Understanding Migraine and Its Effects on Brain Health

Written by Medicover Team and Medically Reviewed by Dr Krishna Haskar Dhanyamraju , Neurologists

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1. Causes 2. Find a Doctor 3. Diagnosis 4. Treatment 5. FAQs

A migraine is a type of headache that is usually quite intense and comes with various symptoms. It's mostly described by throbbing or pulsating pain, often on one side of the head. Migraines can last anywhere from a few hours to even several days, and they can really affect the individual's ability to do daily activities. They are often triggered by things like specific foods, stress, hormonal changes, or even a lack of sleep.

What are the Types of Migraines?

There are different types of migraine headaches, each with its own symptoms and characteristics. Here are the main ones:

Migraine without Aura: This is the most common type, where you experience intense headache pain, often on one side of the head, but there are no visual or sensory disturbances before the headache starts.
Migraine with Aura: In this type, people experience visual disturbances, like flashing lights or blind spots, or sensory symptoms like tingling in the limbs before the headache kicks in. These auras usually last for a few minutes.
Chronic Migraine: When someone suffers from migraines 15 or more days in a month for at least three months, it's considered chronic migraine. The headaches may not be as intense but occur more often.
Hemiplegic Migraine: This rare type comes with temporary paralysis or weakness on one side of the body during the migraine. It can sometimes be confused with a stroke due to the similar symptoms.
Retinal Migraine: In this type, you experience temporary vision loss or disturbances in one eye, along with a headache. It's different from the usual migraine because it affects only one eye.
Menstrual Migraine: These migraines typically occur around the time of your period and are believed to be linked to hormonal changes.
Vestibular Migraine: In this type, the main symptom is vertigo or dizziness, rather than the usual headache. You may also feel nauseous and experience balance problems.

What are the Symptoms of Migraine?

Migraines are severe headaches accompanied by various symptoms that often interfere with a person's daily activities. They often have stages, including the pre-headache (prodrome), the headache itself, and the postdrome. Identifying migraine symptoms is important in managing the condition and knowing when to seek medical help.

Migraine symptoms include:

Headache: Pulsating or throbbing pain, often on one side of the head, with varying severity.
Sensitivity: Discomfort due to light, sound, or strong smells.
Nausea and Vomiting: Feeling sick or throwing up during an attack.
Aura (in some cases): Vision issues like flashing lights, zig-zag patterns, or blind spots; tingling or numbness may also occur.
Fatigue or Weakness: A sense of tiredness before, during, or after the migraine.
Mood Swings: Irritability, sadness, or even happiness may appear in the early stages.
Concentration Problems: Difficulty in focusing or thinking clearly.

What are the Main Causes of Migraine?

Migraine is a very complex condition and can be triggered by many different things. Although the exact cause is not completely understood, they are believed to result from a combination of genetic, environmental and neurological factors. Being aware of these can assist in migraine management or prevention. Main migraine causes include:

Genetics: If migraines are in the genes, it is more likely that one will get them.
Hormonal Changes in Women: Hormonal differences are also the reason for Migraine, this type of migraine is mostly seen in women during the menstrual period and Pregnancy.
Stress: This is a common trigger, both emotional and physical.
Food and Drink: Alcohol, caffeine, processed foods or even forgetting a meal may trigger a migraine.
Sleep Problems: If you either don't get enough sleep or get too much of it, that will also disturb your sleeping cycles and can then trigger a migraine.
Environment: Bright lights, loud noises or strong odors can be triggered.
Weather Changes: Sudden changes in temperature, humidity, or air pressure can trigger migraines.
Nerve Signals: Deviation from normal activity of the brain and abnormal chemical changes in it are also associated with migraines.

When Should You See a Doctor for Migraine?

Medical evaluation by a neurologist is recommended if migraines become frequent, severe, or interfere with your daily activities. You may also be treated by a primary care physician for initial assessment and ongoing management. Early diagnosis can help identify triggers, prevent complications, and improve symptom control.

Frequent or severe headaches
Headaches that disrupt daily activities or sleep
Unusual symptoms such as vision loss, weakness, or confusion
No improvement despite using prescribed or over-the-counter medications
New, sudden, or changing headache patterns

Timely medical care helps reduce migraine attacks, improve quality of life, and prevent complications.

Find Neurologists for Migraine Treatment Near You

What are the Diagnosis of Migraine?

The diagnosis of migraine is made from a complete review of the patient's medical history, symptoms, and through physical examination. There's no test that can confirm a migraine, so doctors depend on what they see and may perform tests to exclude other conditions. Here are the steps involved in the diagnosis of migraine:

Medical History

The physician will ask about the kind, frequency, and duration of headaches, as well as other symptoms such as nausea, light or sound sensitivity, and aura. A family history of migraines is taken into account as well.

Symptom Check

Symptoms are compared with the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) factors, such as headache duration (4-72 hours), throbbing pain, and worsening with collagenopathy or medical conditions (e.g., “eye traumas” [≤10 days]).

Physical and Neurological Examination:

An extensive examination is performed to eliminate any other sources of headache, such as sinus disorders, infections or neurological problems.

Imaging Tests (if required)

Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI): To check abnormalities in the brain.
CT Scan (Computed Tomography): To exclude serious conditions such as tumours or bleeding in the brain.

Identifying Triggers:

Patients may be advised to maintain a headache diary in which they record triggers, patterns and their responses to treatments.

What is the Treatment for Migraine?

