MIGRAINE--CAUSES--SYMPTOMS-TREATMENTS.........

Migraine

1.    Migraine is a condition, in which a person experiences tremendous headache.

2.    Generally, this headache affects only one side of the head and body.

3.    Migraine attacks are more common to those people who take too much of stress or are workaholic.

 In such people, the blood flow in the brain muscles drops, as a result of too much load, squeezing the arteries. When the person suddenly relaxes, these tight brain muscles expand, stretching the blood vessel walls. The blood pumped with each heartbeat, then, pushes the vessels further, causing immense pain.

 Though the exact cause of migraine has not been identified, there are a number of factors that can trigger the severe headache. In the following lines, we have listed the various causes and symptoms of migraine.

Migraines are severe, disabling recurrent headaches that are generally accompanied by other symptoms such as visual disturbances or nausea.

There are two types of migraine

1.    A classic migraine has an "aura" or warning associated with it that precedes the headache. The aura is often a visual disturbance (like seeing stars or zigzag lines or a temporary blind spot.) 

2.    A common migraine does not have such a warning before the head pain begins, typically accompanied by nausea, vomiting and visual disturbances.

Commonly lasts from 6 to 48 hours

Accompanying symptoms that may precede or occur at the same time as the migraine include:

1. Nausea and vomiting
2. Dizziness described as lightheadedness or even vertigo (feeling like the room is spinning)
3. Fatigue Loss of appetite
4. Irritability
5. Eye pain
6. Extreme sensitivity to light (called photophobia)
7. Parts of your body may feel numb, weak, or tingly
8. Light, noise, and movement?especially bending over?make head hurt worse

Symptoms that may linger even after the migraine has resolved:

• Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp increased need for sleep
• Neck pain  

Causes Of Migraine

• Low blood sugar
• Allergy infection
• Excessive intake of certain drugs
• Nutritional deficiency
• Consistent overwork
• Improper sleep and rest
• Excessive smoking
• Too much consumption of alcohol
• Sexual indulgence
• Menstruation in women
• Hormonal changes
• Certain foods
• Too much of stress
• Sensory stimuli, such as bright lights and sun glare
• Physical factors
• Changes in the environment
• Birth control pills
• Family Hisory

Symptoms:-

The most common symptom of a migraine headache is a throbbing pain on one side of your head. You also may have other symptoms before, during, and after a migraine. Different people have different symptoms. But many headaches also cause other unwanted symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. This article addresses the most common headache symptoms associated with the different types of headaches.

1.    Migraines are painful, sometimes disabling headaches that are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smell.

2.    These throbbing headaches usually occur on only one side of the head, although the pain can shift from one side of the head to the other or can occur on both sides at the same time.

3.    Migraines involve changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the brain, which trigger pain signals leading to headache and other symptoms.

4.    Migraine headaches tend to recur. A migraine headache typically lasts 4 to 24 hours but in some cases can last up to 3 days. Some people have symptoms, such as visual disturbances, that occur before a headache starts. These symptoms are called a migraine aura.

5.    Some people have several headaches per month. Others have headaches much less often. Treatment usually includes medicines to prevent a migraine from occurring or to stop a migraine after it begins. In some people, migraines may be triggered by certain foods or smells. No exposure to these triggers may stop the headaches.

Pain on one side of the head, starting from the area behind the eye

• Short periods of depression
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Pounding pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Numbness or weakness in an arm or leg or on one side of the face
• Tingling sensation in the legs
• Digestive problems
• Laziness
• Difficulty in speaking
• Weakness
• Stiff neck
• Yawning
• Confused thinking
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Distorted vision
• Head pain, with a pulsating or throbbing quality
• Inability to follow regular routine
• Sensitivity to light and sound

Home Remedy for Migraine

Migraine is the name given to severe headaches, normally lasting from 4 to 72 hours. It is mainly felt s pulsing or throbbing in one area of the head. During migraine, there is contraction or dilation of the blood vessels. Some of the factors that can trigger a migraine attack anxiety, stress, lack of food or sleep, exposure to light and hormonal changes (in women). In women, menstruation can also result in migraine. The symptoms of migraine are pain on one side of the head, a short period of depression, irritability and loss of appetite, pounding pain, nausea and vomiting as well as numbness or weakness in an arm or leg or on one side of the face. This severe headache can, however, be cured, naturally using home remedies. Read onto know some of the natural ways of treating migraine.

