Migraine
Alternate Names : Migraine Without Aura, Vascular Headaches
What can be done to prevent the condition?
A person can help prevent migraine headaches by:
avoiding his or her personal triggers
exercising regularly
limiting stress
A trigger is different from a symptom. A symptom is a condition
that accompanies or results from a migraine headache. A trigger is actually
something inside or outside the body that can cause or aggravate headache
pain. It can be related to something the person does or eats. Other triggers
include changes in the weather, fatigue, light, noise, and many other factors.
Triggers can include:
any type of medicine, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter
medicines, and herbal remedies
bright or flickering lights
changes in the seasons
changes in the weather
excessive or repetitive noises
high altitudes
jet lag
specific smells
Sometimes a headache is triggered by a combination of food and
drink. The National Headache Foundation Listing of Trigger Foods includes:
alcoholic
beverages
any pickled, fermented, or marinated food
bananas
broad beans, lima beans, fava beans, and snow peas
caffeinated
beverages, such as tea, coffee, and colas
chicken liver or pate
chocolate
citrus foods and drinks
figs, raisins, papayas, avocados, and red plums
foods or beverages that contain aspartame and phenylalanine
freshly baked yeast products
meats that may contain nitrates, such as bacon, sausage, bologna, salami,
pepperoni, summer sausage, or hot dogs
monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, which is found in meat tenderizers,
seasoned salt, and soy sauces
nuts or nut butters
onions
pickled or dried herring
ripened or aged cheeses, including cheddar, Emmenthaler (Swiss), Stilton,
Brie, and Camembert
sour cream
sourdough bread
Medicines used to prevent a migraine headache include:
anticonvulsants such as valproic acid and gabapentin
beta-blockers such as propranolol and nadolol
calcium channel blockers such as verapamil
cyproheptadine
lithium
methysergide maleate
tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
Severe and frequent migraine headaches can greatly affect
a person's ability to function. A migraine may rarely be linked with a
stroke
caused by blockage of blood flow in blood vessels.
What are the risks to others?
Although migraines are not catching, 70% of migraine sufferers
do have a family history of migraine.
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