Migraine - Know The Causes Behind It?

A migraine is a condition where there are pulsing pain and discomfort on one side of the head. Apart from the pain, the migraine will also cause a severe headache and nausea. Lastly, patients may experience physical discomfort in the presence of bright light. While there is no permanent cure for migraines, they can be controlled and minimized with the help of certain medications.

Here are some of the causes and symptoms most commonly associated with migraines.

Causes of Migraines:

The exact cause of a migraine is not well understood by the scientific community. However, some of the research indicates that an amalgamation of environmental and genetic factors may play a part in determining who gets affected by the disorder. Abnormality in brain chemical levels, such as serotonin, may be responsible for the pain. Further research is needed to establish the link between serotonin and migraines. Triggers for migraine attacks include-

1. Sudden hormonal changes in women during puberty, pregnancy and menstrual cycles.
2. Certain foods and dairy products
3. Alcoholic drinks, such as wine, and products with a lot of caffeine, like coffee
4. Excessive stress
5. Certain medications that modify the hormone levels

Symptoms of Migraine:

Migraines attacks can be divided into four distinct stages, depending on the severity of the symptoms. The four stages include prodrome, aura, headache and post-drome.

1. MigraineProdrome- It is the period just a day or two before an ensuing migraine attack. This stage is characterized by neck stiffness, mood swings, food cravings and constipation.
2. Aura- Auras occur just before or during the migraine attack. During this stage, some people may experience abnormal visual phenomena or even vision loss. Patients may also have difficulty forming words.
3. Attack- When a migraine is left untreated for 72 hours or more, it may progress to this stage. It is characterized by severe head pain, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness and hypersensitivity to light.
4. Post-drome- This is the final stage and usually occurs after the attack subsides. Patients are left drained and may experience moodiness, dizziness, weakness and confusion.

Role of Homeopathy Against a Migraine:

Unlike conventional forms of medicine, homeopathy does not believe in simply popping a pill for the condition. Instead, this branch of science looks to get to the root of the problem and treat the underlying cause that may be resulting in a migraine. However, the homeopathic remedies used differ from one person to the next, even though there are some particular medications that work best in migraine cases.