Migraine Headaches and Aromatherapy

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Migraines are less common than tension type headache but represent a much larger health. In North America, about 1 in 5 women and 1 in 15 men suffer from migraine attacks of varying frequency and severity. The condition is considered chronic if migraine is experienced in 15 days or more per month. Intense head pain is the hallmark of a migraine, but they are much more than this.

The migraine experience

There are five stages to attack. Victims of migraine Not every level, but will tend to experience the same Phases every time.

The prodrome phase for more than half of all migraine victims and from a headache after a few hours or even days. Symptoms may include dramatic mood changes, increased sensitivity to light, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea or other significant change from the normal condition. Every victim of migraine, or migraine as they are called, will experience their own particular characteristics. Recognizing the prodrome symptoms provides an opportunity for young abortive treatment.

The Aura phase affects about 20% of migraine. The symptoms are neurological and can be very frightening. They develop gradually over 5 to 20 minutes and usually last less than an hour. The aura stage is named after the most common type of symptoms of vision problems. This may include flashing lights, dazzling zigzag lines, blurred, cloudy or shimmering vision, tunnel vision or even areas of vision loss. Other symptoms include a tingling sensation moving from one hand in the arm and one side of the face, auditory or olfactory hallucinations, dizziness, difficulty in communication and allergy touch. Migraine with aura are called classic migraine and those without aura are called common migraines.

The pain or headache usually starts within an hour or so after the aura phase is completed. The head pain of migraines is much stronger than the tension-type headache and at its worse can be almost unbearable. It usually occurs on one side of the head and tends to be a throbbing kind of pain. Other typical symptoms include nausea and vomiting, and abnormal, distressing sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch. Some sufferers may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, tremors, cold sweat or poor balance. The pain phase usually takes between 4 hours and 3 days. Migraines are often made worse by movement and for many, a migraine attack is so debilitating that they are bed ridden pain phase.

The resolution phase occurs when the head pain gradually reduced over a period of hours.

The postdrome phase has been called migraine hangover phase. It can last as little as a few hours or as much as several days. At this time a migraine victim will feel tired and irritable, may queasy, sick stomach, difficulty concentrating and may have sore muscles. Finally, even these symptoms subside as the body recovers fully.

What causes migraine?

Although the exact cause of migraines has not been proven, the prevailing theory suggests that migraines are genetically inherited neurological disorder involving the brain stem, the trigeminal nerve and blood vessels on the surface of the brain.

Before the onset of pain, there is a phenomenon called cortical spreading depression. CSD is a malfunction in the electrophysiology of the brain, where the slowly growing wave Depolarization presses neurological disorder activity in the area of ​​the cortex. The leading edge of CSD it is a short period to stimulate neuronal activity and this is thought to be the cause of the strange symptoms that occur during the prodromal

While CSD place. parts of the brain stem become very active. This abnormal neuronal activity moves from the brain stem through the trigeminal nerve in the direction of the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. Serotonin levels drop triggering trigeminal nerve to release chemicals called neuropeptides. This causes blood vessels to dilate and become inflamed causing severe pain.

This nerve disease appears to be triggered by numerous environmental, dietary and lifestyle conditions as well as hormonal changes and medications. Some calls are fairly common, but they can vary considerably between individuals. The change in estrogen level in the body is known to trigger migraine which explains why more women suffer from migraines than men, and why migraines are often tied to their menstrual cycles.

Treatment and prevention of migraine

Migraine can not be cured and no drugs available at this time is quite effective in reducing symptoms. Living with migraine need treatment to relieve symptoms during an attack and prevention to reduce the frequency of attacks. Some experiments need to find what works best for you. If you have a migraine you should seek professional medical advice.

Your first priority should be to avoid. It is easy to deal with splitting headaches while working to prevent the next headache takes a little dedication. Keep a journal and try to identify your headache triggers. Start by researching and jointly calls. Eliminating known triggers can be the most productive way to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. Be aware of your health. Strive to maintain a regular pattern to eat and sleep and keep taking moderate exercise.

Drugs called triptans are usually the first choice in treating migraine. They are designed to stop a migraine attack after the pain phase begins by stimulating serotonin to reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels. Triptans are effective in reducing the symptoms typical of migraine in the majority of patients, but they may not work for unusually severe migraines. Trip Tana carry the risk of serious side effects and it is taken too often cause medication overuse headaches. They should not be used during pregnancy or if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. They are expensive drugs for those not covered by the drug plan

Aromatherapy -. Complementary therapies

Few migraine are satisfied with the results delivered by migraine drugs alone and try other treatments to ease their discomfort. Aromatherapy is a good choice for a safe alternative treatment. Although some migraine with acute sensitivity to smell and touch not use aromatherapy, many have discovered that it is significantly better pain and nausea relief.

Some essential oils are effective in reducing headaches and peppermint oil (Menthe pipe write) is the first choice. Clinical studies have shown that the analgesic effect is comparable to acetaminophen. It will also help to reduce nausea and can be used in conjunction with prescribed medication. Dilute a few drops of peppermint oil with a carrier oil such as jojoba or almond and rub the mixture into your temples, on your forehead or back of the neck at the hairline. Alternately you could inhale Peppermint using a diffuser or a personal inhaler or by simply placing a few drops on paper.

Other essential oils will be discussed include Lavender, Rosemary, Roman Chamomile and Marjoram.

Ginger essential oils has proven to be very effective in reducing nausea and many find it to be very helpful during a migraine attack.

Migraine is a serious illness that can significantly disrupt your life. Always consult your doctor and try to find the treatment that works best for you.

You may find that aromatherapy is effective and safe addition to prescription migraine drugs.

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