You Got To Read This If You Are Having Frequent Headache

Migraine headaches are severe headaches that often begin in one area of the head and then spread to other ears. When a migraine strikes, it may seem like the worst pain in the world and you would do anything to stop it. The good thing regarding a migraine is that it is transient, that is the pain will go away after sometime.

A variety of headache closely related to the migraine is the cluster headache. The truth is almost everyone has had a headache at one point in his or her life. How bad are your headaches? Is it just a normal headache or it is a migraine headache? Read on to find out more.

The most important symptom you will probably have with your migraine headache is pain, and as you know, the pain can be very severe and last many hours. The exact cycle of events taking place in our brains during a migraine attack is still not fully understood. Approximately 25% of women and 8% of men suffer from migraine at some time in their lives. A migraine may remain at a "static" level that is tolerable, as long as the patient is not physically active, such as sitting at the office, or reading at home.

Migraine triggers are numerous and varied and occur in combinations peculiar to a individual. Triggers can be divided into different groups, including emotional triggers, stress, environmental, chemical, food and beverage. Migraine headache resulted from the expansion (or dilation) of blood vessels in the brain and scalp. Insufficient sleep, anxiety, problems, and worries give rise to the migraine headache. Staying up late or drinking too much coffee will bring on a headache every time. There are many possible triggers for migraines and they differ from one migraine sufferer to another. Stress, insomnia, over sleeping, and hunger may also trigger migraines.

What causes migraines is still somewhat of a mystery. Some even go to say that a migraine maybe caused by the end of a stressful situation. You may find it hard to avoid them, but for some people, environmental changes can trigger a migraine. Although the cause of migraine headaches is often undetermined, we do know that they present in different ways, and may involve different areas of the head and/or neck area.

Treatments of Migraine Headache

There are a lot of things you can do for yourself to help treat each of your migraine headaches. Some people find that by falling asleep, they can actually reduce the attack. Before you consider any treatment for your headaches, it is important that you make sure your diagnosis is indeed migraine

Crucial to the appropriate treatment of headache is the proper diagnosis of its type, and migraine headache is a particularly common form of recurring headache. Individuals with mild and infrequent migraine headaches that do not cause disability may require only OTC analgesics. Knowing what triggers attacks is a major step towards preventing them. People can avoid exacerbating aspects of Migraine by paying more attention to the triggering cause of the pain.

One of the most important aspects of headache treatment is your own control over your headache, and control starts with identifying your own triggers, and learning to avoid them. How migraine headaches are treated is usually determined by the frequency of the headaches. If the pain is severe, which it frequently is during a full-blown migraine attack, then you may need medication. Virtually all migraine therapies are designed to eliminate, or at least reduce, pain.

There are other alternative treatment options for migraine headaches. Some people put fingertip pressure on one of your temporal arteries, which are arteries you can feel on either side of your head near your temples. Other non-medication treatments include relaxation training; thermal or electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback, which is electrical activity recorded from small sensors attached to the scalp, mixed with relaxation training; and cognitive-behavioral treatments. Try putting a cold damp cloth on your forehead or temple (on the side that is painful), or deploy a frozen bag of peas wrapped in a small towel, as cold compresses can sometimes help with the pain.

Given so much options of treatments, there is no need to endure the pain. The good thing about a migraine is that it usually stops as people get older.

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. To learn more about different forms of frequent headaches, their cause, symptoms and remedy, visit http://www.frequentheadache.net/.

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Say No To Migraine Headaches!

Are you a migraneur (one who suffers from migraine pain)? If you are, then you are most definitely aware of the intense throbbing headache that it brings and the disabling symptoms that accompany it!

The word “migraine” originated from the Greek work “hemicrania” which literally means “half of the head”. This is because classic migraine headaches usually affect one side of the head only, with the pain centering on the eye or temple. It can be accompanied by several other symptoms such as numbness or weakness, nausea or vomiting, dizziness and a marked sensitivity to light, noise, odors and touch.

Migraine headaches tend to affect the females more than the males. In fact for every four migraine sufferers, three would be females! It was also observed that migraine tends to run in the family so if you have a close relative who suffers from this debilitating condition, there is a great chance that you would, too.

What does a migraine headache feel like?

