migraines myth vs fact term conventional paper
Excerpt from Term Paper:
Migraine Headaches
Sufferers from migraine headaches describe all their symptoms in various ways. A lot of describe a feeling of numbness that spreads through their vulnerable parts. Others illustrate loss of cravings or extreme nausea. Nonetheless others feel confused and disoriented before the migraine passes.
Common to all migraine affected individuals, however , is a sense of pain. Occasionally, the pain is big and large, “like a 25 pound pumpkin on my head” (Moe 20). Other times, the soreness is sharp and targeted, “like a knife within my eye” (Moe 6).
Medical Definition of a Migraine
Medical experts characterize migraines as a “chronic paroxysmal disorder” which is typically free from symptoms in between attacks. This disorder is often followed by “transient focal neurological symptoms, ” such as photophobia and blurred vision. In many cases, the pain is definitely severe enough to incapacitate the patient, necessitating bed rest (Spierings, 9).
N. Differences between a headache and a headache
In laymen’s terms, this means that not every headaches will be migraines. Instead, a migraine is a specific type of frustration that is seen as visual concerns and a powerful throbbing pain concentrated using one side in the head (“Migraine: It’s Bushed Your Head”).
Migraines and headaches will vary causes.
The pain linked to a headaches is due to vasoconstriction, the medical term for the narrowing of blood vessels inside the brain. A migraine’s cause, however , is just the opposite. Throughout a migraine, blood vessels in the brain increase, in a method called vasodilation.
This triggers a inflammation of the tissue around the mind, which makes the pain a whole lot worse. When headache suffers consider headache medication geared treat vasoconstriction, they inadvertently dilate the blood ships further. This in turn causing increased swelling, therefore making the migraine a whole lot worse (Coleman and Burchfield).
Another major variation is that a headache is only a symptom, although a headache is a disease. Physicians just like Stephen T. Peroutka further state that migraine is a “genetically-based illness. ” Since it is known as a disease, a migraine may be accompanied by a large number of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, a tenderness to lumination and appear, seeing auras or light sports, and speech issues. Unlike severe headaches, a headache attack can last for hours, days and nights or carry on for several several weeks (Coleman and Burchfield).
C. Causes of a migraine
Moreover to genetics, physicians generally divide what causes migraines in to three key headings.
Meals Reactions
Scientists have recognized several food that could induce migraine headaches. Included in this are alcohol just like beer and red wine, aspartame, avocados, bananas, large doasage amounts of caffeine, monosodium glutamate, citrus fruits like lemons and limes, nuts and seeds, onions, dairy products like milk and sour cream, and nitrites (Ash).
Furthermore to particular foods, migraines can also be brought on by poor nutrition, skipping meals or not eating regularly (MacGregor and Dunitz 8). Additionally , delaying foods can bring the onset of low blood sugar, setting off a chain reaction that usually brings about a migraine (Ash).
Environmental Reactions
Migraines can also be brought on by environmental factors, like strong parfum, bright or flickering mild, secondhand smoke cigarettes, air pollution or perhaps weather alterations (“Migraine: Is actually All in Your Head”).
Various other findings include altitude improvements and noise, especially high in volume and continuous sounds. Weather-related factors can be a particularly troublesome migraine induce, because of the weather is past the headache sufferer’s control. Many migraines are brought on by weather condition changes, for example a sudden breeze, increased dampness or during thunderstorms (Moe 40).
Human body Reactions
Continue to other migraine headaches are activated by reactions related to the entire body. The fact more women than men have problems with migraines leads many scientists to posit that menstruation and fluctuating estrogen hormonal levels play the role in triggering migraines in females (MacGregor and Dunitz 8).
A headache can also be the body’s response to mental triggers like tension and stress. Many migraine sufferers feel their symptoms worsen in proportion for the stress level at their very own jobs (Ash).
Certain prescription drugs, like contraceptive pills and some antibiotics, are usually potential migraine triggers. A lot of exertion during exercise or caused by heavy lifting can also cause migraines. Depression and emotional uncertainty related to complications like divorce or a death in the friends and family could also cause a migraine headache. The entire body may also respond negatively to visit across numerous time zones in order to too much or perhaps too little sleep, resulting in migraines (Moe 40).
II. Various kinds of migraines
A. Classic
This kind of migraine headache affects 20% of the predicted 18 , 000, 000 Americans who suffer from migraine headaches.
