You want nothing more than to go play with your child, but nausea and lightheadedness have you glued to the couch. Their request for your attention has your ears ringing, and the beautiful sunshine streaming in the window is sending shooting pains through your skull. A call to the doctor tells you this is probably a migraine.
Over 35 million Americans experience migraines, but how can you tell if you’re one of them, and what can you do to keep from having them in the future?
Migraine Vs. Headache
How will you know if you’re experiencing a headache or a migraine? Headaches are uncomfortable and even painful, but they shouldn’t disrupt your daily life. Most often, the only symptom of a headache is the pain or pressure in your head, forehead or neck.
Migraines are typically far more intense and lost a lot longer. Headaches last from 30 minutes to a few hours, whereas migraines last from a few hours to a few days. Migraine also comes with many other side effects and may not involve actual head pain.
Symptoms
The pain associated with migraine is typically pulsing, throbbing and pounding. It’s also usually concentrated on one side of the head. Other common symptoms aside from head pain include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Difficulty speaking
- Ringing ears
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Numbness or tingling
- Seeing bright spots or patterns
Possible Triggers and Risk Factors
Researchers haven’t been able to nail down any one particular cause of migraines. They seem to correlate with both genetic and environmental factors. Many people with migraines report experiencing an episode after:
- Changes in weather
- Dehydration
- Hormonal changes
- Lack of sleep
- Overuse of OTC medications
- Stress
- Tobacco, alcohol or caffeine use
- Loud sounds or strong smells
If you experience consistent migraines, it’s essential to discover your triggers, which are different for everyone. Consider keeping a journal for a couple of months. You and your doctor can review your records to determine probable causes.
Certain factors and medical conditions can also put you at a higher risk of developing migraine headaches:
- Mood disorders
- Anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Family history of migraine
Migraine also disproportionately affects women. They’re three times more likely to experience migraines than men. Swings in the female sex hormone estrogen in a woman’s menstrual cycle make women more susceptible to migraine and severe headaches. Conversely, the male sex hormone testosterone has a preventative effect.
Classifying Migraines
Migraines, like headaches, come in many forms. However, most of the differences boil down to these two classifications:
Chronic or Episodic
How frequently are you experiencing migraine episodes? If you have 14 or fewer headaches each month, you have episodic migraines. Those with chronic migraines will have upwards of 15 headaches each month.
Some people will begin with episodic migraine and gradually increase over time to chronic headaches. One possible explanation is episodic migraine causes inflammation which can sensitize nerve cells in the brain, making you more prone to further headaches.
With or Without Aura
A migraine with aura can be terrifying since the symptoms are similar to having a stroke. You may experience numbness or tingling sensations, see flashes of bright light, have difficulty speaking, feel dizzy and feelings of weakness on one side of your body. Luckily, only 25% of those with migraine experience an aura.
Diagnosis
There’s no definitive test for migraine. Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on specific criteria after ruling out other possible causes. You may need blood tests and imaging scans like CT and MRI. Since some symptoms overlap with more serious conditions like stroke, your doctor will want to make sure they’re very thorough.
Come to your first appointment prepared with any family history of migraine and any possible environmental factors. If you’ve been keeping a headache journal, it would be a good idea to bring that with you as well.
Treatment
Migraine has no cure, but treatment can help improve your symptoms. OTC pain medications are often effective at managing your migraine symptoms. However, taking these medications too frequently can trigger further headaches, starting a vicious cycle.
If you can, try to manage with simple home remedies. Lay a cool compress on your head and lie down in a quiet, dark room. Sleep can also be a big help. To prevent future episodes, learn your specific environmental triggers and make lifestyle changes to avoid them as much as possible.
OTC medications and home remedies may not be enough for those with chronic migraine, so your doctor may prescribe something more potent. For patients wanting to avoid medication, physical therapy and acupuncture are also options you and your physician may consider. You can visit this page here to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy in treating various types of headaches.
When to See a Doctor
If this is your first time experiencing these symptoms, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if you have indicators of an aura. Also, visit your physician any time your symptoms are worse than usual, come on suddenly or last longer than 72 hours.