HAVE YOU BEEN DISMISSING YOUR MIGRAINE FOR HEADACHE? LEARN THE DIFFERENCE

In inflicting its symptoms, Headache Disorders have brought the world population on an equal level as it affects people of all age-groups, races, geographical areas and income levels. They are the most common disorders of the nervous system, affecting an estimated 50% of adults globally. Of these, 30% or more have reported a more severe form of Headache Disorder viz. Migraine.

Given the severity of its symptoms, it is of utmost importance that Migraine symptoms are diagnosed in time so as to be able to optimally treat them. According to World Health Organization, only 40% of those with Migraine symptoms are diagnosed professionally. While the reasons for this are many, the primary reason is the lack of awareness about how the symptoms of Migraine  are different from the symptoms of common headaches.

Let’s look at some ways in which one can differentiate Migraine symptoms from regular headaches:

Meaning:

• Headaches are unpleasant pain in one’s head which can cause aching and pressure.
• Migraines are severe & intense headaches that have symptoms in addition to head pain.

Trigger:

• Triggers for headache can include stress, anxiety, muscle strain, perfumes & other fragrances, smoke, weather conditions, skipping meals, etc. They are mostly external and situational. 
• In most cases, Migraine has a genetic base. Other triggers include emotional triggers (depression, anxiety, shock), hormonal changes, low blood sugar, changes in diet, medications and environmental triggers (constant exposure to loud noises, stuffy rooms, bright lights, temperature changes, etc.) They are more deep-rooted and long lasting.

Pain Intensity:

• During headaches, pain can range from mild to moderate to even severe. However, people suffering from it can usually continue with their day-to-day activities.
• During Migraines, pain often ranges from moderate to severe. It often causes intense throbbing pain that can cause performing daily tasks extremely challenging.

Areas of Pain:

• Headaches can be usually felt on both sides of the head, forehead, temple and/or back of the neck.
• The pain of a Migraine typically, but not necessarily, focuses itself as a throbbing pain in one particular part of the head.

Duration of Pain:

• Headaches usually last from a few hours to a day, typically till the triggers last.
• Symptoms of Migraine can be experienced even before the actual attack and in some cases, after the attack as well. Migraine symptoms can last from a few hours to 2-3 days or in some severe cases, even longer.

Prevalence:

• Headaches can happen to anyone.
• Migraines tend to affect people in the age-group of 15 to 55 years and are more common in women, in a ratio of 2:1.

If these differences aren’t enough, below are a few symptoms of Migraine that one can look out for:

Symptoms of Migraine: Migraine symptoms include severe throbbing headache along with one or more of the following symptoms –

1. nausea
2. blurred vision
3. pain behind one eye or ear
4. loss of appetite
5. dizziness
6. fatigue
7. sensitivity to noise, light, odors
8. seeing halos, flashing lights (aura)

Relief through Homeopathy:

Anyone who has known the agony of suffering from migraine will stand by the fact that they will take anything as long as it promises relief. However, though popping in painkillers provides temporary relief, they come with their own set of side-effects. Some of the known short-term side-effects of painkillers include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, random muscle spasms, etc. and long term usage increase the likelihood of heart attacks, damages the kidneys, weakens the immune system, causes hormonal changes, and so on. Therefore, before you decide to pop yet another dose of painkillers, give homeopathic remedies a chance as it is safe and free of side-effects, stimulating the body’s healing mechanisms. While allopathy works by the principal of ‘one size fits all’ homeopathy takes into account the particular causes & triggers of Migraine for each person and offers individualized treatment. Homeopathy uses a remedy that most closely matches the symptoms of Migraine thus being an ideal remedy for migraine treatment.