Migraine headaches are severe, recurring and intensely painful. Migraines often appearing on one side of the head, and are characterized by extreme sensitivity to light, sound or smell.

What Causes A Migraine Headache?

There is no specific cause for a migraine, though some people are genetically predisposing to it. Common migraine triggers include, stress, inadequate food, excess alcohol intake, hormonal changes in women, lack of sleep and other environmental factors.

Symptoms of Migraine

The most common symptoms of a migraine attack include severe throbbing pain usually on one side of the head, increased pain during physical activity or when straining, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, sensitivity to light and sound while few patients may experience symptoms like sweating, temperature changes, stomach ache and diarrhea.

A migraine headache usually lasts for several hours up to several days.

Types of Migraine:

Doctors mainly classify migraine headaches into two types.

Migraine Without Aura:

It is the most common type of migraine and the common symptoms include pounding headache, usually on one side of the head, that lasts for 4-72 hours.

Migraine with Aura:

This is a rare type of migraine and it affects around 1 per cent of the patients. Most common symptoms include visual disturbances like blind spots or flashing lights coupled with an intense headache.

Other rare type of migraines include basilar migraine, hemiplegic migraine, ophthalmoplegic migraine.

Treatment for Migraine

Your doctor may decide upon the medication and treatment aimed at alleviating the reoccurrence of symptoms and in preventing the out-and-out attack.

Lifestyle modifications might ease the frequency of migraines. Getting adequate sleep, lowering stress, proper hydration, limiting certain food, regular physical exercise will help in preventing sudden migraine attacks.