Home Remedy For Migraine

• Migraine can be treated effectively with the help of fresh grape juice. Grind grapes to extract the juice. Consume the juice in the concentrated form, without adding water.
• Increase the intake of niacin (vitamin B3), as it has been found to be helpful in alleviating migraine pain. Some of the foods rich in niacin are yeast, whole wheat, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, sunflower seeds, liver and fish.
• Cabbage leaves are helpful in relieving the pain of a migraine headache. Squash cabbage leaves and place them in a cloth. Place the cloth on your forehead for sometime. Once the cabbage leaves become dry, remove the cloth and make a fresh one.
• Lemon peel is helpful in solving migraine headache. Grind lemon peel to form a paste and apply it on the forehead. Let it dry and then rinse off with cool water.
• A mixture of carrot juice, either with spinach, beet or cucumber juice, works effectively in curing migraine. Combine 300 ml of carrot juice with 200 ml of any other juice and drink it.
• You can also mix 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices, with 300 ml of carrot juice and drink it on a regular basis.
• Massaging the forehead with primrose oil is beneficial in curing migraine. It works as an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, preventing any kind of constriction in the blood vessels.
• Include garlic in your diet. Either chew a piece of garlic in the raw form or mix it with other food items.
• Another effective method would be to have chamomile tea. This is effective in reducing the occurrence of migraine.
• Taking lukewarm water enema is effective. It cleanses the bowels, thereby removing the toxins from the body and helping prevent migraine.
• Take some sandalwood powder and add a few drops of water to it, so as to form a paste. Apply this paste on the forehead and let it dry. Once dry, rub it off by hand and wash it.
It is advisable to avoid direct sunlight; smoking and drinking alcohol, as all these can aggravate migraine.

Top Five Homeopathic Medicines to Cure Migraine

If ever there was a permanent cure for migraine, homeopathic medicines are the only one that can do this miracle. It may sound like an overstatement and quite quackerish, but it’s true. Long term treatment with homeopathy has an excellent cure for migraine headaches. The top five homeopathic medicines that I have found to work best to cure migraine headaches are Glonoine, Belladonna, Iris Versicolor, Epiphegus and Nux Vomica.

Glonoine for Migraine Headaches

Glonoine, I have used it as a general medicine for migraine and have succeeded in many obstinate cases of migraine. There are no hardcore specific symptoms to prescribe Glonoine but general features of migraine like congestive headaches, throbbing headaches. Glonoine works well to treat headaches that result from an exposure to sun, heat etc. Other indication when Glonoine is strongly indicated is that Head feels enormously large as if the skull were too small for the brain. It is also very useful for headaches that result during the period of menopause. Another very important indication for Glonoine is the strong relationship that headaches have with sun. ‘Sun Headaches’ as they are often called as are related with the increase and decrease in the sun. Headache with strong throbbing are quite typical of Glonoine. I have used glonoine in various potencies ranging from 30c to 10m depending upon the merits of the case.

Belladonna for Migraine with congestive headaches

Listing of Belladonna here at number 2 in this article, doesn’t mean that it is any less effective than glonoine. On number of occasions (When indicated) belladonna has been my first choice. Symptoms that lead to prescribing glonoine in headache are quite similar to glonoine as both of them are used for congestive headaches. Sun aggravation usually differentiates belladonna form glonoine. Main indication for use of belladonna is headaches that become worse with light, noise, jar, lying down. Another important indication for belladonna in Migraine is that headaches tend to aggravate in the afternoon. Belladonna is also useful for headaches that usually occur in the forehead region. In a Calcarea patient belladonna usually works well to treat all kinds of headaches.

Iris Versicolor for migraine with vomiting and nausea

I have used this medicine for migraine headaches that are attended with severe nausea and vomiting.  Nausea can be so strong that the patient is not relieved by even by vomiting. Iris is indicated in headaches that are attended with visual disturbances. Headaches that begin with blurring of the vision are very effectively treated with it. Headaches in the frontal area and right temple, respond more favorably to this drug. Migraine headaches when associated with heartburn often respond very well to this homeopathy medicine

Epiphegus for migraine headaches

A lesser known drug for migraine but does wonders if symptoms match. I can personally vouch for Epiphegus .I treated my cluster headaches with Epiphegus which would settle over my left eye. Epiphegus is very effective for cluster headaches. This drug has more affinity for left side. It is indicated when headaches come on with MENTAL EXERTION or MENTAL TIRE. Headaches that are triggered by going out in the sun or, shopping or any deviation from normal routine. Mainly headaches that are caused by overwork or fatigue, Epiphegus does wonders in curing them miraculously.

