Experienced by over 300 million people across the globe, migraines are a severe and utterly painful condition. They are characterized by profound pain at the frontal part of the head with a throbbing sensation. Up to 18% of women are at risk or have already suffered a migraine in their life, while only about 7% of men are affected. Migraines are known to hang around for a couple of hours, but there are secluded cases where migraines can last for up to three days.
Unfortunately, sufficient treatment for migraines has been as elusive as determining its root cause. This is more so given that there are a number of factors that might cause a migraine, which vary among people. Considering that there are about 20 million migraines reported daily, there is need to understand the condition and some of the factors that cause it.
The most popular symptoms of migraines are severe headaches usually elevating to an intense and a throbbing pain, which might be relegated to one or both sides of the head. There are also other patients suffering from the same condition that have reported experiencing auras prior to the attack and others experiencing sensitivity to light, smell, sound, sweating, vomiting and even nausea. While the symptoms vary between individuals, these just happen to be among the most reported.
What are the causes of migraines?
The theories and hypothesis about the root cause of migraines differ from person to person and factually, but some of the most likely include:
- Constriction of vessels in the brain
One of the most likely causes of migraines is vascular constriction in the brain which is then followed by the dilation of the same vessels. Constriction reduces the flow of blood in the brain and subsequent dilation activates the neurons to signal pain.
- Change in serotonin levels
A drop in the levels of serotonin in the brain has adverse effects on the blood vessels. In such cases, the blood vessels become inflamed and will usually swell. This can explain the occurrence of the pain usually referred to as a migraine.
- Sudden increase in flow of blood to the brain
This hypothesis seems to counter a prior one that indicates that a migraine can be caused by reduced flow of blood to the brain because of vasoconstriction. In this theory, it is assumed that increased blood flow to the brain by about 300% could cause the pain. But, it has also been noted that in the most intense attacks, the level of blood is usually normal or even slightly reduced.
Source: Healthy Body And Tips
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