Understanding Migraines

All of us get headaches from time to time, and they can be very different in severity. Migraines are a type of severe headache that is not treatable with basic pain relievers. Migraines can be characterized by severe headaches on one or both sides. They are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Around 12% of Americans suffer from migraines.

A migraine attack can cause heightened sensitivity to stimuli, such as sound, light and smell. A migraine attack is often preceded by numbness or tingling in the limbs. Other warning signs include flickering lights and blind spots. Migraine attacks are annoying and dangerous because they affect the nervous system. The pain can last anywhere from a few seconds to several hours, and it may make a person lie down until the pain subsides. In order to treat migraines, only a doctor with the appropriate qualifications should be consulted.

Causes

There is no single cause for migraines. The nervous system is the only thing that can be deduced. Researchers have found that migraines may be hereditary. However, there are some common triggers, such as poor sleep(1) or missing meals(2). Researchers have also identified triggers such as stuffy rooms and withdrawal from caffeine. While intense emotional and physical activity, such as sex and exercise, may be beneficial to health, excessive stress can trigger migraines.

Treatment of Migraines

There are two main types of treatment for migraines: acute treatment and prevention treatment. First, the medication prescribed is taken during an attack in order to stop the migraine. It is more likely to be effective, and it is expected that the medication will act quickly. Second, the patient can take medication or receive therapy like acupuncture to reduce or prevent attacks over a long period of times. Acetaminophen is a common pain reliever that can be purchased over the counter. Other options include aspirin and ibuprofen. Some rare drugs are used to treat migraines, including drugs originally developed for treating epilepsy and depression.

How to Prevent Migraines

Migraines are often misdiagnosed and untreated, which can lead to a poor quality of life. It is important that those suffering from them seek immediate medical attention. Contact a physician if you experience headaches that are accompanied by double vision, fatigue, fever, or mental confusion. A migraine headache is characterized by a debilitating, thunderclap-like pain. Avoiding unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, high cholesterol diets and excessive drinking is important. Certain headaches are similar to migraines. Consult a physician for more information.

Conclusion

When people hear the word migraine, they often imagine severe headaches. These can be an indicator of a underlying condition. Sensory disturbances are triggered by psychological changes such as sleep, hunger and exercise. Although symptoms can vary, it is important to know how to recognize the disease early in order to prevent and treat migraines. This is one of the factors that can lead to frustration and anxiety.

What other sleep problems can trigger migraines?

What are the symptoms of migraine when you fast?

(3) Migraineurs who experience attacks triggered by exercise have a distinct type of migraine.

Migraine Headaches

Understanding Migraines was first published on Alternative Medicine Magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the alternative to holistic medicine?

Holistic medicine, a method of health care, considers all aspects, including the spiritual, emotional, and environmental aspects. It is based on the concept that any illness must have multiple causes and requires a combination of treatments for maximum effectiveness.

Holistic medicine physicians believe prevention is better then cure. They work closely with their patients to help them achieve optimal wellness.

They seek to identify underlying causes of disease and prevent it from recurring. Holistic physicians treat the entire body, not just its organs. They sometimes refer to “the whole body” as the entirety of their being.

This means that they go beyond skin care and treat the entire body holistically. The doctor may suggest lifestyle and diet changes. He might also recommend yoga or meditation, herbal supplements, massages, acupuncture, chiropractic care, or other forms alternative medicine.

What is Alternative Medicine, and how can it help you?

This is a holistic approach to healing that emphasizes prevention over treatment. It encourages people to be informed consumers and actively participate in improving their health.

Alternative medicine refers only to any type of treatment and diagnosis that does NOT use allopathic (conventional).

Who uses holistic medicine

Holistic medicine treats the whole person and not only specific symptoms. It focuses on both the mental and physical aspects of well-being.

Holistic medicine encompasses acupuncture and massage therapy, chiropractic treatment as well as nutritional counseling, yoga and other complementary therapies.

People who practice holistic medicine include people with cancer, heart issues, diabetes and arthritis.

Statistics

According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people use herbal medicine worldwide. (webmd.com)
These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)
In 83% of the cases, the readers agreed. (en.wikipedia.org)
category.[111]Edzard Ernst characterized the evidence for many alternative techniques as weak, nonexistent, or negative and in 2011, published his estimate that about 7.4% were based on “sound evidence.” However, he believes that may be an overestimate. (en.wikipedia.org)

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How To

What are the four types of complementary and alternate medicine?

There are four major types of CAM: mind-body medicine (natural products), manipulative therapies (energy healing), and manipulative therapies (natural products). Mind-body medicine covers yoga, Tai Chi and Reiki, as well as chiropractic care, homeopathy (naturopathy), biofeedback, hypnosis and hypnosis. Natural products can include herbs, vitamins and minerals, dietary supplement, and botanicals. Manipulative treatments include physical manipulations, including acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathic treatment. You can also use prayer and visualization to help you heal your energy.

