When does a Headache Become a Migraine?
When does a Headache Become a Migraine |
Having a headache is very common. But the
pains are not all the same, nor do they appear for the same reasons, nor do
they stop before the same stimuli. Thus, when headaches recur too frequently or
are of an intensity that is difficult to bear, they become a concern.
Headache is a symptom of many diseases, from
sinusitis to head trauma, but it may also not be when the headache is the only
or main symptom, without damage to the body causing it. It is what specialists
usually know as primary headaches, and 90% of headaches are within this group.
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Finding the right treatment is important, and
for this, you have to know how to differentiate the type of pain that the
patient suffers, especially when it comes to migraines. This headache is within
the group of primary headaches, and they are not always diagnosed because not
all people who suffer them go through the consultation. And it is important for
the doctor to analyze the patient and see if he or she suffers from a migraine,
since depending on the number of days per month that this pain occurs, the most
appropriate preventive treatment will have to be given to reduce the frequency
and intensity of these attacks that chronic migraine can seriously interfere
with the patient's quality of life, preventing him from leading a normal life.
These are the characteristics that differentiate each headache, and they are
important because you have to know when to go to the doctor.
Tension
headache
It is very difficult to determine exactly the
percentage of people who suffer from it, but it is the most common primary
headache. There are studies that estimate that 78% of the general population feel
the pain it causes, with a peak prevalence in people between 30 and 39 years
old. The sensation is localized in the forehead, on both sides of the head,
and, sometimes, in the nape and neck. Its onset is slow and gradual, it tends
to get worse as the day progresses, and its intensity ranges from light to
moderate. The pain of tension headaches is compressive –it is accompanied by
pressure on both sides of the head-, the person feels it as if the brain were
being squeezed with an elastic band or a helmet was being pressed. There is
also some tension in the neck, neck and shoulders since tension headaches are
usually caused by muscle contraction of the neck, stress and mental tension.
In these headaches, sometimes it may feel that
the light or the very loud voices are unbearable, but never both at the same
time (as it happens with migraines), and it cannot be said that it is a
discomfort that prevents doing your normal life. It is true that it is an
annoying symptom, but it does not cause nausea or vomiting.
There are studies that indicate that tension
headache can be hereditary indirect relatives and among monozygotic twins, and
it occurs when there are tension and increased sensitivity of the pericranial
muscles, which are those around the skull. Sometimes this tension can be caused
by poor posture or by episodes of stress, anxiety or other emotional states.
Cluster
headache, severe and around one eye:
This type of headache is characterized by
being quite intense and very repetitive pain, which is often defined as a
suicidal headache. It usually affects men more and usually appears for around
30 years. It is a type of headache that can go away for weeks or months and
then suddenly reappear for no apparent reason.
A person who suffers from this type of
headache has severe pain that starts quickly and usually around the eye or
temple. The crises are usually accompanied by symptoms in the ocular region,
generally tearing, drooping of the eyelid, redness, and also in the nasal
environment, mainly with congestion or discharge. Another characteristic of
this headache is that the pain can appear several times a day and that it
almost always does so at the same time.
Why it occurs is still unknown to researchers,
although it is thought that the origin may be related to a problem in the
hypothalamus, the area of ​​the brain where hormones are produced. The cause
would be the sudden release of histamine or serotonin - a neurotransmitter
paradoxically related to well-being - substances that are present in neurons,
in the area of ​​the trigeminal nerve, located in the face.
Migraine
Although in 1988, the International Headache
Society (IHS) developed criteria with which specialists usually work today, it
is a disorder that is still largely unknown.
Migraine symptoms include a stabbing pain,
which occurs as a heartbeat, lasts between 4 and 72 hours and occurs only on
one side of the head, with a moderate to severe intensity. These headaches
often cause nausea and vomiting and can be made worse by exposure to light and
noise. Migraines, at the same time, can be divided into those with aura and
those without.
What is the aura? It is a transient
neurological focality, that is, they are reversible sensory alterations that
are established and disappear progressively (usually not exceeding 60 minutes).
Generally, the patient notices this aura before the headache and its symptoms
are usually visual, in the form of light flashes or zigzag lines, but also
sensitive, in the form of coughing and tingling, or dysplasia, with impaired
language.
It is important to clarify that the
predisposition to migraine can be hereditary since several genes have been
discovered that favour the brain to activate this pain system. It is a disorder
that has no cure, but it can be controlled to achieve a good quality of life,
so it is important that it be diagnosed. There are several therapeutic
possibilities, such as the use of certain anti-inflammatories, as well as
lifestyle guidelines that must be combined with drugs, such as improving sleep
quality, avoiding obesity and sedentary lifestyle. It is important for the
patient to know that some habits, such as stress, fasting, hormonal changes,
eating certain foods, such as chocolate or cheese, help a crisis to flare up
(although each factor will be different for each person).
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