Those who have already suffered from migraine headaches describe the pain as a constant, intense throbbing pain that can literally knock you off your feet. Migraine headaches can be so disabling that you need to lie still in a dark quiet room and avoid even the slightest of stimulation to any of your primary senses to prevent the pain from worsening. Migraine headaches can also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting but in some cases, vomiting can actually help in relieving the pain.

Migraine headaches can hit you all of a sudden. However, if you are observant enough, you will notice a series of warning signs before the onset of the pain. These may include abrupt mood changes, food cravings, excessive yawning and speech or memory problems. You may also notice a change in your energy level and/or experience increased sensitivity.

A number of migraine sufferers may also experience visual disturbances, temporary vision problems and may feel a tingling sensation in their lips and hands. In some extreme cases; migraine headaches can even cause a person to hallucinate, go temporarily blind or be unable to speak!

When the headache finally ends, you may either feel more alive with your energy literally bursting at the seams or you may feel completely drained and washed out for about a day or so. Even your emotions may be affected – you may experience extreme mood changes from euphoria to depression in an instant!

Migraine headaches were observed to be triggered by a lot of different factors – from stress to a diet dominated by processed foods. You may not know it but you may be eating a lot of foods that can trigger the onset of migraine headaches. Among the most common culprits are the following:

• Dairy products such as buttermilk, chocolate milk, ripened cheeses, sour cream and yogurt
• Processed meat and fish such as bacon, bologna, corned beef, hotdogs, pickled herring, salami, sausages and smoked fish, among others
• Yeast breads and cakes
• Beverages that contain alcohol and caffeine
• Condiments such as MSG, soy sauce and vinegar
• Pickled foods

If you are prone to migraine headaches, you may also want to avoid certain fruits and vegetables such as avocado, banana, beans, citrus fruits and juices, nuts, onions, papaya, raisins and certain seeds (pumpkin, sesame and sunflower). They may just worsen the frequency and intensity of your migraine pains!

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Migraines

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Overcoming Headache And Migraine Pain Using Self Hypnosis

Do you suffer from migraines? Do you know someone who suffers from migraines?

If you do, you are not alone! A whopping 15% of the population (UK) is plagued by fear of debilitating migraine attacks and the searing pain that goes with them.

Never knowing what's going to set off the attack and force a retreat away from noise and light means that life as a migraine sufferer can be ruled by this condition. It can dominate personal relationships and cause problems in the work environment too. Unfortunately, while every pharmacy is stocked with drug-based pain relief, these expensive band-aid solutions offer only temporary relief by masking the symptoms.

Not to mention the international pharmaceutical companies who make these band-aid solutions are actually relying on your pain and suffering to make their massive profits. At the end of the day it's in their interests to focus on temporary relief medications rather than a long term solution for migraine sufferers.

And of course there is the additional frustration for those of us who are trying to avoid polluting our bodies with chemicals and live a natural, healthier lifestyle but when it comes to a solution to crippling migraine pain what are the drug free alternatives? Fortunately, new medical research is starting to offer some effective non traditional treatment options.

And self-hypnosis is one remedy that's gaining more and more attention!

Using self-hypnosis techniques that have been around for more than 100 years, many migraine sufferers are starting to take control of their pain using the power of the mind!

A quality self-hypnosis program that is specifically designed to take you on a journey to becoming free from migraine pain will help you unlearn the old, sub conscious migraine triggers that you are probably not even aware you are harboring and give you access to an amazing resource which will give you the ability to control and ultimately banish migraines from your life.

The key to making self-hypnosis work for you is understanding that you need to re-educate your sub-conscious to understand your migraine triggers and channel the incredible power of your mind to re-program these triggers.

By taking ownership for our health and refocusing our own personal power we can open ourselves up to a natural path of healing. We have lost touch with the natural healing practices of times past, practices that were once common knowledge and our dependency on modern medicine is to blame. Western societies have been so quick to lay absolute faith in modern science to the exclusion of all other healing techniques but this just makes the pharmaceutical companies richer!

Self hypnosis is a legitimate, natural and effective technique available for migraine sufferers who are willing to embrace ownership and responsibility toward their own journey of pain relief.

