What is a Migraine

Introduction

So as i was growing up i had a severe migraine, and the doctors told my parents;" Well, maybe he should were glasses " despite me having a 20/20 vision. The research about migraine is poor, so i did my own research mostly cause i was bored as f#. So here is my very own paper on cause and effect on something called " A really bad headache ".
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Etymology

1777 re-spelling (following French) of late 14th century Middle English megrim, from 13th century Old French migraigne, from Vulgar Latin pronunciation of Late Latin hemicrania ‎(“pain in one half of the head”), from Ancient Greek ἡμικρανία ‎(hēmikranía), from ἡμι- ‎(hēmi-, “hemi-, half”) + κρανίον ‎(kraníon, “skull”) (whence also cranium), from a literal translation of Egyptian gs-tp 'headache' although the link between the Egyptian magical papyri and the Greek "ἡμικρανία" could be purely incidental.

Wikipedia
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What is Migraine?

A migraine is usually a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head.
Many people also have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.
Migraine is a common health condition, affecting around one in every five women and around one in every 15 men. They usually begin in early adulthood.

What is migraine?
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There are several types of migraine, including:

- Migraine with aura – where there are specific warning signs just before the migraine begins, such as seeing flashing lights
- Migraine without aura – the most common type, where the migraine occurs without the specific warning signs
- Migraine aura without headache, also known as silent migraine – where an aura or other migraine symptoms are experienced, but a headache doesn't develop

NHS

Some people have migraines frequently, up to several times a week. Other people only have a migraine occasionally. It's possible for years to pass between migraine attacks.
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Causes of Migraine

The exact cause of migraines is unknown, but they're thought to be the result of abnormal brain activity temporarily affecting nerve signals, chemicals and blood vessels in the brain.
It's not clear what causes this change in brain activity, but it's possible that your genes make you more likely to experience migraines as a result of a specific trigger.

Migraine triggers
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Migraine triggers

Many possible migraine triggers have been suggested, including hormonal, emotional, physical, dietary, environmental and medicinal factors.
These triggers are very individual but it may help to keep a diary to see if you can identify a consistent trigger. It can also sometimes be difficult to tell if something is really a trigger or if what you're experiencing is an early symptom of a migraine attack.

- Hormonal changes

Some women experience migraines around the time of their period, possibly because of changes in the levels of hormones such as oestrogen around this time.
These type of migraines usually occur between two days before the start of your period to three days after. Some women only experience migraines around this time, which is known as pure menstrual migraine. However, most women experience them at other times too and this is called menstrual related migraine.

NHS
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Migraine Chemicals

Ive been researching for a while when it comes to the brain, ive been in a so called " deep focus shhhhhhhhhh ", i usually go in to a mode where i try to find causes to why and not "how". Our brain is unique, but i dont believe it to be that complex, i do believe however we think its "special".

I believe a migraine is a simple tool for our brain to learn as fast as possible, an enforced emotional trauma and the release of hormones by the amygdala.. Ill source it;

The pain of migraine occurs when excited brain cells trigger the trigeminal nerve to release chemicals that irritate and cause swelling of blood vessels on the surface of the brain. These swollen blood vessels send pain signals to the brainstem, an area of the brain that processes pain information.

Headaches.org
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Conclusion

Is migraine a curse of a gift? The pain is unbearable for those who never had a migraine attack, but i believe knowing what is happening is better, an overload in the sensetory processing.
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Source

NHS
Headaches.org
Psychological Trauma

a reply to: tikbalang

Something I've always wondered is that since ergotomine is used as a treatment, would it not be possible to use morning glory seeds or similar ergot alkaloid containing plants in place of the expensive medicine?

Miserable, that's what. I've only gotten about 4 of them in my life, but it's pretty unforgettable. Especially if you're in a really loud environment that's bucking around, like the back of a plane.

a reply to: underwerks

Antihistamine and be strict with the glutamate i believe.

a reply to: underwerks

Ergotamine doesn't work for everyone.

I had a doctor prescribe me some, and it didn't work on my migraine. But it did give me a bad drug trip. So I spent the night alternating between being awake and afraid I was going to forget how to breathe and die and in excrutiating pain and asleep with very vivid nightmares of vampires.

My husband did not care for that one. There is a note not to give me that.

By the way, people who have many migraines are experiencing chronic migraine. Very often, it is a pain feedback response developed in response to opiod painkillers. I know. I have it. As a result, I am very limited in the type and amount of painkillers, even Tylenol, I can now use without worrying I might provoke the feedback response to start.

