A migraine is more than a headache. A never-ending severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head, is what a migraine is. It often accompanies nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines may last for hours to days, and the pain may be severe enough to interfere with your daily activities.
Migraine headaches are not the same as tension headaches. Everyone somehow occasionally experiences tension headaches. You might need treatment to keep your headaches from becoming severe if you get migraines.
If you want a grip on your migraine headache, you can buy Sumatriptan online quickly and conveniently. Feel free to consult your GP to diagnose your migraines and guide you toward potentially helpful therapies.
Symptoms of a Migraine
The primary symptom of a migraine is an intense headache on one side of your head. The pain is typically a moderate or severe throbbing sensation that worsens when you move and prevents you from carrying out everyday activities. The migraine symptoms often last between four hours to three days, although you may feel exhausted for up to a week afterwards.
Sometimes, the pain may occur on both sides of your head and affect your face or neck. The other symptoms commonly associated with migraine include:
- Being sick
- Feeling sick
- Increased sensitivity to light and sound
- Sweating
- Poor concentration
- Feeling very hot or very cold
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea
Not everyone with migraine experiences these additional symptoms; some people may experience them without a headache.
Signs you may have Migraine
- Prodrome
The pre-headache stage is known as the prodromal stage. Your headache might be a migraine if you experience changes in mood, energy levels, behaviour and appetite that occur several hours or days before an attack.
A day or two before a migraine, you might notice subtle changes that warn of an upcoming migraine, including:
- Frequent yawning
- Constipation
- Mood changes, from depression to euphoria
- Food cravings
- Neck stiffness
- Increased urination
- Fluid retention
- Pre-headache Aura
The visual or auditory disturbances you might experience before a migraine attack are called an aura. If left untreated, migraines may last from 4-72 hours, leaving you feeling weak, exhausted, and possibly even mentally confused.
Sometimes, the aura may occur before or during migraines. Auras are actually reversible symptoms of the nervous system. They are usually visual but may also accompany other disturbances. Each sign usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes and may last up to sixty minutes.
Almost one in three people with migraines experience temporary warning symptoms, known as aura, before a migraine:
- Visual problems, like seeing flashing lights, zigzag patterns or blind spots
- Pins and needles, tingling sensation, or numbness, which usually starts in your hand and travels up the arm before affecting your face, lips and tongue
- Feeling dizzy/off balance
- Loss of consciousness
- Difficulty speaking
Aura symptoms typically develop for about five minutes and last up to an hour.
- Sensitivity to light, smell, sound, or touch
Headaches characterise a regular or intermittent aching or throbbing pain; migraines may add a different range of symptoms. The pain may be on one or both sides of the head with a migraine. You will likely experience increased sensitivity to light, smell, sound, or touch. This is why many people with migraine want to rest in a quiet, dark room.
- Nausea or vomiting
In addition to a pulsating or throbbing pain on one side of the head and increased sensitivity to stimuli, you may experience feeling sick, nausea or episodes of vomiting when a migraine comes on. During a migraine, you may feel weakness or numbness on one side of your body.
- A family history
Specific medications and a family history of migraines may also increase your chances of suffering from migraine headaches. If your relatives suffer from migraines, getting checked out for the same condition might be a good idea, especially if you struggle with recurring headaches.
Pre-existing risk factors
Some people are at a heightened risk of suffering migraines than others. Your headache may be a migraine if you:
- Are a woman, as women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men
- Experience hormone imbalances or irregularities
- Are often dehydrated or do not get enough nutrition
- Consume excessive quantities of alcohol or caffeine
- Have suffered a traumatic brain injury
When to see a doctor
Migraines are usually undiagnosed and untreated. If you have regular signs and symptoms of migraine, keep a record of your migraine attacks and how you treat them. Take an appointment with your GP to discuss your headaches. Even if you have a history of headaches, see your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different.
See your doctor immediately if you experience:
- A severe or abrupt headache like a thunderclap
- Headache with confusion, seizures, fever, stiff neck, double vision, numbness or weakness in any part of your body, which may be a sign of a stroke
- A chronic headache that is worse after exertion, coughing, straining or a sudden movement
- Headache after a head injury
- New headache pain after age 50
Conclusion
Migraines occur rarely or may strike several times a month. After a migraine attack, you might feel confused, drained, and washed out for up to a day. Some people report feeling elated. The sudden head movement might bring on the pain again briefly.
How often you have migraine varies from person to person. If you think your chronic headaches are migraines, reach out for a doctor’s opinion. You may find that you can effectively treat your condition once you have the proper diagnosis.
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