Does your head ache when it’s too hot or too cold? Do you often feel dizzy at random times of the day? Do you feel like vomiting but nothing seems to come out of your mouth? If these scenarios look familiar to you, you may be suffering from migraine.
What is Migraine?
Migraine is a condition where pulsating headache is felt on one or both sides of the head. Almost 30 million Americans suffer from migraine, and it is more common in women than in men. Migraine differs from the common headache or what is known as tension headache because the former involves throbbing pain in the head that is very sharp and excruciating. You will be able to identify that the pain in your head is a migraine when you see wavy lines or bright spots of light before you feel the throbbing headache. For kids, however, symptoms may include vomiting and feeling sick to their stomachs.
Causes of Migraine
Migraine headaches can be a part of other illnesses in the body, such as flu, colds, or even strep throat. Thus, treating these conditions would also mean healing of your headaches. However, if you are suffering from a migraine without any other conditions, this may be due to other reasons, including the following:
- Continuous lack of sleep for nights
- Skipping meals frequently
- Exposure to too much heat
- Exposure to too much heat, and then getting inside a cold room or vehicle
- Smelling strong odors like smoke or perfume
- Too much anticipation, excitement, or worry about something that is yet to happen
- Experience of riding in cars or other vehicles
- Excessive watching of television, using the computer, or reading a book
For kids, there are some foods that could trigger migraine, like bologna, bacon, and hotdogs, although this has not yet been proven and cannot be generalized. The caffeine element of the sodas, coffee, chocolates, and tea may also trigger migraine for some adults.
Cure for Migraine
The immediate first aid for migraine is to get enough and proper sleep in a cool, quiet, and dark room where no one or nothing can disturb you. Place a cool and moist cloth on your forehead or eyes to guarantee peace and quiet. You may also take a pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce the ache. Make sure that you are eating a balanced diet. Minimize bad habits such as smoking and alcohol. And finally, reduce stress in your life that may be adding to the headache that you are feeling.
Migraines may signal something serious or more complicated condition in your body, so if you are experiencing extreme pain and in alarming frequency, it is advisable that you see your doctor immediately for it can be, though rarely, a sign of brain tumor or meningitis. You should see a doctor if your headaches are very painful, it does not cease after immediate first aid, your vision is impaired by it, the headache is caused by an injury that involved hitting of your head, your headaches come once a month or more, or when you feel tingling sensations.
As they say, prevention is always better than cure. To avoid the next occurrence of migraine, make sure that you live a healthy lifestyle and keep away from stressful situations.