Migraine Headaches: Causes and Symptoms
One theory about migraine headaches is that they occur when the blood vessels in the head expand and press on the nerves, causing pain. Another theory is that they result from the blood vessels constricting and thus blocking blood flow to parts of the brain; this may cause the visual impairment and numbness that often accompany or precede a migraine headache. The blood vessels then become full of blood and press on surrounding nerves, causing pain.Women are more prone to migraines than are men, and a certain personality type -- compulsive, perfectionist, and very success-oriented -- seems to be more susceptible to migraine headaches.
Causes
A number of physical and emotional factors may contribute to migraine headaches. Migraines may be triggered by a sharp reduction in caffeine intake or by allergies to certain foods or food additives (among them chocolate, coffee, fatty foods, alcohol, citrus fruits, mono-sodium glutamate, and nitrates).
Emotional stress can also cause migraine headaches, as can drinking alcohol, smoking, change in barometric pressure, or an interruption in routine eating and sleeping habits (all of which may be responsible for "weekend" headaches suffered by some patients). Cyclical, seasonal, or emotional factors may also be associated with the tendency to develop migraine headaches. A tendency to develop this type of headache may be inherited. Many women get premenstrual migraines.
Symptoms
The predominant symptom of a migraine headache is a sharp, pulsating pain on one or both sides of the head. Paleness, sweating, nausea, and sensitivity to light may accompany the pain.
A warning sensation, or aura, may indicate an ap-proaching migraine headache. Before the pain begins, some individuals may see flashing lights or "shooting stars," hear noises, smell fragrances or odors, or feel a tingling sensation in the arms or legs.
Cluster headaches are a form of vascular headache most commonly experienced by men. Cluster headaches have an abrupt onset and can happen at any time. The headaches can occur daily for days, weeks, or months. Their chief symptom is intense pain on one side of the head, accompanied by tearing of the eye and a runny nose on the same side. Drinking alcohol and smoking may aggravate these headaches.
In the next section, we will focus on additional important details about migraines -- their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