Migraines tend to be treated with a combination of medicine and lifestyle changes. Medications serve to relieve symptoms during an attack and can help prevent future episodes. Making lifestyle alterations can lessen the duration and severity of migraines. Migraine treatment options include:

Acute medications: Taken to relieve symptoms during a migraine attack. Pain relievers (ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol), or if you have migraines, triptans (e.g., sumatriptan).
Preventive medications: Medications that can prevent the onset of migraines and minimize their severity. There are beta-blockers (propranolol), antidepressants ( amitriptyline), anticonvulsants (topiramate) and CGRP inhibitors (erenumab).
Lifestyle alterations: Recognizing and steering clear of triggers such as specific foods, stress or disrupted sleep cycles can aid. Regular exercise, drinking plenty of water and keeping to a sleep schedule are also helpful.
Complementary therapies: Therapies such as acupuncture, biofeedback and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can also be helpful for some.
Other treatments: For chronic migraines, Botox injections or nerve blocks may be included in a more advanced treatment plan.

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What are the Risk Factors for Migraines?

The factors that make you more vulnerable to migraines include:

Family History: Having a family member with migraines? Then you have a good chance of developing it.
Age: Migraines can start at any age, although the first often occurs in adolescence. It peaks in your 30s and gradually becomes less severe and less frequent over the following decades.
Gender: Women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines compared to men.
Hormonal Changes: For women, the headaches may start right before or shortly after the start of their period and may change with menopause or pregnancy. Migraines typically improve after menopause.

What are the Complications of Migraine?

Chronic Migraine: Experiencing headaches on 15 or more days a month for at least three months, with eight of those being migraines, making it very challenging to manage.
Medication Overuse Headache (MOH): Overuse of painkillers or migraine-specific medicines can worsen headaches due to rebound effects of the medication.
Interfered with Daily Life: Migraines frequently disrupt daily activities, work, and social life and require absences from the workplace, lowered productivity at work, and make it difficult to maintain social relationships.
Psychological Issues: Living with chronic migraines can lead to emotional distress, higher risks of depression and anxiety as the constant pain and limitations take their toll.
Decreased Quality of Life: Migraines have a major impact on quality of life, influencing physical health and emotional well-being as well as social life.
Second Health Issues: The frequent migraines can cause other health issues such as disturbed sleep, heart problems or digestive disorders.
Decreased Physical Activity: Avoiding physical activities due to migraines can result in a sedentary lifestyle and related health concerns.

How to Prevent Migraines?

There is no cure for Migraine. But you can take an active role in reducing your migraine frequency and severity by following these tips:

Keep a migraine diary and note any foods and other triggers that cause a migraine. Change the diet and avoid known triggers to prevent migraine.
Get 7-9 hours of sleep at night.
Eat at regular intervals.
Don't skip meals.
Drink a lot of water.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.
Learn stress control techniques such as meditation, yoga, relaxation, or mindful breathing.
Take your medications as directed by your doctor.
For migraines related to your menstrual cycle, talk to your doctor about hormone therapy.
Consider trying a transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation device.

What are the Dos and Don'ts for Migraines?

Do's	Don'ts
Do stay hydrated and drink plenty of water.	Don't skip meals or go for long periods without eating.
Do maintain a regular sleep schedule.	Don't sleep for too long or too little.
Do manage stress with relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.	Don't overexert yourself physically or mentally.
Do keep a migraine diary to track triggers and patterns.	Don't ignore potential triggers, such as specific foods, bright lights, or strong smells.
Do take medications as prescribed by your doctor.	Don't self-medicate without consulting a healthcare professional.
Do engage in regular physical activity, such as walking or light exercise.	Don't engage in intense physical activities that might trigger a migraine.
Do use cold or warm compresses on your forehead or neck to ease pain.	Don't expose yourself to loud noises or bright lights during an episode.
Do take rest in a quiet, dark room during a migraine attack.	Don't drive or operate heavy machinery during a migraine attack.
Do eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.	Don't consume foods known to be migraine triggers, like caffeine, chocolate, or processed foods.
Do consult a doctor regularly for migraine management and treatments.	Don't delay seeking medical attention if migraines become more frequent or severe.

What is the Recovery Process for Migraine?

Recovery varies depending on severity and management of triggers.

Rest in a quiet and dark environment
Gradual relief after medication
Postdrome phase with fatigue or mild symptoms
Long-term management through trigger avoidance
Regular follow-up for chronic migraine cases

Migraine Treatment at Medicover Hospitals

Medicover Hospitals offer complete migraine treatment, providing advanced treatment options and expert medical professionals to reduce migraine symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life.

Our dedicated team specialises in

Diagnosing and managing migraines
Tailoring individualised treatment plans to meet each patient's unique needs
We ensure effective relief from this debilitating condition.

Experience compassionate and effective migraine care at Medicover Hospitals, where your well-being is our top priority.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the causes of migraines in females?

Various factors such as hormonal changes, stress, and dietary triggers can cause migraines in females.

2. What are five tips for instant migraine relief at home?

Some instant migraine relief tips include resting in a quiet, dark room, applying cold packs to the head, staying hydrated, practicing relaxation techniques, and taking over-the-counter pain medication.

3. How can migraines be permanently cured?

There is currently no known permanent cure for migraines, but certain lifestyle changes, medications, and therapies can help manage and reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

4. Which pressure points provide relief for migraines?

Pressure points such as the temples, the base of the skull, and the space between the thumb and index finger can provide relief from migraine symptoms when gently massaged or pressed.

5. Is migraine dangerous during pregnancy?

Migraines during pregnancy can pose risks to both the mother and the baby, so it's important to consult with a healthcare provider for proper management and treatment options.