Headaches are one of the most common health troubles. Usually, they go away by themselves or after taking a painkiller. Some headaches, however, can severely affect the daily lives of those inflicted. These are migraines. Here is some information to help get your head around this issue!
Headaches sometimes tell you about your lifestyle: your life is too hectic, you aren’t getting enough sleep, you have poor posture at work, or you’ve had too much alcohol to drink. Often, the headache is talking to you, and you answer by taking a painkiller which, most of the time, makes it go away without further ado. Yet for some, less fortunate people, this pain is a backdrop to their daily lives. In this case, we say they suffer from migraines.
It is important to distinguish between headaches, technically known as cephalalgia, and migraines. There are several types of headaches. We will start by describing the three most common: tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraine headaches.
Migraines affect about 7% of men and 18% of women, representing about 12% of the general population. They also affect children and adolescents in a proportion of 5 to 10%, but the problem is often under-diagnosed in their case. Migraine episodes usually begin in childhood or early adulthood, become increasingly rare after age 40, and often disappear after age 50.
Scientists are still not sure why some people get tension headaches, cluster headaches or migraines, while others never suffer from them. The intense headache of the migraine appears to be triggered by a series of reactions of the nervous system involving, among other things, the blood vessels, the neurotransmitters and inflammation.
There are a number of signs that may indicate an oncoming migraine. They usually appear a few hours or up to two days before the episode. They include:
About 20% of people who suffer from migraines experience a neurological phenomenon called aura. It lasts from 5 to 60 minutes and precedes the migraine. It can take different forms:
Triggers may be food or non-food related. Here are a few examples:
The first step in preventing migraines is to figure out what factors or situations trigger the episodes. A migraine diary will allow you to keep track of the circumstances surrounding each migraine episode (foods consumed, symptoms, psychological state, environmental conditions, etc.).
Then, some lifestyle changes may be required, by taking care to:
If you have a simple headache, an over-the-counter painkiller will most likely be sufficient to relieve the pain. However, if your headaches are intense, recurrent or accompanied by symptoms before, during or after, then you may be getting migraines. It is important to consult a doctor for a diagnosis.
If you suffer from migraines, over-the-counter painkillers may not be sufficient. If this is the case, your doctor will prescribe a more powerful medication, specifically designed for migraines (known as anti-migraine medication). If your migraines are overly frequent, your doctor may prescribe another, preventive medication, to be taken regularly every day in order to reduce the frequency and the intensity of your migraines.
Whatever medication you use to relieve your headaches or your migraines (painkillers, anti-migraine or preventive medication), your pharmacist can inform you of its benefits, directions for use, side-effects and risks of interactions with other medications you are taking. Make use of his or her expertise.
In short, a migraine is much more than a passing headache! If you are not sure exactly what type of pain you are suffering from, don’t rack your brains: consult your doctor for a diagnosis. Then, you can take the necessary steps to reduce the impact of migraines on your well-being and quality of life. By doing so, you may more often hear yourself say, “You know what, dear? Tonight, I don’t have a headache…”
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