Nux Vomica for gastric Migraines

Gastric migraine is a new terminology that is being used in modern medicine nowadays. It refers to a condition where the headaches are accompanied by gastric disturbances. The gastric disturbances that are usually accompanied with migraine headaches are constipation (this could be in the form of ineffectual desire to pass stool; or not getting complete evacuations) bloating of abdomen or feeling of gas; or a feeling or an inability to release gas. Nux is also used for headaches that brought on by eating fatty, rich fried food. Alcohol consumption when leads to triggering of headaches are effectively treated with Nux Vomica.

Natural Remedies for Migraine

1) Feverfew

The herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) has been used for centuries as a folk remedy for headache, migraine, arthritis, pain, and fever in Europe. It became especially popular in England in the 1980s as an alternative to conventional drugs for migraines.

Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of feverfew for the prevention and treatment of migraines. There was a significant decrease in migraine frequency with feverfew, which decreased by 1.9 migraines per month.

Not all studies have shown that feverfew is effective, that feverfew was effective for preventing migraine.

Side effects of feverfew may include abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and nervousness. People with allergies to chamomile, ragweed, or yarrow should not take feverfew. Feverfew may increase bleeding time, so it should not be taken by people with bleeding disorders or two to three weeks before or after surgery. The safety of feverfew in pregnant or nursing women or children has not been established.

 Feverfew may interact with "blood-thinning" medications, such as aspirin and warfarin (Coumadin) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). People taking these medications should consult a healthcare practitioner before taking feverfew.

2) 5-HTP (Hydroxytryptophan)

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) is a compound produced in the body from the amino acid tryptophan. It is used in the body to make the neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone melatonin.

5-HTP is also available in supplement form. It is made from the seeds of an African plant, calledGriffonia simplicifolia. Since supplements that affect levels of serotonin are used for migraines, 5-HTP has been explored as an alternative.

Some research indicates that 5-HTP may prevent migraines and reduce the frequency and severity of migraines, however large randomized controlled trials are needed. 5-HTP was found to be as effective as methysergide in reducing the severity and duration of migraines.

3) Magnesium:- Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in food such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains and in nutritional supplements.

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and is needed for normal muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, immune function, blood pressure, and for bone health.

Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of magnesium for migraine and have had promising results.

Other studies have found that magnesium reduces the severity and frequency of migraine.High dose of  Magnasium may cause diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and confusion. It can interact with certain medications, such as those for osteoporosis, high blood pressure (calcium channel blockers), as well as some antibiotics, muscle relaxants, and diuretics.

4) Butterbur

The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Extracts made from the herb have been used to treat migraines, stomach cramps, coughs, allergies, and asthma.

Several studies suggest that butterbur helps to prevent migraines. Side effects were mild and included mild digestive complaints, predominantly burping.Side effects of butterbur may include indigestion, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrha, or constipation. Pregnant or nursing women, children, or people with kidney or liver disease should not take butterbur. 

Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should not use butterbur.

The raw herb as well as teas, extracts, and capsules made from the raw herb should not be used because they contain substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys and may cause cancer.
It is possible to remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from butterbur products. The daily recommended dose cannot exceed one microgram per day.

MEDICATIONS FOR MIGRAINE OF UNCERTAIN UTILITY

Botulinum toxin injection (BT, Botox). Injections of this medication that paralyzes muscles and removes wrinkles have been used to treat migraine. The injections are made into the neck muscles, muscles in the temples, or forehead. Surprisingly, it seems to reduce headache frequency and also vomiting. The mechanism is unclear and perhaps completely due to placebo effect or some other factor (often wrinkles are treated at the same time). Most studies to date are "open label" design, meaning that a placebo effect could easily be present. As people usually develop antibodies to botulinum toxin, it seems likely the this treatment will not afford permanent relief. Botox is also very expensive and not FDA approved for headache treatment. However, it seems worth a try as a last resort.

Bromocriptine. This dopamine agonist  was reported effective in reducing the frequency of menstrual migraine attacks when given daily. This medication is not commonly used for this purpose, and in fact Not recommended.

Dopamine blockers: Haloperidol (Haldol), Prochlorperazine (Compazine), Domperidone, Chlorpromazine, Flunarizine, Metoclopramide have all been reported helpful for migraine (See Perotka article in reference list). These drugs would seem far more likely than many of the others above to produce significant side-effects. They are not used frequently. Recommended only in refractory situations.

Helicobacter Pylori eradication. It has been reported that eradication of this bacteria from the stomach will improve 20% of Migraine sufferers who test positive for. Whether this will be borne out is unclear.