CAM is a general term that covers many health practices not covered by Western medical models. These practices can be supported by scientific evidence, or they may involve surgery. They also vary in terms of the conditions they treat. Some CAM practitioners also perform diagnostic testing (e.g., blood tests) and prescribe medication. Others do both.

In addition to these four primary categories, there are many subcategories within each category. In mind-body medicine there are relaxation techniques. Natural products are nutritional supplements, botanical medicines, homeopathic remedies, essential oils, probiotics, nutraceuticals, herbal preparations, medicinal plants, and teas. Manipulative therapies can include manual, movement and traction as well as electrotherapies, cupping and stretching. Soft tissue mobilization, trigger point therapy (or orthopedics), myofascial releases, trigger points therapy, neurostimulation, and trigger point therapy are some examples. There are many spiritual healing options, such as faith healing and prayer within energy healing.

Many CAM treatments treat symptoms but do not address the root cause. Some chronic diseases may be treated with CAM. If used correctly, CAM may be a complement to conventional treatments.

There are many reasons why people use CAM:

To improve their overall wellbeing.
To manage a particular condition.
To reduce pain or discomfort.
To prevent illness.
To promote wellness.
To address a personal belief.

People turn to CAM for greater control of their health than conventional medicine. Some may feel it has less side effects. Others opt for CAM to avoid prescription medication. Some people prefer not to use pharmaceuticals. Some people seek out CAM to avoid having to repeat the same mistakes they had with traditional medicine.

Some people who use CAM want to know what they are doing before they try something new. Many people who use CAM ask questions about its safety and effectiveness. Others rely more on word of mouth recommendations from their family members and friends.

Although CAM is often viewed negatively by society, most users report positive feelings toward CAM. People who use CAM are happier and healthier than those who don’t. This holds true regardless your age, gender or race.

A large majority of Americans practice some form or another of complementary and alternative medicines. 95% of adults have used CAM at some point in their lives. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health – NCCIH, approximately 40,000,000 visits were made to CAM providers alone in 2010.

According to the NCCIH, 10 percent of Americans use chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists.3 This compares with only 2 percent who use medical doctors.

The American Medical Association has reaffirmed its support to integrative medicine in 2013, It recognized that doctors must “integrate scientifically valid alternative and complementary medicine into clinical practices…to meet patients' needs.”

The Institute of Medicine published a landmark 2007 report called “Relating Constraints” that concluded that there was no evidence to support the claim that any particular CAM intervention can prevent, treat, cure, or cure cancer.

CAM continues its popularity despite the fact that it has been proven to be very popular. In 2008, the number of CAM practitioners increased by 8 percent compared to 2007.

A recent survey found that almost half the respondents said they used CAM as part their primary healthcare plan.

CAM therapies include natural products, mind-body practices, manipulative techniques, energy healing modalities, exercise, dietary supplements, and other approaches.

Many CAM treatments are used primarily for pain relief. However, they can also be used to improve mood, sleep quality, stress reduction, and immunity.

For example, acupuncture can help relieve chronic back pain, reduce anxiety and depression, improve immune function, promote weight loss and improve menstrual symptoms.

Many CAM treatments draw on Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicine. These roots can be traced back thousands of decades.

For example, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) originated 5,000 years ago and has been practiced in China since ancient times.

TCM was only in the mid-1800s that Western science gained prominence. However, it is still an important part of modern health care.

TCM is used to treat a majority of Americans.

Yoga is another popular CAM treatment. Around 5000 B.C., yoga was born in India. and is now embraced worldwide.

Yoga has become increasingly popular with the general public because it offers physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits.

Yoga can help ease stress, enhance flexibility and increase strength while improving cardiovascular fitness and reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Even though there are limited scientific studies, yoga appears to have positive effects upon sleep33. This may make it useful for people suffering from insomnia.

Other CAM therapies like aromatherapy, homeopathy, meditation, and/or homeopathy are also becoming accepted in mainstream medicine.

Herbal medicine is one the most commonly used types of CAM.

Herbal medicines contain herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, fruits, mushrooms, bark, leaves, roots, and stems.

These drugs are frequently considered safer than pharmaceutical drugs and are popularly used by consumers.

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health estimates that about 90 million Americans use some form of complementary/alternative medicine.

According to the American Cancer Society, 45% of adults diagnosed with cancer said they used alternative medicine during their illness.

According to the National Institutes of Health, 60% of cancer patients use CAM. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 50% of cancer survivors have used CAM.

According to a recent survey, 51% reported that they used at least one type (CAM) of CAM.

Only 8% of these people discussed the use of this medication with their doctors.

This lack of communication between conventional medical providers and CAM users represents a significant gap in healthcare delivery.

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