About 28 million Americans, approximately 12% of the population, suffer migraine headaches. A migraine headache is not the same thing as a tension headache, rather they are mild to severe bout of pain accompanied by other symptoms including nausea, distortions in vision, sensitivity to light and other afflictions. A migraine attack can last from four hours to three days, is most common in the 20 to 40 year old population and about three times more common in women than men.



Steps

1. Before seeking treatment try to know if you are suffering a migraine, and not a simple headache or an even more serious condition. Symptoms of migraines include:
   • Migraines are typically felt on one side of your head.
   • Moderate to severe throbbing pain.
   • Nausea, with or without vomiting.
   • Sensitivity to light, noise, or odors
   • Visual disturbances called “aura”, see below.
   • Frequent attacks, typically one to three a month.
   • Loss of appetite
   • Sensations of being very warm or cold
   • Paleness
   • Fatigue
   • Dizziness
   • Diarrhea
   • Fever (rare)
2. Identify migraine with aura. Also known as the classic migraine, a migraine with aura, which occurs in 10% to 30% of all migraine headaches, includes visual disturbances such as blurred vision, wavy lines, and patterns. Other symptoms of this migraine can include sensory disturbances, partial paralysis, and disorientation. The Aura typically develops 15 to 20 minutes before a migraine headache begins.

Migraine causes

• Nobody really knows what causes migraines, but current research suggests migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway in your nervous system, and by imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin, which regulates pain messages going through this pathway. What they know for sure is that causes and treatment are variable for each individual, which is why your neurologist will want to know as much about your history and symptoms as possible. There are two factors that are common in many migraine patients:
  • Hereditary. Migraine headaches have a tend to run in families, 4 out of 5 people who suffer from migraine headaches have a family history. Statistically, if either of your parents has a history of migraine headaches, you'll have a 50% chance of developing migraine; if both of your parents have a history of migraine, your risk jumps to 75%.
  • Triggers. Researchers believe that people who suffer from migraine are hypersensitive to certain types of migraine "triggers". A migraine trigger can be a particular food, an environmental condition, or a hormonal factor.

Tips

• In most cases, if you drink caffeine (coffee, soda, ect.) it will help your migraine.
• Carry a small sachet of Epsom salts with you wherever you go.
• Take a little Epsom salt before eating butter or cream or whatever triggers a migraine attack.
• Avoid the bright sun especially at mid morning.
• Massaging the back portion of the neck is very helpful as it allows more blood to flow into the head. In combination with Epsom salts, it helps to stop a migraine in its track.
• Listening to light music is also very helpful.
• If your migraine comes with nausea w/ vomiting. Sometimes it helps not to hold it back. Vomiting actually sometimes helps relieve some of your migraine pain.
• If the migraine was not arrested at the very beginning, double the dosage of Epsom salts.
• Take a fresh bay leaf, crush it in your fingers, hold it up to your nose, breathe in deep, wait, breathe in deep, wait, repeat this until you feel a sharp, cool pain in your sinuses. Stop. You'll feel as though you have to sneeze, but won't. This should make the migraine go away.
• Get away from electronic screens, light (especially fluorescent), and noise. Take a nap. Then eat something if your blood sugar feels low.
• I have found light physical activity (tidying, walking) therapeutic during a migraine attack. One wants to lie down and remain stationary, but ironically, light activity seems more beneficial.
• I have also found that heat applied to the center of pain, rather than cold, can be very therapeutic and ease the pain. Both of these factors suggest that in some migraines, an increase in circulation help.s

Warnings

• Epsom salt is taken orally as a laxative and acts as an osmotic.
• Do not give aspirin to children under 16 because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.
• Taking a triptan while also taking an SSRI or SNRI can produce a dangerous condition known as serotonin syndrome.