It's lifestyle change... Much like using a healthy diet to keep weight gain in check, migraine suffers must commit to spending 20-30 minutes a day, for 30 days, using these techniques to stave off their headaches once and for all. But as any migraine sufferer will tell you, it's a small price to pay for a pain free life without fear of the next attack.

So if you suffer from migraines, self-hypnosis might be the answer you've been looking for.

Lisa Dyke has put together The Mind Training Series which is a high quality range of self hypnosis audio programs, for more information on natural migraine and headache pain relief please visit http://www.natural-migraine-relief.com

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What is a Migraine?

A migraine is an intense throbbing pain which often only affects part of the head and may involve nausea, vomiting, extreme pain, or vision disturbances. The pain may be felt behind the temples, or behind one eye or ear. Although migraines can occur at any time of day, they commonly begin in the morning. A migraine can last from several hours to several days.

The specific cause of migraines is unknown. Too much or too little sleep, lack of food, stress, hormonal changes in women, weather changes, bright lights and certain foods such as chocolate or red wine are thought to be triggers of a migraine attack. It is thought that constricted blood flow in the brain can bring on the pain.

Contrary to popular belief, a migraine is not actually a headache. A headache is just a symptom of the migraine. In some migraines, a headache is not present at all. Some people can predict the onset of a migraine as an aura, vision disturbances, zigzag lines, or temporary vision loss may precede it. Sometimes the symptoms can begin as early as 24 hours before the migraine attack. Many people also report feeling irritable, depressed, or hyper.

Twenty-five percent of all people and 15% of Americans, suffer from migraines. More women than men suffer from this condition. Migraines affect younger people more often than older. Boys and girls younger than 10 suffer equally from migraines. After the age of 12 and after puberty, three times as many girls suffer from migraines than boys. Although migraines can occur up to 10 times a month or more, the average is 1 to 2 a month. Caucasians experience migraines more often than Asians or African Americans. Family history also plays a role in migraines. Over half of migraine suffers have a parent with migraines.

Everyone is different and it is important for each individual to pay attention to the triggers associated with their own migraines. Keeping a diary is recommended to track the foods, weather and other events leading up to a migraine. Avoiding these triggers is the best way to prevent a migraine. Other methods physicians recommend are getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet on a regular basis, lowering stress and establishing regular sleep patterns.

There are several common methods to treat a migraine. Lying in a dark room is one common way to alleviate the pain. Small doses of caffeine have been known to help treat a migraine, but large doses can be triggers. Over the counter drugs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help with migraine pain. Doctors can also prescribe stronger drugs called ergotamines or triptans. Putting an ice pack at the back of the skull will lessen the blood flow to the head and provide instant relief. An icepack on the head directly where the pain is felt can also be helpful. Sleep is another way to get through a migraine.

If migraines become more frequent or more painful, it is important to discuss treatment with a physician. Fortunately migraines tend to decrease with age.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Headaches

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Migraine Relief with Ice Remedy

When you have a migraine headache – or a loved one has – you want a migraine remedy. You visited your physician before, and you know his advice was to take over-the-counter pain medication and rest in a dark room, but that isn't enough. You want to get relief sooner.

One of your friends suggests getting migraine relief with ice, and you want to know more. What is a migraine remedy that uses ice?

Cryotherapy – the Ice Remedy

At the Department of Neurology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D. decided to study whether or not cryotherapy (treatment with ice) was effective as a migraine remedy. Dr. Robbins enlisted 45 migraineurs in his study and, when they experienced an episode, gave them only a cold head wrap as a migraine remedy. Here are some of Dr. Robbins' findings.

* 35.5 percent of the 45 patients said that, as a migraine remedy, the ice was not at all effective.

* 29 percent of them said the ice remedy was a little bit effective for migraine relief.

* Cryotherapy was fairly effective for 26.5 percent of those participating.

* Only 9 percent said the cold head wrap was completely effective as a migraine remedy.

Robbins, Lawrence D., M.D (1989), Cryotherapy for Headache, Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 29 (9), 598–600.

If you were among the 35.5 percent who said the ice treatment was useless as a migraine remedy, you might never try it again. Nevertheless, as a result of his cryotherapy study, Dr. Robbins says: “You have a 50-50 chance of getting some pain relief within three minutes of applying a soft, cold ice pack wrapped in a towel to your head.”

