Migraine headaches are one of the most common problems seen in doctors’ offices and emergency departments. Of the two types of migraines, common migraine accounts for about 80% of migraines. However, the classic migraines are usually the severer of the two. Yet another type of migraine headaches is Status Migrainosus, where the migraine does not go away by itself.
The body chemical serotonin is believed to be the primary cause of migraine headaches. Serotonin plays many roles in the body, and it affects the blood vessels. High levels of serotonin shrink blood vessels, while a fall in levels swells them. Although considerable research has already been done on migraines, the exact cause of migraines remains a mystery. Some experts believe that migraine headaches could be because of an expansion of blood vessels that results in the release of certain chemicals in the body.
Migraine headaches are not limited to adults alone. Children can also have stresses leading to headaches. Experts are of the opinion that migraine headaches that are associated with nausea and vomiting often begin in childhood, and the frequency increases as children pass through puberty. Usually, girls are the ones who are affected the most during their adolescent years. The pain during a migraine headache can be intense and can prevent people, particularly women, from living their daily life. However, the intensity of the headache varies from person to person.
Certain foods items and lifestyle factors, like stress, trigger migraine headaches. Therefore, it is advisable that individuals with migraine problems should try to limit or completely avoid certain foods and stressful lifestyles. For avoiding stress, you can seek the advice of your doctor on starting a program on relaxation skills. You can start eating a healthy diet and use prescribed medicines, although there were instances where excessive dependence on medicines were observed to cause a condition called ‘rebound headaches.’ It is advisable for children to start learning relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing, early on so that they are able to cope with migraines as they grow up. Children should not be given over-the-counter painkillers like aspirin since it increase their risk of Reye’s Syndrome, a problem in children that causes fever, nausea and severe vomiting, amongst other health problems.
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