What are migraines?
A migraine isn't just a bad headache. A migraine is a particular kind of bad headache. The pain can be on one or both sides of your head. You may feel sick to your stomach, throw up, and be extra sensitive to light, sounds, and smells.
Migraines usually last between 4 hours and several days
Migraines come and go and may happen only once in a while or many times a month
Migraines often start during puberty or when you’re a young adult, and they happen less when you’re over 50
Migraines are more common in women
You may be able to figure out things that trigger your migraines (such as red wine) and avoid them
Doctors can’t cure migraines, but they’ll give you medicine to lessen symptoms
What causes migraines?
You get a migraine when nerve cells and blood vessels in your brain are stimulated and disturbed. Doctors aren't sure why this happens to some people and not others. However, migraines do seem to run in families. So if you have family members who get migraines, you're more likely to get them.
What triggers migraines?
For people who get migraines, certain things can trigger them:
High levels of the female hormone estrogen—which occurs especially during puberty, before, during, and after a woman’s period, after childbirth, at the beginning of menopause, or when taking birth control pills (which contain estrogen)
Too much stimulation of your senses, such as flashing lights or strong smells
Stress
Too little sleep
Changes in the weather
Red wine
Hunger, especially from skipping meals
What are the symptoms of migraines?
You have pain in your head. Often the pain is pounding or throbbing and only on one side. But the pain can also be steady or on both sides. You'll also have other symptoms like:
The headache gets worse with moving around, bright light, loud noises, and strong smells
Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
Having trouble concentrating
Migraines aren't dangerous. However, migraines are very unpleasant. Most people can't do their normal activities during a migraine. Many people have to lie down in a dark room until the migraine goes away.
Warning symptoms of migraine
You may have some early symptoms before you get a headache:
Feeling less hungry than usual
Feeling sick to your stomach
Changes in mood
About 1 in 4 people with migraine have changes to their sight, speech, or movements just before the headache begins. This is called an aura. Some people get the aura but no headache, or only a mild headache. Symptoms of aura can include:
Seeing flashing lights or a blind spot with flickering edges (the most common aura)
Tingling feelings that travel up one arm
Loss of balance
Weakness in an arm or leg
Trouble talking
How can doctors tell if I have migraines?
Doctors can tell based on your symptoms and an exam.
When you first start having migraines, doctors may do other tests, such as an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of your head, to see if another problem is causing your headaches.
Once doctors know you have migraines, they do tests only if a headache is different than your usual migraine. A different kind of headache can mean you have a different problem.
How do doctors treat migraines?
If you have a mild to moderate migraine, doctors will have you take:
Medicines that relieve nausea, which can help both the nausea and headache
Doctors may tell you to lie down in a dark, quiet room and try to sleep. Migraines often go away during sleep.
If you have a severe migraine doctors may give you:
Medicines called triptans, which work best when given right away
Medicines for your nausea given through a vein (some medicines relieve both nausea and the headache)
Fluids through a vein if you're dehydrated (don't have enough water in your body) from throwing up
If you get frequent migraines, doctors may have you keep a headache diary to write down when you have a migraine, what caused it, and your treatment, so you can look for patterns.
How can I prevent migraines?
Doctors may give you medicine to prevent migraines if you have:
Migraines that come very often and aren't helped by other pain medicine
Very severe migraines that keep you from your daily activities
Other things that may help:
Activities to help you relax and lower stress
Avoiding things that cause your migraines