Reasoning Behind the Ice Remedy

It is clear that the ice migraine remedy works for many people. It is clear, too, that it works to a degree most of the time. Perhaps a better understanding of how it works will help others test cryotherapy.

During a migraine episode, the blood vessels in the head tend to dilate – open more widely. They may become swollen with blood, causing pressure on the nerves surrounding them. The nerves begin to send pain signals, and you sense a migraine.

To get migraine relief with ice, you surround the head with a cold wrap, gradually cooling the blood vessels. As they cool, they become constricted, and return to normal size. This can lessen blood flow to the head, and reduce pressure on the nerves, providing a migraine remedy.

Migraine Ice

A relatively new product to hit the market, "Migraine Ice" headache pads are advertised as giving "instant cooling, soothing relief" that lasts, sometimes up to 4 hours. The pads are convenient, and require no refrigeration. Those who have frequent migraines can keep the pads in a desk or locker at work for a ready migraine remedy. To use, you simply remove the pad from its pouch, peel off a protective film, and apply the pad to the back of your neck.

Soft Ice

Another convenient product that claims to provide migraine relief with ice is Soft Ice. This is available as either a neck wrap or a head wrap. Since this product delivers comfortable cold therapy that chills the head or neck, it may be just what you need as a migraine remedy.

Traditional Ice Pack

There are many brands of ice available to use as a migraine remedy, and most do the job equally well.

Obviously, you do not need a commercial cold wrap, though, to get migraine relief with ice. A simply, traditional ice pack will do as well. An ice pack is a waterproof bag with a cap at the top that allows you to fill the bag with ice. Once full, the bag is capped, and the ice pack can be applied to neck, forehead, or other parts of the head.

Alternative Ice Pack

If you are away from home, and do not have access to an ice pack, an alternative ice pack can be made with crushed ice and a towel. Simply place the crushed ice on the towel, and fold it to contain the ice.

To best use your ice migraine remedy, go to a dark room. Place the ice pack on your neck or head and rest.

CAUTION: To avoid frostbite, keep commercial cold packs in place for only 20 minutes at a time. If the skin begins to feel the least bit numb, remove the cold pack immediately.

This migraine headache information is for educational purposes only. Please seek advice from your physician for any migraine headache.

©2007, Anna Hart. Member of a “migraine family” and sympathizer with all migraineurs, Anna invites you to read more of her articles about migraine relief at http://www.migrainereliefblog.com/ You won’t want to miss Anna’s article on how to get migraine relief through migraine pressure points.

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The Difference between A Migraine And An Allergy Headache

Often people find it difficult to distinguish between an allergy headache and a migraine.There may be chances of Allergy headache if someone complains of headache after eating or drinking something. If the headache is accompanied with swelling, hives or breathing problems too then these symptoms confirm Allergy headache. These types allergies can be fatal if not handled properly a doctor should be consulted immediately.

If a person suffers from headache pain, but have no other symptoms, then he can try to get relief by applying a cold pack on his forehead. When this is accompanied with proper rest he should feel much better after a short period of time. However, if he feels that the cold pack is of little use, then he should stop using it and allow the pain to settle down. A painkiller such as acetaminophen, naproxen sodium, ibuprofen or aspirin may prove to be helpful here.

Allergy Headaches Due To Weather

Someone may also get an allergy headache from the changes in seasons as well.symptoms effectively make an allergy headache discernible from a migraine. The symptoms of migraine are an intense headache that is located in one particular area of your head. Usually it is accompanied by nausea and it may even cause you to vomit. Sometimes person having migraine may even become sensitive to touch on his arms and scalp.

A migraine may last for several hours or days. If someone suffer from migraines, discussion with a doctor and proper medication may prove helpful.
On the other hand, an allergy headache is usually triggered by person's allergies or a change in the air pressure. Therefore, if he notices that headache is seasonal or occurs due to weather change, then there might be a possibility of Allergy headache.

Person having Allergy headache can simply treat this common type of headache by taking an over-the-counter allergy pain reliever medication. This helps the pressure inside your sinuses to equalize with the air around it. These medications prove very helpful in treating all seasonal allergy symptoms as well.


About the Author
Richard Romando is an expert of giving information about Anxiety Attack Causes, headache cause

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Are Bananas a Trigger for Migraine Headaches?

