What is a migraine?

Migraine headaches - prevention and mitigation

Migraine headache - severe, throbbing, pulsating, disintegrating head. The pain usually locates on one side of the head, near his temple, but it can also be bilateral.

Migraine lasts from keel hours to three days and is caused by interference between the nervous system and blood vessels in the brain.

This leads to sudden contraction and expansion of blood and then irritated nerves activate inflammatory compounds, and they get into the brain where pain receptors are activated.

Warning! With migraine headache is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, hyperalgesic to light, sounds, smells.

Pain when each of motion becomes stronger. Welcome relief lying in bed, in silence and in the dark.

Warning! The symptoms of migraine are not at all the same, every third patient approx. One hour before the pain has an aura, which is a neurological disorder and then are seen scotoma, flashes of bright spots, flickering zigzags or numb face or half the body has trouble with speech and dizziness.

A couple of days or hours before a migraine attack may occur so. prodromal symptoms:

• irritability, fatigue, neck stiffness, impaired concentration, abdominal pain.

The doctor diagnosed the disease on the basis of an interview and when symptoms are frequent attacks long or ambiguous aura symptoms, then it is recommended tomography or MRI to rule out other diseases.

In some cases it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist or otolaryngologist.

What causes migraine?

There are different factors:

• stress, chocolate, yellow, and blue-veined cheese, no meal, some drugs, too long or too short sleep, menstruation, strong odors, changes in the weather.

Treatment of migraine headache is mainly based on the interruption of the attacks, and those suffering from migraine should be under the supervision of a neurologist, who recommended analgesics, anti-inflammatory (eg., ibuprofen, diclofenac), ergotamine, anti-emetics, sedatives.

Warning! Medications should be when absorbed before you feel pain, eg. During auras.

If the headache is bothersome, then effective are the triptans (tablets under the tongue or nasal spray, acting after 10-15 minutes).

At the annoying pain of migraine can be a preventive treatment. Take antiepileptics, anti-depressants, beta-blockers. Some people can help channel blocked nerve injections of anesthetics.

They must be taken from a few to several 2-3 times a week. After such treatment of migraine headaches usually subside or cease to exist for years.

Prevention of migraine headache step by step

1. You need to go to bed about the same time and can not be zarywać night. At the weekend not to renew sleep, only to wake up at the same time every week.

2. Remember! Stimulants contribute to migraine and even a glass of wine (it has to be especially avoided) may be the reason for the attack, like smoking or even being in a smoky room.

3. The movement causes the production of endorphins (happy hormones) that improve mood, reduce pain. You must select a moderate forms of physical activity (be it swimming, Nordic walking).

4. You need to avoid mass events, and does not come into contact with bright, flickering light, because it can trigger a migraine attack. Those who long work with the computer should take frequent breaks.

How do you help with a migraine attack?

During a migraine attack you need to gently press her temples in a circular motion, a place above the eyebrows, and move fingers to the middle of the forehead.

You can also constrict the space of a few minutes between forefinger and thumb. Between attacks should enjoy professional massages, neck and back.

During the attack (or before) when there are nausea and vomiting, you should drink a decoction prepared from fresh ginger or suck his slice.

Warning! Teaspoon powdered ginger root can also relieve pain onset of the attack, because ginger blocks the action of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation of blood vessels in the brain.