Causes, treatment, and signs of migraines in men and women

Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Lewis Carroll, Vincent van Gogh, Miguel de Cervantes, Georges Seurat, frédéric Chopin, Tchaikovsky and many others. What do these names have in common? A migraine! A disease that it has been untreatable for centuries. Fortunately, humanity has come a long way since the days when it was possible to offer prayer or drilling holes in the skull for this disease. Today, people can treat this terrible disease with triptans.Do you have a headache on one side? Does it hurt like a hammer? In addition, you do you feel unwell? Are you bothered by light or noise? You can't work? In this case, it is safe to say that you are suffering from migraines – a disease that has plagued humanity for many centuries.

Headache is a common problem; it has been dealt with throughout your life more than 90% of people. At the same time, it is not difficult to treat it. It usually passes within a few hours.

But migraines are a different story altogether. A person can't handle it on his own. We need a doctor here. The problem can be defined as an episodic headache lasting 4-72 hours. Accompanying symptoms include nausea and vomiting. But be careful! If a headache is present every day, most likely, it is not about another disease. A migraine is more than just a headache. It represents a General bad condition where most people are unable to continue functioning and perform even the most basic daily tasks actions.

Migraine in men is characterized by the fact that representatives of the stronger sex often hide their disease even in front of their loved ones. They are afraid of harming their family, having problems at work and in relationships. And according to this, the treatment also looks like. While, for example, in Scandinavia, the disease is treated with our compatriots are often not satisfied with conventional medications for headaches or fever.

What are the symptoms of migraines?

In this regard migraines in men no different from a woman's. There is a headache, blurred vision, poor health, vomiting, photophobia, loss of appetite and lethargy.

Aura

In many migraines, the aura is a clear symptom that warns of the onset of migraines attack's. The most common is a visual aura in the form of flickering flashes or loss of a certain field of vision.

The aura typically lasts from a few minutes to an hour, usually 60 minutes before the actual headache begins.

Psychological symptoms

Depression, agitation, irritability

Signs of the disease often include mood changes. Most patients describe severe depression or a sharp decline in mood. Others, on the contrary, feel excellent.

Recently in the framework of the Dutch research has found a theoretical genetic link between migraines and depression, particularly in the presence of an aura. The results of a study conducted in 2010 show that mild or severe depression increases the risk that over time the disease can become chronic.

Physiological symptoms

1. Stuffy nose, watery eyes. The usual signs of a cold or hypothermia can sometimes be symptoms that precede a migraine attack. Some people who suffer from this disease, complain of symptoms such as a runny nose or watery eyes.

2. Increased appetite. Before an unpleasant attack fully manifests itself, some people may have an increased craving for certain foods. Mainly, the appetite is manifested by a craving for chocolate.

3. Frequent urination. If you suddenly started to visit the toilet more often than usual, this may indicate an impending migraine. Frequent urination also includes symptoms that precede a migraine attack; moreover, these warning signals can arrive not only an hour before the onset of the problem, but also two days before it.

4. Yawning. Even ordinary yawning refers to the General signs of approaching an attack. Unlike normal yawning from fatigue, pre-game yawning occurs every few minutes and is characterized by an increase in intensity. In a study conducted in 2006, about 40% of patients indicated yawning as a precursor migraines.

5. Tingling or numbness. Some people may suffer temporary numbness or tingling, usually in one half of the body, extending from the fingertips, through the hand to the face. Attention! If you suddenly notice numbness in your hand, it can be a sign of a migraine, but also of a stroke, so, immediately contact your doctor!

6. Nausea and vomiting. According to the American Migraine Study II study, which looked at more than 3,700 migraine patients, 73% of patients had an attack of nausea, and 29% had vomiting. A recent study conducted by scientists from the National Headache Foundation's American Migraine prevention and Prevention found that people with migraines accompanied by nausea, headaches are more pronounced and more difficult to treat with medications than during an attack without nausea.

7. Difficulties with speech. Sudden difficulty with speech and problems with expression also contain the symptoms of an approaching migraine. Attention! If you have a problem with it if they occur for the first time, this is a reason to consult a doctor, since they, again, can indicate more serious problems, such as a stroke.

8. Vertigo, double vision. In a particular type of disease, symptoms such as dizziness, split vision, or even temporary vision loss may also be present. Some people with this problem may also have balance problems.

Causes of migraines

Many causes take part in the onset of the disease, it is a so – called multi-factorial disease. For an attack to occur, you must a combination of internal and external factors.

Internal factors include some supposedly innate" settings " of the body aimed at processing and controlling pain in the head – greater susceptibility to pain and internal mechanisms for its regulation. Internal triggers include, for example, hormonal changes.

External factors include provoking factors (triggers) that are found in the majority of migraine patients (up to 85%). These include, for example, changes in the weather, certain foods, stress, and many other causes.

About what happens in the body during pregnancy at the time of the actual attack, a number of theories and hypotheses have been created – vascular theory, humoral, neurogenic, platelet, molecular, hypoxic, and, currently, the most widely accepted neurovascular theory. All these reasons develop gradually and complement each other.

The most common causes of migraines

Common causes of the disease, presumably, include chocolate, cheese and citrus fruits. Alcohol, especially red wine, is also a known trigger. However, the most common trigger is stress! In the wake behind it, as a cause, many patients indicate lack of sleep, hunger, changes in the weather, excessive physical activity and even sex.

Treatment of migraines in men and women

For the treatment of mild attacks, you can use over-the-counter medications painkillers and their stronger variants, which are usually given out on prescription. These drugs, however, only reduce pain, but do not eliminate the cause of the disease. For the treatment of moderate and severe attacks, you can use modern drugs-triptans, which not only reduce pain, but also prevent the development of convulsions, nausea, vomiting, and other related symptoms, such as sensitivity to light or sound.

Natural remedies for the treatment of

Studies have shown that pyrethrum can prevent seizures or reduce their duration. Sometimes acupuncture and acupressure also help, although no one knows exactly how acupuncture works in preventing migraine attacks. Massage aimed at reducing muscle tension can help. Some people use scented oils (aromatherapy) in combination with massage, as the oil can ease the pain some problems, including poor sleep or sinus pain.