Controlling the Pain

Migraine Management

Jul 7, 2008 Pamela M. Walker Dees

Approximately 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches each year. Women typically suffer from migraines more than men.

A migraine headache is severe pain usually felt on one or both side(s) of the head. Pain is felt around the temples or behind one eye or ear. Along with the pain, there can be nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to lights and sounds. Migraine can occur at any time of day and last from a few hours to two days. There are two types of migraine headaches. One is classic migraine and the other is common migraine. A person who has classic migraine would have visual symptoms (aura) 10 to 30 minutes before a migraine. Aura can also include seeing or hearing strange things, disrupted sense of smell, taste or touch. This type of migraine occurs to more men than women. Common migraine sufferers do not experience aura, but do have other usual migraine symptoms like nausea and vomiting.

Migraines usually develop around age 15 and last to age 55. Migraines typically develop in women around puberty and occur during the rest of their reproductive years. Most migraine sufferers have a family history of migraine. For most people, their migraines subside over time, while for others this becomes a chronic condition known as transformed migraines.

Migraines are brought on by outside agents called triggers. Triggers can vary from food, to personal, environmental, and visual and audio. Migraine headache sufferers need to be aware of their triggers. Identifying a trigger can be the first step in migraine prevention. Food triggers include caffeine, cheese (usually hard or aged), red wine, processed meats containing nitrates or nitrites, MSG, vinegar or pickled items, and chocolate. Personal triggers include change in routine, traveling, lack or change in sleep patterns, and anxiety or stress. Environmental triggers are change in climate or weather, change in altitude or barometric pressure, high winds, extreme heat or cold, and intense smells. Visual or audio triggers are bright or flickering light, glare, bright sunlight, and extremely loud sounds.

Doctors recommend that migraine sufferers keep a journal to help patients identify their triggers. Patients should document what was happening before, during, and after their migraine headache. For example, was the patient not sleeping well before the migraine began? Patients should document thoroughly each migraine and review the information with their doctor, so both the patient and doctor can discuss preventative options and treatments.

Triggers can vary from person to person. Some patients have their own unique triggers and need to be aware of them. Sometimes identifying the triggers and adjusting the patient’s lifestyle can prevent most migraine headaches. If not, medication and other treatments will need to be consulted with a doctor.

For more information visit:

National Headache Foundation

National Women’s Health Information Center

The copyright of the article Controlling the Pain in Women’s Health is owned by Pamela M. Walker Dees. Permission to republish Controlling the Pain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.