Important Information About Migraines
A migraine is a common medical condition that affects many people. It is important to note that a migraine is different from a headache. Most patients can’t tell the difference between the two. A migraine can have a serious effect on your life. You may find it hard to concentrate and work.
How migraine affects patients varies widely. Some patients may experience several episodes in a week while others, may have only a single episode. Read on to find more about this health condition, its causes, and treatment.
What is a Migraine?
A migraine is a medical condition characterized by intense headaches. This condition can cause a wide range of symptoms. Some of the common symptoms include sensitivity to light, difficulty in speaking, and vomiting. This is a condition that affects people of all ages. Migraines can occur during childhood or when one is an adult.
Talking to a dentist in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA before any dental procedure is important if you have a migraine. The dentist 92688 will treat your dental issues with your condition in mind.
Migraine Symptoms
The symptoms often begin a day or two earlier than the headache. These symptoms happen in stages. Here are the migraine stages.
Prodrome
This stage occurs an hour before experiencing the headache. Most patients who have migraines experience the following symptoms.
- Lack of appetite
- Light sensitivity
- Food cravings
- Severe thirst
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Neck stiffness
Aura
Some patients experience this stage before migraines while others experience it during the migraine. These are symptoms of the nervous system. They are visual in most cases with each symptom beginning gradually and building up and lasting for up to 60 minutes. These are some signs of migraine aura.
- Loss of vision
- Feeling needle sensation in leg or arm
- Weakness in the face and at times, side of the body
- Numbness in the face
- Involuntary jerking
- Hearing noises
- Difficulty in speaking
Attack
It can start off as a dull ache and develop into serious pain. Physical activities can worsen pain. You may feel the pain on either side of your head. This pain can at times move from one side to the other or can also affect the entire head. Nausea during the headache is common in most patients. Most patients will also become pale and feel faint.
Postdrome
This stage may last up to 24 hours after a headache. Here are some common symptoms associated with this stage.
- Tiredness
- Feeling cranky
- Muscle pain
- Feeling Weakness
- Lack of appetite
- Food Craving
- Feeling unusually happy
Types of Migraines
There are several types of migraine. Talking to a dentist in rancho Mission Viejo is important if you are experiencing any of these migraines.
Migraine with Aura
Patients with this type of migraine experience visual symptoms like shapes, flashes, and lines. Some patients can lose their vision for up to 30 minutes if experiencing this type of migraine. This type of migraine is also known to affect one’s speech, smell, and taste. It is important to consult a cosmetic dentist near me when you go for your routine dental checkup.
Migraine Without Aura
Migraine with aura is the hardest type of migraine to diagnose. This is because its symptoms resemble those of other types of migraine. It is characterized by throbbing pain on the side of the head. Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of this type of migraine
Hemiplegic Migraine
This type of migraine causes weakness on one side of a patient’s body. It is at times accompanied by vision symptoms. Hemiplegic migraine can last anywhere from a few hours to days.
Retinal Migraine
You may be having a retinal migraine if you lose vision in one eye for some time during a headache. Retinal migraine is common in women after childbirth. The blindness can be fully reversed.
How to Cure a Migraine
Migraines are not curable yet. However, they are medications that can help stop or prevent them. These medications can also suppress the symptoms. Avoiding triggers is also recommended.
How Long does a Migraine Last
Migraines can last anywhere between four and 72 hours. It is however important to note that this duration varies from patient to patient.