Migraine is a chronic severe headache affecting the forehead, around the eyes and the back of your head, mostly at one side at a time. Its pulsing or throbbing pains may be worsen with physical activity. The symptoms of migraine include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and may interfere with daily life. For some, migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warnings such as aura and premonitions. The pain, if untreated, may last from 4 to 72 hours.

Causes of Migraine

The causes of migraine are unknown, though generics and environment factors are believed to contribute to the condition. One theory state that migraines are caused by the enlargement of blood vessels. It stretches the Trigeminal nerves and overloads them with pain signals, leading to inflammation, pain and further enlargement of the artery. Migraine attacks often activate our sympathetic nervous system, which controls primitive responses to stress and pain, by triggering our flight-or-fight response, diverging blood from our digestive tract to our limbs, and causing nausea and vomiting.

Migraine Prevention

Migraines are sometimes triggered by factors such as food and smells. By avoiding these triggers, we may reduce the number of migraines. As triggers for migraines differ for every person, it is recommended to keep a detailed migraine diary to find out what might have set off your migraine.

Some common triggers of migraine include:

• Allergies and allergic reactions
• Bright light, loud noises or certain smells
• Stress
• Changes of sleeping patterns
• Skipping meals or fasting
• Changes in hormone, especially in women
• Foot such as alcohol, caffeine beverages, aged cheese, chocolate, nuts, avocado, dairy products, and fermented or pickled foods

If your condition is severe, you should consult your doctor immediately.