Migraine
Definition of migraine:
Migraine headaches are repeated or recurrent headaches, possibly caused by changes in the diameter of the blood vessels in the head. Most people with migraines do not have any warning before it occurs. However, in cases of "classic" migraine headache, a visual disturbance called an aura happens before the headache starts.
Classic migraine is different from "common" migraines (which have no warning sign or aura) or "complicated" migraines (which occur with speech, movement, or other problems in the nervous system).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors of migraines:
Migraine headaches are a common type of chronic headache. They affect about 6 out of 100 people.
· Classic migraine accounts for about one-sixth of all migraines.
· Common migraine and other (rare) forms account for the rest.
The causes of migraine are complex and somewhat controversial. One theory is that the symptoms are due to temporary changes in blood vessels. The blood vessels to the brain may become narrow, resulting in less blood flow to the brain. This could be what causes the visual changes before the headache.
Minutes to hours later, the blood vessels dilate (enlarge), resulting in the severe headache. Classic migraine specifically refers to migraines preceded by visual symptoms.
Migraines occur in women more than men, most often between the ages of 10 and 46 years. In some cases, they appear to run in families.
Migraine
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