Migraine
Migraine is one of the principal varieties of headache and this refers to a periodic, hemicranial or generalized throbbing headache which begins in childhood, adolescence or early adult life and may continue to recur with diminishing frequency as one ages.
This is the most common cause of vascular headache in childhood and is more common among the females especially during the premenstrual period when tension and water retention are present. There is a very strong family history of this type of headache.
The different types of Migraine are:
1.Classic or Typical Migraine
– this has its onset during the early morning soon after the waking up time associated with sudden disturbance of vision described as bright spots or zigzag lines, numbness of one side of the face and body that may progress to weakness of that side and mild dysphasia, dizziness, drowsiness and impairment of gait.
– these symptoms may last for 5-15 minutes and as they are fading, a severe unilateral throbbing headache may start associated with nausea and vomiting
– this type of migraine headache may last for a few hours to a day or two
2. Common or Atypical Migraine
– as the name implies, this is the more common variety
– the prodromes are not sharply defined and they may precede the attack by several hours or days
– psychic disturbances, gastrointestinal manifestations and changes in fluid balance occur quite frequently
– this headache lasts longer and may go on for days
3. Cluster Headache
– this variety of headache is characterized by a series of closely spaced attacks of severe headache mostly occurring during the night
– more common among males in young adults and who are successful in their careers
– the headache is unilateral and orbital in location and is associated with lacrimation, blocked nostrils and rhinorrhea
– the attacks may recur over the years
4. Migraine Equivalents
– these include attacks of abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; the pain is localized in the chest, pelvis and extremities and associated with bouts of fever, transient disturbances in mood, recurrent nocturnal orbital headache or migrainous neuralgia
– children who suffer from “cyclic vomiting” maybe suffering from migraine headaches
Generally, when the headache is characteristically unilateral, throbbing, associated with prodromes, and generally severe and with strong family history then one might be having migraine headache.