Migraine affects up to 15% of the UK population and around two thirds of sufferers are women. An attack can last from 4 hours to 72 hours, although sufferers may feel drained for a couple of days after that. A migraine sufferer can experience an average of 13 attacks a year, but this can vary from person to person, sufferers are completely symptom-free between attacks.
Migraine without aura (common migraine).
An intense, throbbing headache, often only on one side of the head accompanied by 2 or more of the following symptoms:
nausea and / or vomiting
photophobia (increased sensitivity to light)
phonophobia (increased sensitivity to sound)
osmophobia (increased sensitivity to smell)
The pain is made worse by movement, and sufferers want to rest and keep still, preferably in a quiet, darkened room.
Migraine with aura (classical migraine)
In addition to the above, around 10% of sufferers also experience aura symptoms: neurological disturbances, lasting between 15 minutes and one hour before the commencement of the headache. Typically these disturbances are visual such as blind spots, flashing lights, or zigzag patterns in the vision, but can also include tingling, pins and needles or numbness in the limbs on the affected side or problems with co-ordination and articulation.
Some people experience the aura only, without the development of other symptoms or with only a mild headache.
Abdominal migraine
Often occurring in children, this form of migraine is characterised by recurrent, episodic attacks of abdominal pain lasting for several hours. The pain may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting and / or aura symptoms, but no, or very mild, headache. Often this evolves to the more common migraine pattern when the child reaches adolescence.
Click here for more information about migraine in children.
Hormonal migraine
Migraine in women can often be linked to hormone changes. Many women say they experienced their first migraine in the same year as their first menstrual period. Most female sufferers are more susceptible to an attack around the time of their period but true menstrual migraine is defined as occurring within two days either side of the first day of a monthly period and at no other time. Hormonal factors are one of many triggers for migraine and attacks may be prevented if other triggers are avoided around the time of their period.
Click here for information on migraine and hormones..
If you have two or more of the following symptoms during an attack it is probable that you are suffering from migraine:
Intense throbbing headache, often on one side of the head only
Visual disturbances (blind spots, distorted vision, flashing lights or zigzag patterns) - these symptoms are often called aura
Nausea and/or vomiting and/or diarrhoea
Increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Increased sensitivity to sounds (phonophobia)
Increased sensitivity to smells (osmophobia)
You may also experience other neurological symptoms (also known as aura), including:
stiffness of the neck and shoulders
tingling or stiffness in the limbs
an inability to concentrate
difficulty in speaking
paralysis or loss of consciousness (in very rare cases)
A general rule of thumb is that if a headache and/or other associated symptoms prevent you from continuing with normal daily activities it could be a migraine.
Migraine is believed to be caused by the release of a chemical called serotonin or 5HT into the bloodstream from its storage sites in the body, resulting in changes in the neurotransmitters and blood vessels in the brain. Exactly what causes this to happen is still a subject for research and debate. However certain factors have been identified which can trigger attacks in susceptible people:
Anger
Worry
Tension
Excitement
Shock
Depression
The end of a stressful time or busy time
Over-exertion / tiredness (both physical and mental)
Change in sleep patterns (e.g. a lie-in at the weekend, shift work)
Bending or stooping (e.g. gardening, housework)
Changes in routine (e.g. a new job, going on holiday, a day off work)
Travelling
Tension in the neck and/or shoulders
Lack of food or infrequent meals (fasting or dieting)
Foods containing monosodium glutamate, caffeine and tyramine
Certain specific foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, cheese.
Alcohol, especially red wine
Aspartame - an artificial sweetener
Additives in food
Dehydration
Bright light (e.g. supermarket lights, car headlamps)
Flickering or flashing lights (e.g. televisions, computer screens)
Loud noise, particularly with a high pitch)
Intense or penetrating smells
Change of climate or weather (e.g. humidity, cold winds)
Smoking
A stuffy atmosphere (e.g. central heating)
Menstruation and the pre-menstrual period
Puberty
Menopause
Taking the contraceptive pill
Hormone replacement therapy
Pregnancy - although 75% of mothers-to-be find their migraines cease in the later stages of pregnancy
Use of sleeping tablets
High blood pressure
Toothache or other dental problems (e.g. teeth grinding)
Eye strain
Congested nose / sinus problems
Anything that causes pain or discomfort to the face, neck or head - even wearing an unaccustomed hat
Migraine triggers are numerous and varied and occur in combinations peculiar to each individual.
For most people there is not just one trigger but a combination of factors which individually can be tolerated but when several occur together or accumulate a threshold is passed and an attack is triggered. For more information about migraines, please visit http://www.migraine.org.uk/
A health screening from BioTech Healing can identify issues which are increasing the severity of migraine attacks & symptoms. A specially tailored treatment plan can then be developed uniquely for you based on the screening results along with appropriate supplements and homeopathic remedies. Screenings often show a deficiency in magnesium & Vitamin B2 (the practitioner will advise on how much to take but it is recommended 500mg & 400mg daily respectively) We have also had great success in Co-enzyme Q10 (for details of an open study investigating the effects on patients with migraine, click here) Ginger has also shown to help prevent attacks & also reduces nausea associated with migraines. BioTech Healing also recommend, where we feel it appropriate, chiropractic treatment. The chiropractor we work closely with is Dr Lindsay Beardsworth DC (click here) who is able to diagnose, treat and prevent mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Migraines can often be associated with problems in the neck vertebrae.