Migraine involves recurrent attacks of moderate to severe headache. It usually appears before middle age; it usually affects about 20% of females and 6% of males at some point in life. Some patients have a misconception that any severe headache is migraine.
The exact cause of migraine is unknown. The risk factors include family history of migraine and female sex. Investigations like EEG and MRI are helpful in ruling out other causes of headache.
TRIGGERING FACTORS:
The triggering factors can vary from one person to another. Any of the following trigger usually a case of migraine.
Hormonal changes in women especially before or during menses.
Hormonal medications, such as oral contraceptives containing oestrogen and hormone replacement therapy
Foods like Cheeses, salty foods, chocolates and processed foods
Skipping meals or fasting
Food additives: The sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in many foods
Alcohol, especially red wine, and highly caffeinated beverages
Psychological factors: may occur after a period of stress
Bright lights, sun glare, loud sounds, Strong smells — including perfume, paint thinner, secondhand smoke and others.
Changes in sleep pattern: Missing sleep or getting too much sleep may trigger migraines in some people, as can jet lag.
Physical factors: Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity
Changes in the environment
Medications like Oral contraceptives and vasodilators
SYMPTOMS:
Some experiences a period of malaise, irritability or behavioral change for some hour or days prior to the occurrence of migraine.
Severe throbbing or pulsating headache usually confined to one side but can occur on either side together lasting from 4 to 72 hours.
Can be associated with aversion to light and noise, nausea and vomiting and transient speech disturbance.
Movement makes the pain worse, and patients prefer to lie in a quiet, dark room.
20% of individuals experience migraine with Aura (Aura is a perceptual disturbance experienced before the onset of a migraine or seizure. It is perception of a strange light, an unpleasant smell or a confusing thought or experiences).
80% of the patients experiences migraine without aura.
HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH
A migraine can often cause disability due to the intensity of pain forcing the individual to take sick-leaves. Often stress plays an important role in causing and maintaining the attacks. Homoeopathy with its dynamically acting medicines heals the individual from the sickness and effectively brings peace of mind. Individual peculiarities are very important as far as Homoeopathic treatment is concerned.
NATRUM MURIATICUM: Throbbing pain. Blinding headache. Chronic headache, semi-lateral, congestive, from sunrise to sunset, with a pale face, nausea, vomiting; periodical; from eye strain; menstrual.
SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS: Right sided headache. Periodical sick headache. Veins in the temples are distended. Pain better by lying down and by sleep.
BELLADONNA: Severe throbbing and heat in the head. Pain worse in forehead, occiput and temples. Pain worse by light, noise, jar, lying down and in the afternoon; better by pressure.