Basically, the body creates the migraine response as a means of getting more painkiller. Then it creates a vicious cycle.

a reply to: ketsuko

Basically, the body creates the migraine response as a means of getting more painkiller. Then it creates a vicious cycle.

Well yes and no, its not the body.. Its the brain..

a reply to: Bedlam

So how did you and ya little reptile get into that fight?

a reply to: ketsuko

A VA Doctor prescribed me Succinate and it works great.

No buzz, no lethargy, no bad effects at all. Just relief that comes within ten minutes.

a reply to: tikbalang

Tomayto ... tomahto.

Brain is part of the body.

I'm over 40 and had these since I was in grade school starting with an abdominal migraine.

a reply to: ketsuko

Curious question; What do you eat during, lets say three days?

originally posted by: ezramullins
a reply to: ketsuko

A VA Doctor prescribed me Succinate and it works great.

No buzz, no lethargy, no bad effects at all. Just relief that comes within ten minutes.

I've been seeing a neurologist who specialized in them for about a decade now and mine are finally well under control, but I've had some very ugly years in there.

I take topamax daily for prevention and use zomig as needed with naproxen for migraine treatment.

I never spend a lot of time outside without wearing a hat and sunglasses and I avoid flashing lights like strobes among other trigger avoidance measures.

originally posted by: tikbalang
a reply to: ketsuko

Curious question; What do you eat during, lets say three days?

Depends.

Usually drink tea and water with maybe a glass of juice on an average day. I make sure I drink no less than the equivalent of 2x32 oz glasses of liquid. Topamax can lead to kidney stones, so when I started it, I made sure I also made a habit of staying extremely well hydrated.

Lunch is usually a warp with cream cheese, some kind of turkey, chicken or ham, some cheese, lettuce and an assortment of other veggies - this week was leftover bean sprouts, but it has been snap peas and peppers and other things like them or think shaved carrot too. I also have an apple or other kind of fruit and a thing of pudding.

Once a week, I treat myself to a Starbucks latte.

Twice a month, I will either get a Chipotle or a Pie Five or maybe hit my favorite little taco dive for lunch.

Twice a week, we have fish with veggies on the side (usually either Swai or Salmon). On Sunday, we cook a large entree in a large portion to last as leftovers all week. It could be a lot of different things, but it will be from scratch. We do lots of taco-style and authentic Mexican food. This past week it was homemade Thai springrolls. This week it will be bacon topped meatloaf.

So it's hard to really quantify for sure.

I know enough to know that I don't have any food triggers except alcohol and that only if I make the mistake of pushing myself to the point of hangover.

My migraines didn't start until after I had broken my neck. Well, compressed C-1 through C-5 and gave #5 a hairline fracture. So I was lucky to be walking, but, unlucky enough to have migraines ever since. My triggers are generally food and occasionally "other" (scents, atmospheric conditions, hormonal... possibly).

Now I'm also experiencing cluster headaches which are a blast in and of themselves. All the pain and intensity of a migraine, but for shorter durations. Yes. Plural. 30-45 minutes each, repeating up to 15 times a day for me.

Ergotamines worked great for me, but I noticed the combination of Verapamil and Wigraine did crazy things to my equilibrium. So I stopped taking both, and started using... Excedrin Migraine. Which works incredibly well for me. Usually within 45 minutes of taking, I'm backed off the ledge enough to not want to jump. --sniped-- Either way, I hope to GOD none of you ever have to experience the pain of a 6 day migraine. The seventh day, your body is in shambles, and you'd wish you were dope sick, or something equally horrendous. It is not pretty, and not fun.

Anyway. Migraines suck.

a reply to: RicketyCricket

I've been there, but then I was told you should never let yourself go that long because the altered blood flow increases your risk of strokes and longer you let that go on, the more at risk you become.

I was more than happy to hear I was justified to seek the ER rather than suffer on.

I have suffered from a severe form of Hemiplegic Migraine since I was 12.

This type of migraine is an exact mimic of a stroke and in fact when I do get one I have to attend the emergency department and be treated and monitored as a stroke patient.

This is the reason why I'm no longer a Police Officer. After almost 20 years of service I was pensioned off out of the force due to the effect the migraines had on my short term memory.

They really are devastating and nothing at all like just a severe headache.

