Migraine headaches, commonly called migraines, are a very common neurological condition in which a person experiences severe, throbbing headaches that can last for hours to days. More than 11.8 million South Africans experience migraine headaches. Migraines make it very difficult, and often impossible, for people to perform activities of daily life.
Many people experience what’s known as an aura before a migraine. An aura usually involves seeing colours or lights or experiencing a lack of feeling in the arms or legs. An aura acts as a warning sign that a migraine is coming on. Many people manage how severe their migraines are with medication and lifestyle changes.
There are 4 stages of a migraine, each with their own unique set of symptoms. Not everyone who experiences migraines experiences all 4 stages. They are the prodrome stage, aura, attack, and postdrome stage.
The symptoms of the prodrome stage include:
The symptoms of an aura include:
The symptoms of the attack include:
The symptoms of the postdrome phase include feeling tired and confused. A day for recovery is typical.
What causes migraines is not fully understood. There is evidence supporting a genetic component to migraines as well as evidence supporting the idea that one’s lifestyle and environment may contribute to migraines. Current research is looking into the role certain chemicals in the brain play in triggering migraines. If one has already been diagnosed with migraine headaches, there are several “triggers” that can bring on a migraine. These triggers vary from person to person and include:
Risk factors for migraines include:
Migraines can usually be diagnosed based on a physical examination. Your doctor will assess your family history, current symptoms, and findings for a neurological exam and use these to make a diagnosis. If the migraine headaches are believed to be occurring as a symptom of an underlying condition, your doctor may order imaging tests like a computerised tomography (CT) scan of the brain in order to make a definitive diagnosis.
A complication of migraines that those who experience them need to be aware of is the tendency to overuse pain medication. Many people with migraines suffer from medication overuse headaches from taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or other over the counter painkillers too often. If taken too often, these medications can cause migraine headaches. Usually, people take the medication causing the headache to relieve the pain of the headache, starting a cycle that’s hard to break.