Migraine headaches seem to follow a characteristic pattern - from prodrome to postdrome - and the symptoms may differ from person to person. But in most cases, the patient may experience a throbbing pain in any one side of the head (sometimes it spreads to both sides as well), and the condition is usually accompanied by phonophobia, photophobia and nausea or sometimes vomiting.

As per the general conclusion reached upon and accepted globally by doctors and researchers (the exact cause of migraine is still under contention), migraines are caused by a reduction in blood flow to the brain cells. This in turn springs from the constriction of arteries, which is triggered by certain external factors.

There can be a number of factors that trigger the onset of migraines. One such factor is food triggers. Each of these food items triggers migraine due to some chemical compounds found in them. One such chemical is tyramine.

Even though the exact effect of tyramine or the genuinity of such an explanation is still a subject of debate, it is widely believed that an excess concentration of tyramine in a migraine patient's blood can cause vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the brain. In addition, it appears that people with migraines caused by dietary factors appear to be deficient in enzymes needed to break down tyramine. Some drugs used to treat depression (such as Nardil, Marplan and Parnate) also interfere with the process of breaking down tyramine.

As tyramine is a predominant composition in bananas, bananas are considered to be potent trigger for migraine headaches.

The best form of treatment for migraines due to food triggers is prevention. Upon determining that you get severe migraine attacks due to sensitivity to a particular food, it is advisable to exclude it from your diet. Once set in, migraine can be very painful and can be difficult to treat. There won't be any reprieve for the patient until the pain subsides by itself.

Thus, closely monitoring your diet can be valuable in getting to the root of your headaches. Granted that it is not easy to find out what your food intolerances or allergies are. You may need to seek the help of a qualified professional for this process. However, if you are successful in determining any potential food triggers, you will reap the benefits of reducing the frequency and severity of your migraine headaches. Eliminating banana chocolate cake from your diet will not be such a bad idea after all!

About the Author
Looking for a Natural Headache Remedy or Remedies for your splitting headache? Get a Bonus Report when you subscribe to the Newsletter here at http://www.Natural Headache Remedies.

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Child Migraine: Early Detection is Vital

Has your child been complaining of severe migraine headache pains? Is there cause for concern or can you simply dismiss these pains as migraine headaches are not life threatening in the first place? You may also be apt to think that your child is giving you another excuse for not attending school. But really, if the reasons are valid and the headache pains are real, early detection is vital for the well being of your child.

This condition heralds much importance because often the symptoms of child migraine are mistaken for other diseases or conditions. For example, in younger children, a migraine attack is often accompanied by nausea, visual disturbance, and apparent abdominal disturbances/pain, which is both difficult to diagnose and mostly misleading.

It is important to know that your child is suffering from migraines as they can cause emotional changes such as anxiety or depression. About 65-80% of children with migraines interrupt their normal activities because of their headaches. In one study of 970,000 self-reported migraineurs aged 6-18 years, 329,000 school days were lost per month. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of migraines can greatly improve quality of life.

Migraines can inflict a child as young as 5 years old. In fact, approximately 20% of all migraine sufferers have their first attack before that age.

Studies suggest that migraine headaches occur in 5-10% of school-aged children in the United States, a percentage that increases and finally peaks at about age 44 years. Many people experience spontaneous remission. This means that the headaches disappear on their own suddenly and for no apparent reason.

It is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis yourself as children in their very young ages would not have the vocabulary to express what they are feeling at that time. As a matter of fact, only a specialist in treating migraine headaches could read the symptoms in the correct perspective, in the first place itself, and it is to such people that child migraine cases must be referred to while seeking medical help.

So, how to find out if a child is having a migraine episode? As a rule of thumb, children with migraine appear pale and ill. At the onset of the attack, they might show restlessness, change in behavior, or try to withdraw from contact with others. Showing over sensitiveness to smell, light and sound is also a clear symptom of an approaching migraine episode. But, as mentioned earlier, children may not be able to convey their sufferings exactly to their parents, and hence it is the duty of parents and teachers to read the obvious migraine signals and provide them the necessary care and medical attention.

