Youth & Teen Problems

Unlike normal headaches that many of us suffer with, a migraine is often a hereditary complaint that starts when someone is still in childhood. Often these attacks can last for days where the victim must seek bed rest; however, if it is treated, they can end in a matter of hours. To make matters worse, even after the pains have decreased the sufferer is still left weak from the episode and unable to carry on normal tasks for quite a while.

One thing that is still unknown is why some people have much more frequent attacks than others. These headaches go together with lightheadedness, sensitivity to brightness, and chills which are also symptoms of other common illnesses. Migraine can affect people from as young as ten and up to the age of forty; although it is unusual for the condition to afflict anyone over the age of fifty.

Members of the same family are often cursed with migraine and there is believed to be a hereditary link; even though there may be a link, so far it has eluded medical science. There is a condition that causes an inflammation of blood vessels in the brain and it is possible that people who suffer have sensitivity in this area. With this condition, women do not fare as well as men with a ratio of 3 to 1 suffering from the condition regularly; however, the chance of a man experiencing the condition on a regular basis is only one in twelve.

A number of people have a warning when they are about to have an attack which is called migraine with aura which can be anywhere between ten minutes to half an hour before the actual attack. The warning signs may include:

* Nausea is very common
* Problems with vision
* Loss in the sensation of taste
* Problems with speech

other symptoms exist but these appear to common with most people. The most common type of this condition is known as migraine without aura; many early indications felt by those who have a warning are symptoms felt by those who have no warning but their condition can be made worse if they are in constant motion.

At the moment the theory that blood vessels leading to the brain become narrower and affect the nerves is the closest science has come to discovering the cause of migraines. It might be that it is the expansion of the blood vessels afterwards that causes the headache; most victims become unable to do anything for some time after the attack. As there are so many situations that could trigger an attack, only a few are listed here:

* Bad weather
* Particular foodstuffs
* High altitude
* Drinks containing caffeine
* Strong intense sunlight
* Lack of sleep or food
* Anxiety

Sufferers need to monitor events that lead up to an attack if they hope to prevent them wherever possible.

A migraine is a form of very painful and long lasting head pain, quite unlike a normal headache which can start in people in their formative years. Normally lasting for a couple of hours or more when medication is administered, most are normally felt just on one side of the head but can affect someone for many days if they haven’t taken anything to ease the pain. Most sufferers will confirm just how tiring an attack is even once it has passed.

One thing that is still unknown is why some people have much more frequent attacks than others. Some symptoms could easily be associated with other illnesses like influenza for example. What isn’t understood is why migraines can start at an age as early as ten but normally stop before someone reaches the age of forty; strangely, very few individuals suffer with this condition after they reach fifty years old.

Whilst family groups are known to share attacks, so far there has been a problem finding a genetic trait that links certain family members to migraines; whilst genetic factors may be involved, this link has yet to be proved. Sufferers may acquire sensitivity to a medical condition that brings about inflammation in the blood vessels and nerves near the brain, resulting to pain. There are three women to each man that suffer with this condition; only one in twelve men will experience an attack in their lives.

Another symptom that is not consistent is those people that know when they are going to have an attack anything up to 30 minutes before it happens; this sensation is called migraine with aura owing to the type of feeling they experience. A number of different warning signs have been exhibited as shown below:

* Feeling of sickness
* Enlarged blind spots
* Loss in the sensation of taste
* Problems with speech

other symptoms exist but these appear to common with most people. However, the condition that’s most common is a migraine without aura where the pain increases in one area of the head; this also includes nausea which can be aggravated by movement, noise and light which is the reason most sufferers lie quietly on a bed in a darkened room.

The current belief is that the blood vessels close to the brain might contract, increasing pressure which may cause the migraine with aura experience. It might be that it is the expansion of the blood vessels afterwards that causes the headache; however, all suffers say the attack knocks them out and they are unable to carry out even the most simple of daily tasks. There are many possible triggers for an attack some of which are shown below:

* Weather
* Particular foodstuffs
* Height
* Particular drinks
* Powerful bright lighting
* Irregular or missed meals
* Stress caused by personal problems

It is therefore a good idea for the victim to see if there is a pattern to the attacks which could then make it easier to avoid them.