What is migraine

Headache bothers many people. Moreover, it can be caused by anything — a loud sound, a change in the weather, a decrease in environmental pressure, a hereditary predisposition, and some diseases. But it is necessary to distinguish between headache and migraine. Symptoms and the severity of the latter differ significantly.

What is migraine?

According to statistics, migraine is the most common neurological disease profile. Her attacks can completely deprive a person of working ability, this circumstance makes them postpone everyday and work affairs for an indefinite period of time. Most often until the next morning. Although according to some reports, migraine attacks can last up to 3 days.

Migraine, often called the disease of great people. According to historical data from this disease suffered - Julius Caesar, Beethoven, Nobel, Darwin, Freud, Tchaikovsky, Nietzsche and others. But it is worth remembering that at the time of these people’s life, the causes of the headache were little studied, and, in principle, any headache, fell under the definition of a migraine, which was proposed by Hippocrates.

The symptoms of migraine are many, and the headache is far from the only one. But it also has its own characteristics and features in this context. The pain radiates to 1 half of the head, most often localized in the forehead, temple or orbit. It is pulsating, painful, it may increase with the appearance of irritants - bright light, noise, strong odors, etc.

Nausea is added to the main symptom (almost in 85% of cases), about 50% of people with migraines are subject to vomiting. In addition, photophobia develops in 45–90% of cases, photosensitivity in 60–95% of cases. In addition, there may be recorded impairments of consciousness and various kinds of visual changes - the appearance of "flies", "loss of visual fields", etc. There are several types of migraine. So in 80% of cases there is a classic disease. In addition, there is only the female type of migraine, which is associated with the menstrual cycle, and occurs only at the beginning of menstruation, and in no other phase! According to studies, migraine attacks associated with menstruation occur without adverse symptoms.

Quite rarely, namely in 5% of cases, basilar, ophthalmoplegic, retinal and post-traumatic migraine can be registered.

Migraine: causes of illness

The causes of migraine are not yet fully understood, but there are several theories. The first scientific versions of the appearance of the disease were associated with the human vascular system. It is believed that the role is played by both the narrowing of the lumen of the blood vessels and the relaxation of their smooth muscle layer. But only these 2 concepts can not explain all the symptoms and trigger mechanism of migraine.

According to neurotheory, migraine is the result of brain dysfunction. This theory explains the disease as the passage of a wave of low nervous activity through the cerebral cortex. As a result, chemical and vascular changes are triggered. Gradually, there are side effects and the headache itself. At present, there is no clear answer on how external triggers can increase nervous activity in certain areas of the brain.

In 1987, the neurovascular theory of migraine formation was proposed. According to it, there is a violation of the normal interaction between the trigeminal nerve and the blood flow in the brain. It is these components - the nerves and blood vessels that are involved in a complex chain of disorders, the result of which becomes a migraine.

Moreover, the role of heredity in the development of the disease has been proven. So, if both parents suffer from migraine attacks, then with 60–90% probability, sooner or later, they will appear in children. If the attacks are characteristic only for the mother - 70%, in the case of the father the percentage of probability is small, only 20%.

How to treat migraine: features

For the treatment of migraine attacks use painkillers - analgesics. But not all means of such a plan, which can be freely bought at a pharmacy, will prove to be effective. According to the recommendations of some doctors, it is necessary to take 1 g of "Aspirin", which is best soluble, and 1 g of "Cerucal" to relieve an attack. But these migraine pills should be used at the beginning of an attack, i.e. before the development of severe pain and adverse symptoms. Otherwise, the effectiveness of almost any drug is small.

In addition, it is recommended to retire and lie down in a darkened room, protecting yourself from harsh sounds, smells. After a migraine attack, deep and prolonged sleep often occurs.

Acupuncture can also be called the 1st means of treating an illness, and without a medicinal one. But it can only be carried out by a qualified and experienced specialist who is fluent in acupuncture points.

Unfortunately, there are no methods to completely get rid of a migraine, but you shouldn’t get very upset. It is noticed that in most people, with age, seizures become less common, and at a certain point they pass completely. According to scientific data at the age of 40 - 60 years, they completely disappear in the overwhelming number of patients.