Migraines are generally misunderstood and in most cases are extremely painful and energy-sapping conditions.

Migraine headaches are throbbing or pulsating headaches that are usually unilateral and are often associated with nausea; light and sound sensitivity; vomiting; sleep disruption and depression.

Migraines are caused by the dilation and constriction of blood vessels that release inflammatory substances that causes painful pulsations. A Migraine generally lasts from 4-6 hours, but like tension headaches, can last far longer. Frequency of migraines also varies tremendously.

The two most common types of migraines are migraines with aura and migraines without aura. Aura is a neurological phenomenon that is usually experienced 10-30 minutes before the headache.

The most common types of aura are usually described as bright shimmering lights around objects or at the edges of your vision. Other auras include zigzag lines, wavy images or hallucinations. In rare cases the aura can also be a temporary loss of vision.

Other less common types of migraines include:

• Basilar Artery Migraine
• Carotidynia
• Headache-free Migraine
• Abdominal Migraine (Most common in small children)
• Ocular Migraine
• Status Migraines (Rare but very serious type that lasts more than 72 hours, and usually need hospitalization).

Treatments of migraines also depend on the severity, frequency and type of migraine. Treatments are generally divided into two categories:

Prophylactic treatment – Which aims to prevent or reduce the number of migraines
Abortive treatment – Which aims to alleviate symptoms and reduce the duration of the migraine.

Other treatments of migraines which have proven successful include the non-pharmaceutical modalities mentioned in connection with tension headaches, these are: therapeutic ultrasound, massage and relaxation therapy.

If ever you experience what you believe to be a migraine, be sure to consult your physician, as certain neurological conditions and tumors have very similar symptoms.

Migraines and headaches can cause serious depression, chronic pain and a decrease in quality of life, however it need not to. Medicine has reached a stage where most of the symptoms (if not the cause), can be alleviated or cured.

If you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned here it is advised that you consult your physician for the best course of treatment. In today’s stressful life we can’t afford to live in constant pain, luckily with pharmaceutical, therapeutic and if need be – surgical help, we don’t need to.