Do You Have Migraine?

Rebecca Lewis March 15, 2013

We all suffer from headache at times, and it has many causes – stress being one of the most common. But migraine is a different thing. Health experts consider it a ‘disorder’ that has debilitating consequences, including impairment in speech and vision.

What is Migraine?

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder that often resembles headache but at a greater degree. Usually, the pain is felt at only one part of the head and is generally aggravated by physical activity. People with migraine normally experience some other symptoms, including nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, and vomiting. When not given immediate medical attention, this painful condition can last four hours, even days.

Globally, the estimated prevalence of headaches in adults is 47%. In fact, migraine is among the top 20 causes of disability by The World Health Report which was conducted by the World Health Organisation in 2001. The WHO also classifies migraine as one of the most debilitating illnesses, comparable to quadriplegia, dementia and active psychosis. Other than the physical symptoms, migraine imposes personal suffering, impaired quality of life, and increased financial cost.

2 Types of Migraine

Migraine comes in two types – migraine without aura and migraine with aura. The first one is the most common, accounting for around 70% of all cases. This migraine is characterised by recurring headache, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise. The second type of migraine, which is the less common one, is associated with neurological disturbances such as visual and speech impairment. People with this condition normally see visual auras which may appear like shimmering lights around the object or at the edges of a person’s field of vision. They may even experience a temporary loss of eyesight. Sufferers may also experience muscular changes shortly before or during migraine.

Migraine also causes substantial economic burden. In the study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it was revealed that the overall spending on migraines is $721 million (almost £500m) per year, mostly due to reduced occupational effectiveness and productivity at work. Add the cost of medical treatments provided to patients.

Scientists are still searching for the real cause of migraine, but a growing body of research links it to genetics. Nevertheless, there are plenty of risk factors associated with the onset of migraine. They include hormonal imbalance, stress, fatigue, and sensitivity to certain foods and smell.

Dear Readers,

What natural therapies can you suggest to treat and reduce the likelihood of migraine?

Share your comment below.

Source of this article:

Explainer: what are migraines?