If your headache occurs in attacks, this pain is called migraine pain. Migraine attacks can be seen 1-2 times a year in some, and many times in a month in others. It can be said that most of the migraine pains are very severe. Apart from being a severe headache, the most important feature that distinguishes migraine pain from other pains is the nausea, sensitivity to sound and light that occurs with the pain. Migraine sufferers find it difficult to complete their daily work due to these ailments accompanying the headache. However, a long process and specialist doctor control is very important for a complete diagnosis of migraine.

MIGRAINE

WHAT ARE MIGRAINE SYMPTOMS?

The main symptom of migraine is severe headache. Migraine headaches are so severe that; may affect the performance of a function or render the person incapacitated, forcing bed rest. One of the symptoms of migraine is unilateral headache. These unilateral headaches, which can change sides from time to time, generally tend to one half more than the other. In migraine, the headache is often located in the temples and sometimes in the eye or behind the eye. The forehead, the back of the head, and just behind the ear are the most common places for migraine headaches.

In addition to headache, migraine symptoms such as hypersensitivity-reactivity, depressive mood, excessive and unnecessary cheerfulness, stagnation / dullness, decrease in concentration and attention, slowdown in thought, difficulty in finding words, stuttering while talking, increased light-sound-smell sensitivity, yawning, Desire to sleep, hunger, desire to eat sweets, increased appetite or loss of appetite, excessive water drinking, feeling of bloating, constipation or diarrhea are also frequently observed. During migraine pain, increased sensitivity to light and sound can be so severe that; Exposure to them can increase the severity of pain. Another well-known migraine symptom is an increased sensitivity to smell. For this reason, nausea and vomiting may increase even due to pleasant smells such as perfume.


Another symptom of migraine is "aura". Some neurological symptoms that appear just before a severe headache are called "Aura". It can be visual or sensory. Migraine aura occurs before the onset of pain or during the initial development of pain. It is of a fairly short duration; It usually takes 20 minutes between 10 and 30 minutes.

Visual aura: Patients describe flickering twinkling lights.

Sensory aura: The sensory aura of migraine is in the form of numbness and tingling in the hands and tongue or in the mouth and jaw.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MIGRAINE?

Genetic factors are at the top of the causes of migraine. If there is a family history of migraine, the probability of having migraine is 40%. A person whose mother and father both have migraines may experience migraine complaints at a rate of 75%. One of the causes of migraine pain is hormonal changes. Therefore, migraine is most common in women. Migraine attacks, which are 3 times more common in women than in men, can increase their severity especially during menstrual periods due to hormonal changes. The increase in severe headache during the menstrual period can also be attributed to migraine. Nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound may occur. It is usually unilateral, intense and throbbing.

HOW IS MIGRAINE DIAGNOSED?

The first step in the treatment of migraine is the clinical diagnosis after the complaints of the migraine patient are evaluated by the doctor. The past history of people with migraine complaints should be examined, and a personalized treatment plan is drawn up for the cause after the head and neck region examination. During the examination, it is necessary to examine the muscle structures. A trigger point in the neck and back, such as muscle contraction, can also cause unilateral eye and facial pain, starting from the neck.

The patient's water consumption, diet, sleep pattern, stress level, environmental conditions, gastrointestinal system health status should be determined. Because physiological disorders can trigger pain as well as cause pain to be perceived too much. Today, many people experience neck and back pain, and headaches that develop in addition to these are often confused with the diagnosis of migraine. A multidisciplinary approach with neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry and physical therapy departments is required in migraine disease. Studies show that; 53 percent of patients actually suffer from pain due to psychogenic factors or a psychological disorder that develops after the illness. For this reason, it is not the right approach to use the same method for every patient.

Migraine types are very important for proper treatment. In order to evaluate migraine correctly, a specialist doctor should be consulted. The most common type of migraine is migraine without aura. Most people with migraine suffer from migraine without aura. Sometimes, attacks without aura can be seen in those who have migraine with aura, which is another type of migraine.

When certain diseases of the brain are suspected, examinations are performed to exclude them. Brain imaging (brain tomography) should be performed in patients with recurrent headaches and diseases that may mimic migraine should be investigated.