What causes migraines?

A lot of people all over the world suffer from severe headache and of cause they want to know what causes migraines. Unfortunately there are a lot of “white points” within the learning what causes migraine headaches. In spite of the fact that sometimes doctors do not understand the background of migraine causes all of them agree that such factors as genetics and environmental may cause this disease.

The case when person experiences severe headache may mean that the patient experiences some changes in the brainstem and its interaction with the trigeminal nerve what causes migraines. Among other common causes of migraine headaches it is possible to name the imbalance in brain chemicals including serotonin. This substance is a great helper for the individual’s organism in regulation pain in his/her nervous system. During attacks of this condition the level of this useful chemical is decreased. This leads to the releasing by person’s trigeminal system neuropeptides. These substances travel to meninges of the sufferer (brain’s outer covering) what causes migraines.

Among other causes of migraines it is possible to distinguish the next items:

?       Hormonal changes in women such as changes of the level of estrogen may trigger the migraines or aggravate it if it is already present.

?       certain foods like alcohol (especially red wine and beer), aged cheese, chocolate, aspartame, excessive usage of coffee and products which include caffeine, salty foods.

?       Stress at the working place or at home may have a great unfavorable impact on your nervous system what causes migraines.

?       Sensory stimuli such as bright light, sun glare, loud sounds, unusual smells (even if it is pleasant, but strong), and unpleasant odors (for example, paint or paint thinner) may lead to the appearing of migraines.

?       Changes in wake-sleep pattern (too much of sleep or missing it) may trigger this disease in some patients.

?       Physical factors. Sport and exercising is a good thing but in a proper quantity. Intense physical exertion may cause or aggravate migraines.

?       Changes in the environment may have a great impact in occur the disease.

?       Certain medications may also lie in the base of appearing migraines. Consumption of oral contraceptives and vasodilators may cause this condition.

It is not so easy to distinguish ocular migraine causes as they may vary from one person to another. But it was noticed that the sufferer may find out what exactly trigger may cause pain. A lot of people suffer from environmental factors such as changes in the weather or barometric pressure. Also it is possible to list a cigarette smoke, perfume and other strong smells among things that may trigger the disease. Avoiding smoking and secondhand cigarette smoking will help to drop the level of ocular migraine attacks. Among other causes of this condition it is possible to name certain foods such as chocolate, red wine, monosodium glutamate and aged and smoked meat which include tyramine. The same we may say about smoked cheese. Some people use caffeine to decrease the pain which is caused by migraine but its excessive consumption may trigger ocular migraine. Problems with sleeping (lack of it or oversleep) may also be the reasons which cause migraines. Fatigue and stressful situations may also be the answer to the question “what causes migraines”. Crying stands on the same level with the stress and may be the only reason of pain in some cases.

Migraine remedies

There are a great number of migraine remedies. Nowadays this disease is investigated and a lot of different recommendations about reducing its symptoms exist. Migraine remedies may include medication of course, but a numerous quantity of home remedies for migraines is known. Among herbal remedies for this disease which may be used by sufferers at home it is possible to distinguish such items as grapes, niacin, cabbage leaves, lemon crust and vegetable juices.

One of the most common and rather effective migraine home remedies is considered juice of ripe grapes. It should be drunk without any water adding.

Such products as yeast, whole wheat, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, sunflower seeds, liver and fish are natural resources of such an important substance in the person’s organism as niacin. Consumption of these products helps in relieving from the pain which is caused by migraine.

It is possible to use cabbage leaf compress as migraine remedies. To make it you will need leaves of fresh cabbage and a piece of clean cloth. Crushed cabbage leaves should be placed on a cloth. Then apply this compress on the forehead and relax. It may take an extended period of time for using this compress. When you notice that leaves dry out it is necessary to change them with the fresh ones.

Home treatment of this disease may be possible with such migraine remedies as lemon crust. The crust of this citrus should be grinded and applied on the forehead or temples. A lot of people noticed that this cure is very effective.

Vegetable juices show themselves as effective migraine remedies. Among the most popular vegetables which are used for this purpose it is possible to list spinach, beet, cucumber and carrot. For example, it is helpful to drink such cocktail: 200 ml of spinach juice and 300 ml of carrot juice which are mixed with each other. The other sample of vegetable mixture from beet juice, cucumber juice and carrot juice in a ratio 1:1:3 respectively.

Along with the listened above natural remedies for migraines it is possible to admit that fasting on orange juice and water may be very helpful as it helps to clean the individual’s organism from toxins which in their turn may cause severe headaches. Fast may last 2 – 3 days. If you have some restrictions about oranges it is possible to use juices of carrot, celery or cucumber instead of the citrus.

Also it is important not only to take some useful food and drinks, but also to avoid some harmful products. This will help you to decrease the number of migraine attacks. Among products from the “group of risk” it is possible to distinguish white flour products, sugar, confectionery, rich cakes, pastries, sweets, refined cereals, greasy foods, tinned or preserved foods, pickles, condiments and sauces.

Well-balanced diet may include seeds, nuts, grains, of course fruits and vegetables. Also it is possible to add milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, vegetable oils, and honey. You may use this diet during 2 – 3 days each month. It will help your organism to keep clean and struggle with the disease, as the result the number of migraine attacks will be decreased.