The whole half of your face goes numb, your speech slurs and you can't talk or string a sentence together. The side of your face droops and you also get the familiar zig zag lines in your vision, so you can hardly see at all.

When I arrive at A&E, the staff who don't know me think I'm either on drink or drugs or just slow in the head. They start talking loud and slow like I'm a demented pensioner even though I've just turned 50.

After all of that, then comes the uncontrollable vomiting, which soon makes everyone rush away.

The only trigger I know for me, is lack of sleep.

The other problem is that it also has the exact same symptoms of a TIA, which causes many medical staff to scratch their heads, as many have never ever seen this type of migraine.

I and apparently many other migraineurs, have a PFO, (Patent Formal Ovale) or a hole in the heart.

We all have this hole at birth but in most people it closes up. But in my case and in the case of many migraine sufferers, the hole does not close and allows dirty blood to mix with fresh blood.

If you suffer from migraines you should have your heart checked out, as large holes can be closed.
Mine is large but they have chosen not to close mine due to the risk of stroke.

By the way. if you suffer from hemiplegic migraines YOU MUST NOT USE Sumatriptan(Immigran)or any other vasoconstrictors such as ergotomine IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM. IT CAN BE FATAL TO YOU.

Normal migraine can be treated in this way using an immigran injection pen, but with hemiplegic migraine it's very dangerous, even though I and other suffers have been prescribed it in the past, due to Doctors lack of education with this rare form.

If either of your parents had it and you have too, it's then called, Familial Hemiplegic Migraine, meaning it can and does run in families.

They also have something to do with calcium channel blockers but I wont go into all that stuff right now.

4 Ibuprofen works for me if taken at the very first sign. It takes away some of the pain.

a reply to: tikbalang

Let's see...my oldest suffered migraines for quite awhile.

I'm not sure what they are or what caused them or has caused them to take a hiatus.

At the time they were beginning she was met with hallucinations as well. I suppose the hallucinations began before the migraines. She would ball up and it was always one side of her head just above and around her ear was the pain center.

She had every test, I imagine, available and took many many drugs for both prevention, pain and the nausea that accompanied her migranes. So many pills which was a chore in and of itself because she refuses to take oral medication and is somewhat paranoid about things like germs and who made the meds where they came from who touched them and bottled them, etc. She refuses counseling of any type and that would have helped, I am sure. Getting her to the Doctor was/is a challenge.

She spent nearly a year almost comatose (from the illness and the medications) and before someone says something about 'Baker Acting', there is a law in my state for involuntary committal but, I work with folk who have spent time in the places that she would have been sent and that was not an option IMO. We just decided it wa0s better for her for us to stay awake together...

I am thrilled to say that she is now working two days a week and seems to be better although every time she tells me that her vision is 'wobbly' or she is not feeling well my stomach balls up and I am watchful for awhile. She did manage to graduate in May last year after having missed 70+ days of school, that was a battle...but, she made it through.

I do wonder, though as we eliminated different foods from her diet over the course of better than a year if there isn't some sort of rationale there. We will never know for sure what the exact triggers were, I think.

Thanks for the opportunity to ramble on and I think when she reads this (my kiddos hover over ATS at times) that it was respectful.

a reply to: tikbalang

Had them since I was 8. I was staying with a friend and they had fresh milk, like from the cow, cream on top. Drank that that morning and got my first migraine within the hour. Can't stand milk since.

They have settled down to a monthly pattern around my menstrual cycle, but they usually last 48 hours or so.

My husband can tell when I am about to get one before I do. I'm confused, drop things and I can't walk in a straight line.

I get flashes of light before and during; usually blue but sometimes red, yellow and white. Nausea, confusion, light sensitivity. The usual I guess.

a reply to: RicketyCricket

My migraines didn't start until after I had broken my neck. Well, compressed C-1 through C-5 and gave #5 a hairline fracture.

Did you have nerve damage?

a reply to: RicketyCricket

Either way, I hope to GOD none of you ever have to experience the pain of a 6 day migraine.

I have had headaches that have lasted for so long that when they go away, I have to adjust, because it feel almost unnatural not to feel a pain in my head.

I get what some like to call cluster headaches. They wake me up out of a sound sleep and feel like someone came in and hit me in the head with a baseball bat. I have been to specialist after specialist. My current neurologist is at a teaching hospital and we have done every test and tried about every medication available. Zomig will bring it down a notch or two, but when it is bad, nothing works. I just have to take Benadryl to knock myself out until I sleep it off.

I wish these headaches on no one.