| A migraine headache is a unilateral headache, the | | | | migraine headaches and tension headaches at the |
| symptoms of which include nausea, vomiting and | | | | same time. A migraine headache is characterized |
| increased ocular, aural and nasal sensitivity. A | | | | by its unilateral nature, meaning a person usually |
| migraine headache attack is recurrent in nature | | | | has pain on only one side of the head whereas a |
| and as the person grows older the attacks also | | | | tension headache is usually bilateral; pain is |
| increase in severity. | | | | experienced on both sides of the head. A migraine |
| Causes of migraine | | | | headache can also be identified on the brunt of its |
| There is no cut and dried cause for migraine. It is | | | | symptoms with include nausea, vomiting and a |
| thought that migraines are a result of various | | | | lack of tolerance for sound and smell; tension |
| reactions taking place in the central nervous | | | | headaches have no such symptoms. Some people |
| system. These reactions are either a result of | | | | suffering from migraine headaches experience an |
| bodily changes or of the changing environment. At | | | | aura just before the onset of pain. But, 90% of all |
| times, migraines are a result of family history | | | | headaches are tension headaches. Migraine |
| suggesting that people suffering from this | | | | headache are not as common as tension |
| condition have inherited their sensitivity to various | | | | headaches. |
| triggers that cause their migraine. The triggers | | | | Diagnosis of migraine headaches |
| lead to an inflammation of the blood vessels and | | | | The history of a patient's symptoms helps |
| nerves around the scalp and the brain, which in | | | | doctors make a correct diagnosis with regard to |
| turn leads to migraine headaches. | | | | migraine headaches. But symptoms alone are not |
| Some of the migraine triggers include alcohol, | | | | an indication of migraine. A comprehensive physical |
| exertion, food containing caffeine, stress, specific | | | | examination and neurological tests are also a part |
| prescription and over-the-counter medications and | | | | of the process of diagnosis. These tests are |
| hormonal changes (especially in women). | | | | conducted to exclude other neurological or |
| Migraine headaches differ from tension headaches | | | | cerebrovasuclar conditions like cerebral stroke, |
| Headaches are a highly complex medical condition. | | | | dilation of cerebral blood vessels, bleeding within |
| In order to get the right treatment for your | | | | the skull etc. Neuro-imaging is one of the many |
| headache, it is of paramount importance that you | | | | diagnostic tests that might be conducted on the |
| identify the kind of headache that you are | | | | patient. Doctors search for specific 'red flags' that |
| suffering from. Take the case of migraine | | | | show beyond doubt that the person is suffering |
| headaches and tension headaches. They are two | | | | from migraine. If the investigation reveals that the |
| very different types of headaches. So, their | | | | symptoms and tests do not fit into the 'benign' |
| treatment plan is also different from one another. | | | | headache category, doctors begin to zero in on |
| An interesting fact is that you can suffer from | | | | migraine as the cause of headache. |