Introduction-

According to the best neurologist in Udaipur, a migraine is like a headache, but worse. These can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.

Causes-

Many causes can trigger a migraine, some of these causes are because of our everyday activities. Listed below are some major reasons that may cause migraines.

• Hormonal changes in women- 
  • Fluctuations in estrogen, such as before or during menstrual periods, pregnancy, and menopause, seem to trigger headaches in many women.
    Hormonal medications, such as oral contraceptives, also can worsen migraines. Some women, however, find that their migraines occur less often when taking these medications.
• Drinks-
  • These include alcohol, especially wine, and too much caffeine, such as coffee.
• Stress- 
  • Stress at work or home can cause migraines.
• Sensory stimuli- 
  • Bright or flashing lights can induce migraines, as can loud sounds. Strong smells — such as perfume, paint thinner, secondhand smoke, and others — trigger migraines in some people.
• Sleep changes-
  • Missing sleep or getting too much sleep can trigger migraines in some people.
• Physical factors-
  • Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, might provoke migraines.
• Weather changes-
  • A change of weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine.
• Medications-
  • Oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin, can aggravate migraines.
• Foods-
  • Aged cheeses and salty and processed foods might trigger migraines. So might skipping meals.
• Food additives-
  • These include the sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in many foods.

Signs and Symptoms-

Migraines, which people of any age can experience, function in four stages: prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome. Although not every person will go through all the stages of migraine with this particular disorder, those who do may suffer from pain as well as sensitivity to loud noises and bright lights.

Prodrome:

One or two days before a migraine, you might experience the common side-effects of headaches, including:

• Constipation
• Mood changes, from depression to euphoria
• Food cravings
• Neck stiffness
• Increased urination
• Fluid retention
• Frequent yawning

Aura:

Aura is a word used to describe a set of neurological symptoms that can happen before or during a migraine. Auras are usually visual but can also include other disturbances such as hearing and having sensory problems that may occur on one side of the body.

Examples of migraine auras include:

• Visual phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots, or flashes of light
• Vision loss
• Pins and needles sensations in an arm or leg
• Weakness or numbness in the face or one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking

Attack:

When left untreated, migraines can last anywhere from 4 hours to 72 hours and this length of time depends on the severity and frequency of migraines. How often one experiences a migraine is different for each individual; some people experience migraines several times a month while others experience them only once or twice a year.

During a migraine, you might have:

• The pain is usually on one side of your head, but often on both sides
• Pain that throbs or pulses
• Sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell and touch
• Nausea and vomiting

Post-drome:

After a migraine attack, you might feel drained, strange and in need of a warm blanket because that big headache you’re having isn’t fun at all (and it probably leaves making incredibly difficult decisions). Others will report experiencing strange thoughts. Either way, trying to move around too much might bring back the pain temporarily, so everyone’s always looking for ways to avoid the headache’s return.

Must Remember:

A sudden severe headache can mean a lot of different things depending on the individual, but it is always advised that one takes action straight away. Call your doctor or go to an urgent care center if you experience any of the following signs and symptoms which could indicate a more serious medical concern:

• An abrupt, severe headache like a thunderclap
• Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizures, double vision, numbness, or weakness in any part of the body, which could be a sign of a stroke
• Headache after a head injury
• A chronic headache that is worse after coughing, exertion, straining, or a sudden movement
• New headache pain after age 50

Solution-

If you have frequent migraines or headaches – if they are not just a one-off thing – and you’re experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms, it’s a good idea to visit a migraine & headache specialist as soon as possible. Usually, certain medications can help prevent headaches from occurring or make those headaches less severe. However, the right medications also need some fundamental changes in habits too! The togetherness of medications and self-help together with lifestyle changes work quite well to vanquish your pain.