Migraine: What are migraines?

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Migraine: What are Migraines?

Migraine: What are Migraines?

October 19, 2011 at 19:27

Migraine: What are Migraines?

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches, and nausea. It is about three times more common in women than in men.

Migraine: Click here for Case Study

Migraine and Common Symptoms:

The typical migraine headache is unilateral (affecting one half of the head) and pulsating in nature. It often lasts from four to 72 hours; symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, photophobia (increased sensitivity to light) and phonophobia (increased sensitivity to sound); the symptoms are generally aggravated by routine activity. Approximately one-third of people who suffer from migraines perceive an aura—transient visual, sensory, language, or motor disturbances signaling the headache will soon occur.

Other symptoms that may occur with the headache include:

Chills
Increased urination
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Numbness, tingling, or weakness
Problems concentrating, trouble finding words
Sweating

Symptoms may linger even after the migraine has gone away. Patients sometimes call this a migraine “hangover.” Symptoms can include:

Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp
Increased need for sleep
Neck pain

Migraine and Brain Function:

Scientists have learned a lot in recent years about what happens in the brain during a migraine attack, and this knowledge is helping define new models of the attack. Advances in research have changed scientists’ thinking about the biological basis of migraines. Many now recognize it as a disturbance in brain function rather than primarily a disorder of the brain’s blood vessels. With the qEEG or Brain Map as an assessment tool, we can see the electrical activity of the brain. We can then determine where and how the dysregulation occurs allowing us to develop treatment protocols to put the brain back into balance without medication.