The best treatment for child migraine, occurring in a mild level, is a combination of identifying the possible triggers, rest, and stress reduction. A sound and deep sleep is the most effective medicine for child migraine, while avoiding the triggers helps to reduce the frequency of child migraines by more than 50%.

Hence, when a child migraine attack happens, make the child slip to sleep as quickly as possible in a cool, dark and quiet room. If the pain is unbearable for the child, you may choose to consider giving him/her mild doses of over-the-counter Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ibuprofen (Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) on prescription.

Preventive medicine is sometimes prescribed for children getting 1-2 child migraine attacks every week, but it is resorted to in a worst case since such medications are prone to trigger side effects in the long run.

Identifying in advance possible triggers is still the best remedy. Spend more time and talk to your child more to find out about his stressors. Prepare meals that are healthy and help him or her avoid food triggers. Although many migraine disorders do not develop until middle age, early detection of triggers go a long way in helping your child adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Finally, if the situation is not improving reasonably even after six months since treatments started, you may consider seeking the advice of a neurologist.

About the Author
Looking for a Natural Headache Remedy or Remedies for your splitting headache? Get information on an arsenal of non-drug treatment options here at Natural Headache Remedies. Also, get a free report at http://www.NaturalHeadacheRemedies.com.

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Ocular Migraine: A Basic Understanding

Migraines are a neurological disorder of the brain. There are many different types of migraine. One of them is Ocular Migraine or known as Acephalalgic Migraine. The different types of migraine are classified according to the symptoms that a sufferer experience and their causes.

Ocular Migraine is a neurological syndrome characterized by abnormal visual sensations, sometimes accompanied by headaches, nausea and vomiting. In some cases, the person may feel heightened sensitivity to sound and light at the early stages of the attack. This type of migraine is generally seen in people with a history of classical migraine.

Like other migraines, ocular migraine spells occur repeatedly and irregularly. That is, patients may experience many spells of ocular migraine within a week and nothing at all for months on end. The spells may last from 15-30 min in general.

Ocular migraine is to be distinguished with classical migraine or migraine with aura. In classical migraines, the aura can be a visual sensation (called visual aura) or something non-visual such as smell, dizziness, vertigo, parasthesia, or extremities. Generally aura is experienced by the patient after the prodrome, 10-30 minutes before the onset of the headache. Statistics show that nearly 20% of the migraineurs experiences aura.

Like in other migraines, the exact cause of ocular migraine is still a topic of debate. The most nearest and convincing explanation is that it is caused due to vascular spasm that affects the ocular blood vessel supplying blood to the vision center in the brain. Changes in the blood flow in the vessels cause the severe throbbing or pounding effects of headache.

It is believed that ocular migraine is triggered by over stress, oral contraceptives, premenstrual changes, alcohol, and certain victuals such as chocolate, red wine, chicken livers, meats preserved in nitrates, and milk.

As mentioned earlier, the most notable symptom of ocular migraine is the unusual visual sensations that block the normal vision to a large extent during the spell. At the earlier stages of an ocular migraine episode, the patient may experience a visual disturbance in his/her peripheral vision, mostly in the form of a jagged, shimmering, semicircular light, pale pastel in color. Within minutes, it expands and becomes more centric to the area of vision, leading to temporary patchy vision loss. Eventually, in another 15-30 minutes, the zigzag pattern travels outwards of the visual field and soon out of the side vision before disappearing completely, leaving the field of view clear again.

After the episode, the patient may feel fatigued and with/without a mild headache, but the eye sight will be normal as it was before.

Ocular migraines, in most instances, do not require any treatment. But the doctor may diagnose the patient to ensure that there is no serious blood flow issue.

In some cases, doctors may prescribe some painkiller to contain the following headache, if the pain is unbearable for the patient. But such instances are very rare.

Tail Piece: Even though it is true that ocular migraines can be controlled to an extent by adjusting the diet and reducing stress, it cannot be prevented or cured forever. Once an ocular migraine episode starts, the patient will have no choice, but to see himself/herself through those grueling 30 minutes, preferably with a calm mind. There is no use in panicking or getting worried. Relaxation techniques can be put to good use at this stage.

About the Author
Looking for a Natural Headache Remedy or Remedies for your splitting headache? Get information on an arsenal of non-drug treatment options here at Natural Headache Remedies. Also, get a free report at http://www.NaturalHeadacheRemedies.com.