An essential part of daily nutrition is liquid. Pure water in an adequate quantity will also be helpful under the condition of migraine. Among other migraine remedies it is possible to distinguish hot bath, cold compresses which should be applied on the forehead, walking in the fresh air, physical exercising. Aromatherapy which use peppermint, sandalwood, basil, lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils, deep breathing and relaxation, hot and cold contrast showers, reflexology, chiropractic and acupressure are considered to be alternative migraine remedies which show their effectiveness. 

Migraine relief

Migraines are severe and disabling headaches that also include a variety of other accompanying symptoms which make the diagnosis difficult.
As a part of the conventional treatment there is a vast amount of medications available. Such non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications as aspirin and ibuprofen are the most commonly used. In cases of mild or intermittent migraines some drugs that contain acetaminophen and caffeine might be helpful, but in case of over using might cause the symptoms to get worse.
There is a new kind of a migraine relief available – drugs which are called triptans. They have proven to be effective in cases of severe migraine. This medication, however, has serious side effects; therefore it is recommended to stay under close medical supervision while using it.
Another kind of medication – ergotamine have been used prior to triptans. This drug is less expensive and has fewer side effects, but consequently it is also not as effective.
Anti-nausea medication is commonly prescribed in fighting with complementary migraine symptoms. Medications containing codeine and hydrocodone are also normally used as a migraine headache relief in urgent circumstances; they can be addictive and should only be considered as a last resort.
In order to prevent migration such substances as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other anti-hypertensives are used. They can be an effective migraine relief, because they can reduce the frequency, the severity, and the length of the attacks.
Aside from the traditional medication treatment there is a large variety of natural migraine relief remedies available to those suffering from the disorder.
The most common of which are:

1. Feverfew, the herb, which is also called Tanacetum parthenium, has been a migraine relief for centuries. There have been several studies conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the herb in preventing and treating migraines. These studies have shown that a significant decrease in the migraine frequency has been achieved. However, not all of the studies show that feverfew is, in fact, effective. Feverfew has a number of side effects, such as abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and increased nervousness. 
2. 5 – HTP is a compound that is made from the amino acid tryptophan. This compound is also made from the seeds of an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia. Some studies have shown that 5-HTP can help prevent migraines and reduce their frequency and severity. 
3. Magnesium, or a mineral found in foods such as nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Research into the effects of magnesium on the migraines has shown promising results. Although some studies have proven that it reduces the severity and frequency of the migraines, more studies are still required. 

Over the past 10 years there has been a significant improvement in treating the migraines. There are both; conventional and natural, or alternative means of treatment. If combined these means are more likely to be successful in reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

Migraines during pregnancy

Migraines during pregnancy may affect any women but it is not obligatory fact that every pregnant person will experience this condition. Almost every future mother experiences some headaches but it does not mean that she is affected by migraines during pregnancy. There exist a lot of other different types of headaches which has nothing in common with migraines and pregnancy. Typical feature of migraine includes moderate or severe pain (the severity may vary from one attack to another), pain may affects one side of the head or both of them, the duration may vary from several hours to several days. Migraines during pregnancy may be preceded by several symptoms such as blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the individual’s arms and legs. These symptoms may also show themselves not only before the migraine attack but also during it. Such companions are also called auras. If you experience headaches and noticed some changes with your vision (for example blurred vision, flashes of light) it does not really mean that to problems with the head you are to add eyes problems. This may be neurological symptom and refers to migraine. Those women who suffer from migraine before pregnancy may experience more severe manifestations of the disease especially during first three month of this “interesting state”.

Be careful! Migraine and pregnancy may have the same symptoms. Usually a lot of pregnant women experience sickness (in most cases it is morning sickness) and fatigue due to hormonal changes in the organism (many future mommies noticed that they feel tiredness and want to sleep longer). These two symptoms may also be the “alarm bells” to show that your headache is not a simple head pain which is caused by different daily reasons. Dizziness and extremely sensitivity to the light and sounds may also point on the migraines during pregnancy.

Talking about causes of migraine during pregnancy it is possible to blame hormonal changes as in almost every new condition in the organism during this wonderful state. But the disease may have nothing in common with hormones. It may be caused by changes in nerve pathways. The other condition – imbalance of brain chemicals – is also considered to be the cause of migraine. It is worth of knowing that serotonin (one of the brain chemicals) is a great helper in regulating of the pain in the individual’s nervous system, and imbalance of this substance may have an impact onto appearing of the migraine.

Not all causes of migraine are connected with the nervous system, hormonal changes and other internal changes. This disease may also be cause by outer factors and it is in women’s forces to try to avoid them in order to reduce migraine attacks. Such triggers and factors which may aggravate the condition of the migraine during pregnancy include stress, fatigue, loud noise, glaring lights, excessive cold or heat, smoke of the tobacco, alcohol, excessive usage of caffeine. Also it is possible to add some food products which may influence the flow of the disease. Among them it is possible to distinguish chocolate, artificial sweeteners and nitrates in different processed meats.