Rose FC. The history of migraine from Mesopotamian to Medieval times. Cephalalgia. Pediatr Neurol. [PubMed]
2. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia.
3. Hansen JM, Lipton RB, Dodick DW, Silberstein SD, Saper JR, Aurora SK, Goadsby PJ, Charles A. Migraine headache is present in the aura phase: a prospective study. Neurology.
4. Stam AH, Kothari PH, Shaikh A, Gschwendter A, Jen JC, Hodgkinson S, Hardy TA, [PubMed]
5.Martin VT, Behbehani MM. Toward a rational understanding of migraine trigger factors. Med Clin North Am.