Title: 
The Dreadful Migraine

Word Count:
343

Summary:
Migraine headaches can be debilitating.  Did you know they might be heredity?  The link below offers some resources to help you understand the causes and symptoms of migraine headaches.


Keywords:
Migraine headaches, migraines, headaches


Article Body:
A migraine is a throbbing or pulsating headache that is often 
one sided (unilateral) and associated with nausea; vomiting; 
sensitivity to light, sound, smells; sleep disruption, and 
depression.  Attacks are often recurrent and tend to become 
less severe as the migraine sufferer ages. 

Types 

Migraines are classified according to the symptoms they 
produce.  The two most common types are migraine with aura 
and migraine without aura.  Less common types include the 
following: Basilar artery migraine, Carotidynia, Headache-free 
migraine, Ophthalmoplegic migraine, Status migraine.

Some women experience migraine headaches just prior to or 
during menstruation.  These headaches, which are called 
menstrual migraines, may be related to hormonal changes 
and often do not occur during pregnancy.  Other women 
develop migraines for the first time during pregnancy or after 
menopause. 

Incidence and Prevalence 

Migraines afflict about 24 million people in the United States.  
They may occur at any age, but usually begin between the 
ages of 10 and 40 and diminish after age 50.  Some people 
experience several migraines a month, while others have only 
a few migraines throughout their lifetime.  Approximately 75% 
of migraine sufferers are women.

Causes 

The cause of migraine is unknown.  The condition may result 
from a series of reactions in the central nervous system 
caused by changes in the body or in the environment.  There 
is often a family history of the disorder, suggesting that 
migraine sufferers may inherit sensitivity to triggers that 
produce inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves around 
the brain, causing pain. 

Signs and Symptoms 

Migraine pain is often described as throbbing or pulsating 
pain that is intensified by routine physical activity, coughing, 
straining, or lowering the head.  The headache is often so 
severe that it interferes with daily activity and may awaken the 
person.  The attack is debilitating, and migraine sufferers are 
often left feeling tired and weak once the headache has 
passed. 

A migraine typically begins in a specific area on one side of 
the head, then spreads and builds in intensity over 1 to 2 
hours and then gradually subsides.  It can last up to 24 hours, 
and in some cases, several days.