A vintage migraine headaches usually begins with a sensation called feeling, where the person sees mild changes. This might occur via five to 20 minutes prior to the actual headache. It is often accompanied by photophobia or perhaps hypersensitivity to light. Various other signs include numbness or tingling inside the arms or perhaps legs. Various classic headache sufferers also report hallucinations, seeing flashing lights, smelling strange smells and momentary loss of perspective (“Your ideal response to pain pain. “).
A classic headache affects merely one side of the head and may last for several hours or days (“Migraine Symptoms, Treatment and Causes”).
B. Common
Common migraine headaches do not have the accompanying symptom of aura or light alterations. Instead of hallucinations, people who suffer from common migraines have less dramatic symptoms, including mood swings, water retention and fatigue. As in the case of these migraine, prevalent migraine affected individuals feel pain on one side of the head. This soreness, however , may spread to be able to areas of the head (“Your ideal response to headache pain. “).
The common migraine headaches are extreme enough to wake a person by a sound sleep. They will occur many times a week and, like traditional migraines, can last for up to many days (“Your best response to headache soreness. “).
Altered
Transformed migraines often start as an episodic anxiety headache. Sufferers from these kinds of headaches report feeling such as a belt has become stretched tight around their heads. These types of tension severe headaches can ultimately give way to migraines that last for a number of hours or days (Moe 22).
D. Chronic migraine is a great umbrella category, and can be further more split into a common or a classic migraine. This is certainly sometimes referred to as a “chronic tension headache” or “chronic daily pain. ” Sufferers describe that as a headache every day with their life (Moe 23).
3. Various Treatments
A. Triggers to Avoid
The first step to treating a migraine is a recognition of what sets off a patient’s migraines.
Headache sufferers should certainly avoid passing up meals, since hypoglycemia or low blood glucose often sets off a headache. Physicians recommend eating half a dozen small foods a day, making sure that each food has some protein and some sort of complex carbs. Physicians on top of that recommend the reduction of simple sugars such as sweets and candy, especially when these foods are eaten alone (Mauskop and Fox 114).
Additionally to regular meals, doctors also advise a diet full of healthy natural food, with generous helpings of mineral deposits such as:
Birdwatcher (seafood, lean meats, whole grains)
Folic acid solution (green abundant vegetables, sprouts, organ meat)
Iron (oysters, liver, red meat, spinach, tomato sauce)
Magnesium (wheat bran, vegetables, dried beans and nuts)
Niacin (fish, chicken, mushrooms, asparagus)
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils, green vegetables)
Riboflavin (milk, mushrooms, liver, spinach) (Mauskop and Fox, 115-117)
Experts likewise recommend taking away environmental sets off that are proven to contribute to headache sufferers. People who have migraines should thus avoid perfumes or perfumed products, such as household cleaners. They must change the surroundings filters in their homes on a regular basis and maintain the cleanliness of their drapes, carpets and rugs and upholstered furniture (Mauskop and Fox 121).
In addition , migraine authorities also suggest reducing dampness in the home, since migraines can also be triggered by simply mold, thrush, algae and dirt mites (Mauskop and Sibel 121).
Probably the most difficult induce to avoid is a weather. Several countries, nevertheless , have instituted programs to assist its migraine-suffering citizens. Indonesia, for example , has a telephone number that migraine affected individuals can phone to inquire about the weather’s risk of triggering a migraine (Coleman and Burchfield).
B. Medical Treatment
Many people take over the counter analgesic medication because of their migraines, hoping to stem the pain. Yet , these is ineffective against treating migraines because they don’t address the root cause of the pain.
When the pain is definitely acute, medical doctors recommend the usage of triptans. As opposed to aspirin or perhaps ibuprofen, triptans have vasopressor properties. They will therefore serve to narrow the significantly dilated bloodstream in a headache sufferer’s brain (MacGregor and Dunitz 22).
As an alternative, medical professionals sometime suggest drugs known as ergots. One form, ergotamine, is used through a anal suppository. Nevertheless , this drug may cause severe side-effects. Another ergot, dihydroenergotamine, has shown fewer unwanted side effects and is implemented through a nose spray (MacGregor and Dunitz 24-25).
Alternate Treatment
The growing desire for natural health insurance and holistic curing has given rise to alternative varieties of migraine treatment that do not really rely on prescription medications. Instead, these treatments use a variety of change in lifestyle and relaxation techniques to talk about the many stress- and environment-related triggers of migraines.
