Transcript Migraine
Presentation by: Leshawnda Willingham & Gloria Melchor Presented for Dr. Ryan Bellacov, chiropractor in West Linn, OR What is a migraine? A migraine is a severe, painful headache that is often preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, or vomiting. Migraine headaches result from a combination of blood vessel enlargement and the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around these blood vessels. Presented for Dr. Ryan Bellacov, chiropractor in West Linn, OR Head pain can be felt in many different locations, such as one or both sides of the head, the back of the neck, the face, the eyes, or the sinuses. These are different types of headaches that are very common among adults. Migraines are different With a migraine, there is a throbbing pain on one side of the head (sometimes on both sides). You may feel like throwing up, and you may even do it! A lot of the times you may feel like you can't stand noises or smells or lights. You can also experience blurred vision or see little white sparkly dots in front of your eyes before the pain starts. Presented for Dr. Ryan Lambert-Bellacov, chiropractor in West Linn, OR Triggers and Causes A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, certain foods, environmental factors, or something else. However, the exact chain of events remains unclear. A lot of people get migraines -- about 11 out of 100. The headaches tend to first appear between the ages of 10 and 46. Occasionally, migraines may occur later in life in a person with no history of such headaches. Migraines occur more often in women than men, and may run in families. Some people who get migraines have warning symptoms, called an aura, before the actual headache begins. An aura is a group of symptoms, usually vision disturbances, that serve as a warning sign that a bad headache is coming. Presented for Dr. Ryan Lambert-Bellacov, chiropractor in West Linn, OR How is migraine diagnosed Physicians will look at family medical history and check the patient for the symptoms described The International Headache Society recommends the "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 criteria" to diagnose migraines without aura. This stands for: Presented for Dr. Ryan Lambert-Bellacov, chiropractor in West Linn, OR 5 or more attacks 4 hours to 3 days in duration At least 2 of unilateral location, pulsating quality, moderate to severe pain, aggravation by or avoidance of routine physical activity At least 1 additional symptom such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to sound. Is there a cure for migraines? There is no specific cure for migraine headaches. The goal is to prevent symptoms by avoiding or changing your triggers. A good way to identify triggers is to keep a headache diary. Write down: When your headaches occur How severe they are and what you eat. Keep in mind that a good balanced and healthy food diet lessens the possibility of the migraine attack. Keep track of your headaches Eat healthy Medication Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, excedrin, etc, are effective against many types of migraines. But avoid taking these drugs continuously, as this can result in medication overuse. For frequent migraines, talk to your doctor about prescription medications that help prevent them.