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What You Should Know About Optical Migraine

Even though optical migraines do not have any specific definition, the general belief of an optical migraine is, one that includes a vision disturbance is known as an "aura". The auras may come with the pain of severe headache, or may not have any pain.

The migraines that come with an aura are rarer than common migraines. The common migraines do not have any aura, and they may be enervating the victim of the migraine. Normally a patient suffers from the vision disturbances that persist for 5-20 min, and seldom cause any permanent impairment to the eye. The auras may vary evidently from patient to patient, and even from headache to headache.

The appearance of an aura

The aura consorted with an optical migraine usually presents before the beginning of migraine pain. It may appear in different forms, which include blind spots, flashing light or bright colours, zigzagging lines or other geometric patterns. It can also include "floaters", which are very small objects that appear to float across the eye in a repetitive manner. These strange disturbances may also cause dizziness and nausea, a feeling of confusion or a sense of imbalance. These symptoms may occur in one or both the eyes.

Treatment for optical migraine

When anyone suffers from optical migraines, the best way of action is to lie down in a dark and quiet room with a cool compress over the eyes or forehead. Sleeping is usually the best remedy for these headaches, in addition, mostly, that will also eliminate the aura. If anyone suffers from frequent and intense optical migraines, it is better to consult a physician for prescription treatments.

Prescription medications either can be given on a day-to-day basis, to act as a preventative measure; or can be used at the first appearance of an optical migraine, to decrease or even eradicate the later symptoms. It is believed that Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), the author of "Alice in Wonderland", suffered from optical migraines. Possibly, it was his fascinating aura, in association with a pictorial imagination, which brought off to invent a world of disappearing cats, shrinking people, and talking flowers.

Today, many physicians refer to the "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" when talking about the diversity of auras that can take place during a migraine sequence. The good thing is that there are a number of treatments are available to reduce and even eradicate the number of optical migraines a person can get.

About the Author
Andreas has been helping people with their migraine for many years, and has a broad experience. If you found this article usefull, please check out http://www.migraine-symptom.com/

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Finding The Best Migraine Medicine For You

Migraine is a common complaint affecting thousands of Americans, especially women. It presents as severe headache coupled with nausea and discomfort. The sufferer is quite unable to do any useful activity during a bout of migraine. Episodes come unannounced and for no apparent reason. Pain could subside on its own or by taking migraine medicine. Thus, it is not possible to predict onset of migraine and hence, migraine episodes interfere with his or her routine activities. Hence, those who suffer migraine usually follow certain remedies that include medication as well.

The exact cause or origin of migraine is not yet clear. Therefore, treatment strategies focus on relieving symptoms as and when they arise. Relief from migraine depends on the severity and duration of attack. For moderate intensity and short duration, one could rest lying down preferably in a dark room. If lucky to get sleep, the pain would pass on waking up. This is not however an ideal solution for it could eat away time from other tasks lined up. Hence, patients turn to migraine medicine.

There are three types of medicine that are effective in relieving migraine pain. The first group includes pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs. Examples are acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen. Acetaminophen is a popular over-the-counter drug that is suitable for mild attacks of migraine. For frequent moderate to intense episodes, you could use a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen after consulting your doctor. Although these are safe, non-steroidal drugs, it is better to check for adverse effects in long-term use of migraine medicine. Always use according to directions on the package. A possible home remedy is to drink black coffee after taking the pill.

The other categories of drugs used as migraine medicine are triptans and prophylactics. Both are prescription medication and adequate medical supervision is necessary while taking them. Your doctor would suggest them in the case of severe attacks depending on the timing of seeking advice.

Triptan that is available commercially as Imitrex can reduce or eliminate symptoms when you know a headache is imminent. If you delay, oral medication may not work because of the changes resulting from progression of the migraine.

Prophylactic migraine medicine includes beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and anti-depressants. These work best as preventive drugs and are used on a daily basis as maintenance treatment. Appropriate medical evaluation is necessary and doctors prescribe them for those who have frequent attacks or are prone to injure themselves in migraine episodes.

About the Author
Andreas has been helping people with their migraine for many years, and has a broad experience. If you found this article usefull, please check out http://www.migraine-symptom.com/

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