Lately, it seems that people have been commenting on the fact that while many of us “take for granted” that we have migraines, some people have headaches, but they have not equated them to migraines, and don’t even really realize they are suffering with migraines .

If you have a friend or family member who has bad headaches, share this with them. Sometimes we need to “go back to basics” and evaluate what is going on.

WHAT ARE MIGRAINES? 

According to Migraine.com, migraines are a genetic neurological disease, characterized by episodes, often called migraine attacks. They are quite different from regular headaches, which are non-migraine-type headaches. Migraine attacks are often accompanied by symptoms other than head pain, including nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. The symptoms and severity of migraines can vary from person to person.

Head pain, which is typically throbbing in nature and occurs on one side of the head, is the most common migraine symptom. Many migraine sufferers also experience nausea, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound. Many people experience visual disturbances, dizziness, fatigue, and numbness or tingling during their attacks. Some symptoms can seem unrelated to migraines, so keeping a journal can help identify migraine-related symptoms.

Migraines often progress through four stages: pre-migraine, aura, the migraine attack, and the post-migraine phases. Possible symptoms during the pre-migraine phase may include aphasia (difficulty speaking), constipation or diarrhea, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, hyperactivity, food cravings, increased urination, mood changes, and neck pain. The aura phase of a migraine can include a variety of symptoms including hypersensitivity to touch/feel, hearing or smelling things that are not there, one-sided paralysis, dizziness, vertigo, and paresthesia.

Most people who suffer from migraines are usually most familiar with the headache. Head pain during a migraine attack occurs on one side of the head. Pain is typically pulsating or throbbing in nature, and is made worse by physical activity. The pain can last for four hours or longer. Other symptoms can also accompany the headache phase of a migraine.
The last phase of a migraine is often the feeling of being “hung-over,” which includes symptoms such as fatigue, changes in mood, and an inability to concentrate.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A MIGRAINE? 

The most common symptoms are:

•    Throbbing, pulsating pain – 85 percent
•    Light sensitivity – 80 percent
•    Sound sensitivity – 76 percent
•    Nausea – 73 percent
•    Pain on one side – 59 percent
•    Vision changes, blurred vision – 44 percent
•    Aura – 36 percent
•    Vomiting – 29 percent

(Note: These figures are from the American Migraine Study II of almost 4,000 sufferers in 1999.2)
Other symptoms may include: 

•    Sensitivity to smell
•    Stiff neck
•    Dizziness or dizzy spells
•    Cloudy vision or other vision changes
•    Weakness

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIGRAINE AND A HEADACHE? 
A migraine is not just a headache. Migraine attacks can include a variety of debilitating neurological symptoms. Head pain associated with a migraine is typically throbbing in nature and located on one side of the head. It is common to experience nausea and vomiting during migraine attacks, in addition to a wide variety of other symptoms. Most typical headaches do not come with other symptoms, although some headaches do come with nausea as a side effect.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MIGRAINES? 
There are several types of migraines; the most common migraine types in adults are with aura and migraines without aura. Hormonal migraines are the most common type of migraine without aura. Hemiplegic migraine and basilar migraine are the most common types of migraine with aura. Retinal migraines—sometimes referred to as ocular migraines—are another type of migraine, with migraine symptoms that include changes in vision and blurred vision. Infants, toddlers, children, and teens often suffer from abdominal migraines, which are characterized by stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

There are many other types of headaches that are not necessarily categorized as migraines, some of which include cluster headaches, tension-type headaches, and sinus headaches. Migraines are called primary headaches because the pain is not caused by another disorder or disease, such as a brain tumor or head injury. Some cause pain on just the right side or left side of the head, while others result in pain all over the body. Migraine sufferers may have moderate or severe pain and very often are unable to participate in normal activities because of the pain. When a migraine strikes, people often try to find a quiet, dark room.

HOW LONG DO MIGRAINES LAST? 
Many people experience migraines lasting for at least four hours, and for some people, a migraine may even last for days. The amount of time someone is affected by an attack is actually longer than the migraine itself, since there are lasting phases of a migraine that can last one to two days.

It is “the pits” having migraines and at times it feels like it is hopeless and things will never change. However, that does not have to be the case. I have found in my own life that integrating some natural remedies and holistic measures have had a profound effect on my  migraines. Where I used to get migraines 20-25 days a month, I now have only 2-3 per month. This is huge and I definitely attribute it to my change in lifestyle and diet.

Check out this older blog of mine talking about some of the natural remedies available to help:  https://holistic-healthandwellness.com/migraine-relief/

If you need help in incorporating some of these things into your life and finding migraine relief, I would love to invite you to chat with me for 15 minutes (free with no obligation).  ==>CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE<== and just give three time frames of your availability.