Migraine headaches affect about 15 percent of the population. Although men can actually suffer from migraines, it is the women that are more affected. Experts believe that a migraine is hereditary as researches have revealed more than 80 percent of people suffering from it have a family history of the problem.
Migraine headaches may not seem so serious but without proper care and proper diagnosis, those headaches may develop into something more. It is recurrent and may be a manifestation of an underlying problem in the brain that can be really dangerous.
Causes of migraine
The changes in the size of the blood vessels in the brain and in the head area will cause Migraine. These changes may be due to some inflammation or constriction that prevents the blood from flowing properly.
Unlike the common type of a headache, which only lasts for about a few hours, migraine headaches can last from four hours to as much as three days. It is more severe and more frequent than your ordinary type of headaches. A migraine headache however only affect a certain area on the head, often the side area or the temples, unlike the common type that encompasses the whole head including the neck.
People suffering from migraine headaches may also experience a hallucination called the aura. Auras are visual perceptions that are presented as a zigzagging light or a bright spot. People often see these visual disturbances immediately before their migraine attack.
Treating migraine
Prevention is still the number one treatment for migraine. The best way is to make sure that one avoids the factors that may trigger the attack.
One of those factors is stress. By learning to relax a bit and do some stress management, one can prevent migraine headaches from recurring. Try to spread your workload to a degree, which you can manage. Rest for a while when you feel that you are getting tired. Another great way is to deal with the attack head-on.
Relieve the pain in the head by keeping warm and avoiding extreme temperatures. If the problem is the position of the head when you are sleeping, buy a different pillow. Choose a fluffier one that will cushion your head better. You can also experiment with a different sleeping position.
You can also rub your temples and massage the area that is painful. Try to close your eyes for a while and let it rest especially when you have been staring at the computer screen for a long time.
