Primary Headaches - Part 1: Migraines
Migraines
Migraines are a type of headache that typically causes a throbbing / pulsating pain on one side of the head. They are usually associated with symptoms such as light and sound sensitivity (photophobia and photophobia, respectively), nausea and vomiting. The pain you feel with a migraine develops from the activation of nerve fibres within the blood vessels that travel between the layers of the brain (the meninges).
There are phases to a migraine which you may be familiar with:
Pre-monitory phase - Symptoms may occur up to 24 hours prior to the migraine. Such as food cravings, unexplained mood changes and uncontrollable yawning.
Aura - Some individuals may have vision changes such as blurry vision before or during the migraine. Some may experience muscle weakness.
Headache - The headache may have a gradual onset, and progressively become worse, or it can be fairly explosive in nature.
Postdromal - Following the migraine, there can be significant fatigue and confusion. This may take up to 24 hours to resolve. It is also known as the ‘migraine hangover’.
The cause for migraines is poorly understood however, there are some established triggers:
Hormonal changes
Strong odours or fumes
Stress
Genetics
Too much sleep
Not enough sleep
The first port of call for migraine treatment / prevention is medication. If you suffer with migraines, visit your GP to discuss the options that are best for you. However, moderate level activity has been shown to control migraine attacks, but there is some data to suggest that it may worsen symptoms too. Exercise intensity and / or frequency modification may be necessary. Finally, manual therapy combined with psychological assistance, physical activity and acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial for migraine relief.
If you suffer with migraines, here are 3 possible remedies you can try at home:
Napping in a dark and quiet room.
Place a cool cloth or ice pack on your forehead (if you’re using an icepack, wrap it around a cloth).
Hydrate yourself, especially if your migraine is associated with vomiting.
BOTCC out!
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554510/#:~:text=Thus%2C%20headache%20is%20typically%20the,in%20the%20perception%20of%20headache
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0212656721002420
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/migraine
https://www.migraine.org.au/phases
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303846722000178?casa_token=5mIwkO_HjM0AAAAA:Cz6zeAlSpcQ1qIc91yPzzd59BnLvpEZK1al5zZa0yYzllLTT0N2-MtyVXQ4kwLyeWNhYRFCX_hXN#sec0015
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/03331024211034489
https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-022-01503-y
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0212656721002420#sec0030