Migraine: Just Another Headache, Or Not?-00-6174

By Author: Pat Patrickson
Total Articles: 4351
Comment this article

To those not afflicted with the condition. a migraine may seem like any other headache. However, migraine sufferers live in a very different world, which seems like hell more often than not.

Migraines are much more complex than normal headaches. There are a number of reactions that take place simultaneously when a migraine occurs, including constriction of the arteries in the brain. The exact combination and the severity of the attack may differ from one person to the next.

To make things worse, there are a number of different types of migraines. Besides the classic migraine with its aura, and the common migraine which lacks one, there are a number of other less common types of migraine attacks, some of which are even worse.

Some types occur while you are sleeping, causing you to wake up in pain. There is no warning, and no time to minimize the effect. Another type may hit at any time you exert yourself physically. Yet another type, the abdominal migraine, usually occurs in children. While all the other symptoms are present, there is no headache, which usually causes it to be confused with an upset stomach.

On ...
... the other hand, some conditions are mistakenly referred to as migraines. One such example is the cluster headache. Although it is severe, and has some symptoms similar to that of a migraine, it is actually just a headache. Since a migraine consists of a number of components, of which the headache is just one, the cluster headache does not qualify as a migraine.

Migraines are usually brought on by a combination of contributing factors. These could include stress, various types of food, a lack of sleep, and even a normal headache. In order to reduce or eliminate migraines from your life, it is necessary to identify all these triggers, and eliminate them one by one.

The easiest way to do this is by starting a migraine diary. Keep track of what you consume, what your routine is, and what your mood is. You will eventually start seeing patterns emerging from the information you have collected. Once you can identify the patterns, or link the migraines to specific foods, habits or circumstances, you can start working on eliminating those triggers.

About the Author:

For more detailed information on http://dealingwithmigraine.blogspot.com/, please visit us at the website "Dealing with Migraine
Also visit MOWSPACE to read more about http://getico.co.za